Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 422: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action a person (details supplied) in County Meath must take to qualify for the 2005 single payment scheme national reserve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36125/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payments Scheme National Reserve under categories A and D.

Category A caters for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died by 16 May 2005 and who had leased out his/her holding to a third party during the reference period 2000-2002. The person named was not deemed successful under this category as the land was not acquired free of charge or for a nominal amount.

Category D caters for farmers who inherited or purchased land and 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. The person named was not successful as the land acquired was leased land which did not qualify for this category.

A formal letter outlining my Department's decision issued to the person named and the person named submitted an appeal against this decision and provided additional documentation in support of his appeal. In all such cases, the procedure is that all contentions put forward in support of an appeal are first of all reviewed within my Department to see whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant any change to the original decision. In this case the documentation was examined by my Department but did not provide grounds for a change to the original decision. This case has since been forwarded to the Independent Single Payments Appeals Committee who will carry out a full review of the case and will correspond directly with the person named following the outcome of their review.

Under the 2006 National Reserve there are provisions for New Entrants to farming who have leased land. This category (Category B) caters for farmers who commenced farming after 31 December 2002 or who, while farming during 2002, did not receive any direct payments in respect of that year. The income and educational qualification that applied in 2005 will again apply to this category. In addition, new entrants who are farming leased / rented land will be eligible for an allocation provided they can demonstrate a genuine commitment to farming. In this context the leased/rented land must have been declared on the 2004 Area Aid application and on the 2005 and 2006 Single Payment Scheme application.

My Department has forwarded a 2006 National Reserve application form to the person named for his attention. Should the person named feel that he qualifies for the 2006 National Reserve he should return the completed application form to my Department offices in Portlaoise at his earliest possible convenience.