Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in issuing a single farm payment for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when this was approved for payment; and if she will arrange for immediate payment. [11961/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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An application for the single payment scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2005 and payment in respect of the transferred entitlements issued on 1 December 2005. Arrangements are being made to have the dairy premium element of the single payment paid to the person named shortly.

Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if payment of the single payment scheme will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has submitted all details. [11962/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no record of receipt of an application under the 2005 single payment scheme from the person named. The person named recently submitted evidence to my Department to support a claim that the person had submitted an application under the scheme before the closing date for receipt of applications. Following consideration of the evidence submitted, my Department has now decided to process an application from the person named under the 2005 scheme. Subject to there being no errors highlighted following the processing of the application, it is expected that payment will issue shortly.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if an application for sheep quota under the national reserve in the name of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be expedited and approved; the timeframe involved for a decision in the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11981/06]

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 D, which 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.

Our records indicate that the person named did not apply under category B, which 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. I will make arrangements for this case to be examined also under this category. 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.

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 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.