Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will be issued with their 2005 national reserve allocation and payment; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11861/07]

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 Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category B.

Category B caters for farmers who 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 2000-2002. Investments can include purchase or long term lease of land, purchase of suckler and/or ewe quota or other investments. The person named applied under Category B(i) in relation to investment in land and B(iv) in relation to investment in buildings and has been deemed successful.

The person named also benefited from another measure (Force Majeure during the reference period) under which the year 2001 was removed when calculating his entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme.

The Regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme provide that checks must be made to ensure that an allocation from the National Reserve, to an applicant who has already benefited under other measures associated with the Single Payment Scheme, does not result in double benefit. An applicant may only benefit from the measure that is most beneficial. All checks have now been completed and it has been established that an allocation from the National Reserve is more beneficial in this case and therefore the Force Majeure status has been rescinded in favour of an allocation from the National Reserve.

A formal letter outlining my Department's decision has issued to the person named and the relevant payment due will issue shortly.