Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the outcome of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Galway for a single payment allocation from the national reserve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38553/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payments scheme national reserve under categories B (II) and D.

Category B caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under livestock premia and-or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002. Category D caters for farmers who commenced farming after 31 December 2002 or who commenced farming in 2002 but who received no direct payments in respect of that scheme year.

It should be noted however that the rules governing the single payment scheme stipulate that an applicant who is found to be eligible under more than one category in the National Reserve may only receive an allocation of entitlements under whichever category is most beneficial to him. The position is that over 23,000 applications for an allocation of entitlements from the National Reserve were received when account is taken of farmers who applied under more than one category. Processing of these applications is continuing and the intention is to make allocations to successful applicants early in 2006. The Department will be in touch with individual applicants as soon as their applications are fully processed.