John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the circumstances outlined in correspondence, details supplied; the steps she will take; if a decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9607/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named is a participant in the rural environment protection scheme. He was late in applying for his second annual payment and was penalised. It is a condition of the scheme that participants have to apply for each annual payment. My Department, as a service to participants, sends out payment application forms in advance of the date but the onus is on the participant to ensure that he or she applies for the payment within the specified time. This is stated in the terms and conditions of the scheme, in the REPS farmer's handbook and in the initial application form which the applicant signs. The decision to impose a penalty has been reviewed and a letter has issued to the applicant stating that, as there were no grounds to overturn it, the penalty was correctly applied. He was also informed that he had the option of bringing the matter to the agriculture appeals office.

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will ensure that decision will be made on the single payment scheme for an application of entitlements from the 2005 national reserve for a person, details supplied; when a decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9616/06]

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 category B. 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. Investments can include purchase or long-term lease of land, purchase of suckler and-or ewe quota or other investments.

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 at the earliest opportunity. My Department will be in touch with individual applicants as soon as their applications are fully processed. Formal letters setting out my Department's decision will be issued.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment will issue to a person, details supplied, in County Tipperary under the single payment scheme. [9621/06]

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 category C. Category C caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, sold the milk quota into the milk quota restructuring scheme and converted their enterprise to a farming sector for which a direct payment under livestock premia or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002.

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 at the earliest opportunity. My Department will be in touch with individual applicants as soon as their applications are fully processed. Formal letters setting out my Department's decision will be issued.

The person named also applied to have his entitlements consolidated under the 2005 single payment scheme consolidation measure. This application has been fully processed and payment in the amount of €990.87 in respect of the entitlements established under the scheme issued to the person named on 24 January 2006.

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when balance of payment for the single payment will be issued to a person, details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9633/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no record of receiving an application form from the person named for the single farm payment in 2005. The person named submitted an application requesting consideration under the inheritance provisions of the single payment scheme. Following processing of her application, she was notified that her request was successful. The person named subsequently applied for consideration to transfer all her inherited entitlements by way of private contract clause and this application was also successful. All entitlements have been transferred from the person named and there is no payment outstanding.