Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the level of backlog that exists in the processing of the transfer of entitlements from one herd number to another, in particular where a father and son would have combined their farm in a farm partnership; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43517/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that the introduction of the Single Payment Scheme in 2005 brought the new concept of Payment Entitlements into the direct payments system. Payment entitlements are not attached to land but are the property of the farmer who was farming during the reference period and was in receipt of direct payments under one or more of the Livestock Premium and/or Arable Aid schemes.

Entitlements may now be sold with or without land but can only be sold without land once 80% have been used in one calendar year. On the other hand entitlements may only be leased to another farmer if accompanied by an equivalent number of hectares of eligible land. Entitlements may also of course be transferred, with or without land, by gift or through inheritance. The registration details of entitlements may also be changed (for example from one name to joint names).

It is incumbent on my Department to maintain a database of entitlements which contains the name and herd number under which entitlements are registered with a view to ensuring that payment issues to the correct holder(s) of the entitlements in any particular year. When entitlements are transferred from one farmer to another or when the registration details of the herd number are changed, the parties must complete an application to have the registration details of the entitlements changed. The application forms to be completed by farmers engaged in transferring or changing the registration details of entitlements are available on my Department's website. In this context, where the registration details of an entire holding are being changed (for example from one name to joint names) within the 10 months period for compliance with the Single Payment Scheme requirements, the parties must complete a separate declaration of undertaking under which the persons being newly registered undertake to succeed to the responsibilities of the original applicant and thereby become entitled to payment.

The closing date for receipt of applications to transfer entitlements for 2006 was 16 May 2006 while application to change the registration details within the 10 months period may be accepted at any time during that period. Some 5614 applications have been received in my Department to transfer entitlements for the 2006 Single Payment Scheme. Some 1460 of these applications were received after the closing date — many have only been received in recent months. Since 2006 was the first year that these new arrangements were in place it is understandable that many farmers were unfamiliar with the requirements relating to registration of entitlements. My Department is making every effort to have all of these applications processed as quickly as possible. Applications for the sale of entitlements with land or the lease of entitlements must be accompanied by appropriate documentation (copy deed of transfer/lease agreement etc). In over 50% of cases the required documentation was not furnished with the original applications necessitating further contact with the parties involved.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the single farm payment due to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow is being held up; and if she will ensure that they receive payment before Christmas 2006. [43542/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The 2006 Single Payment application for the person named has been fully processed and payment will issue shortly.

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment of the EU single payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [43548/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 5 May 2006. An initial payment issued to the person named on 11 December 2006 and it is expected that the balancing payment will issue to the person named in the coming week.