Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 266: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the single farm payment has not issued to persons (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if they will receive their payment before Christmas. [39454/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

While an application under the single payment scheme was received in this case on 6 May 2005, no payment is due, as no entitlements were established during the reference period.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 267: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received the single farm payment. [39455/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Agriculture and Food has been in contact with the person in question in connection with an inheritance application. On receipt of additional information from the individual, this case can be processed by the Department.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 268: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if there was an error in the single farm payment received recently by a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39456/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The applicants established 36.36 hectares entitlements for 2005. A single payment scheme application form was received on 4 May 2005 declaring a total of 33.97 forage hectares and 7.61 hectares for forestry.

Under EU legislation, an applicant, in order to draw down his or her full single payment, must declare an eligible hectare to accompany each entitlement. This requirement was set out clearly in the documentation supplied to farmers on several occasions. Therefore, the applicants were paid €6,349.31 based on 33.97 forage hectares declared on the 2005 single payment application form. If the applicants declare sufficient land on their 2006 single payment application, they will be in a position to claim full entitlements next year.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 269: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if an application for a national reserve allocation has been received from a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; if said application has been approved or rejected; if rejected, if an appeal has been submitted; if same is under consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39478/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payments scheme national reserve under categories B (i), (iii) 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 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 reserve may only receive an allocation of entitlements under whichever category is most beneficial to him or her. The position is that more than 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.