Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the applications processed by her Department; the average waiting time to process each application; the steps which she is taking to speed up the processing time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29833/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Charter of Rights for Farmers 2005/2007 sets out deadlines within which applications under the various schemes operated by my Department should be processed. A Charter Monitoring Committee involving the farming organisations and officials of my Department under an independent chairman meets on a regular basis to review compliance with the deadlines in the Charter.

Details of the applications processed by my Department are as follows:

Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme

Under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, my Department processes approximately 130,000 applications each year. A system of combined application form is operated, thereby negating the necessity for those farmers eligible under both schemes to submit two application forms. The EU Regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme require that applications under that Scheme be submitted by 15 May of the year in question, while also providing that payments cannot be made before 1 December of the year of application. In the case of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, there is discretion as regards the payment date, which is generally mid-September, when the vast majority of applications were fully processed. It will be appreciated that the task of processing up to 130,000 applications is a substantial operation, with the necessity to confirm the detail contained in each individual's application, most importantly in respect of the various land parcels declared.

The Single Payment Scheme, which was introduced in 2005, replaced the various coupled Schemes, each of which had different application periods and eligibility requirements. I have endeavoured to ensure that the practice of refining and streamlining the application and processing process, which was a trademark of the Department's operation of those coupled schemes, will continue with the Single Payment Scheme. To this end, for example, under the 2007 scheme, an on-line application facility was introduced, which allowed farmers, or their nominated agent, to lodge an application on-line. This facility had numerous built-in validations, which resulted in those farmers who availed of the service experiencing fewer errors with their applications.

Mindful of the adverse weather conditions experienced during the summer months of 2007, I made a successful case to the EU Commissioner that agreement should be forthcoming to allow advance payments under the Single Payment Scheme be made at the earliest possible date, 16 October — the start of the EU financial year. Following successful processing of applications, in excess of 95% of farmers received their advance payment on, or shortly after that date. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme had commenced on 21 September and in excess of 90% of applicants had been paid within the following two weeks, with in excess of 98,000 farmers paid to date. Those applicants under both the Single Payment Scheme and the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme who have yet to be paid have received correspondence from my Department, which outlines the reasons for non-payment. As further cases are subsequently confirmed eligible, payment issues without delay.

On-Farm Investment Schemes

Applications under the following on-farm investment schemes are currently being processed by my Department within the deadlines set out in the Charter of Rights for Farmers 2005-2007:

Farm Improvement Scheme

Farm Waste Management Scheme

Sow Housing (Animal Welfare) Scheme

Young Farmers' Installation Scheme

Farm Improvement Scheme

12,675 applications received up to 31st October 2007, of which 1,875 have been approved.

Farm Waste Management Scheme

46,132 Applications received under the revised scheme up to 31st December 2006.

31,520 Approvals have been issued up to 30th September 2007.

2,065 Applications have been rejected or returned up to 30th September 2007.

All applications are being processed within deadlines set out in the Charter of Rights for Farmers 2005-2007.

Sow Housing (Animal Welfare) Scheme

56 Applications received up to 31st October 2007.

9 Applications rejected or returned.

No case outside of deadlines set by the Charter of Rights for Farmers 2005-2007.

Young Farmers' Installation Aid Scheme

108 Applications received up to 31st October 2007.

8 Approvals issued.

REPS

Notwithstanding a much higher than average level of applications for REPS in the closing months of 2006, over 87% of the 691 applications received that year were processed in line with the targets in the Charter. Over 85% of the 39,000 annual payment applications have also been processed in line with the targets. Additional staff resources have recently been assigned to my Department's local offices to assist with the processing of REPS files

Afforestation

1,021 applications were received up to 31st October 2007.

A total of 1,244 applications were approved in 2007 covering an area of 10,991 hectares. These included applications carried over from 2006.

Applications for payment total 782 up to 31st October 2007, of which 765 have been paid.

Over 90% of approvals and payments are made within the protocol timeframes, which are as follows:

Approvals within 10 weeks of applications except where public consultation is required by statute;

Payment within 6 weeks for non-inspection cases or 10 weeks where inspection is required.

Early Retirement Scheme

The Early Retirement Scheme (ERS3) 2007 was launched on 13 June 2007. To date (16 November 2007) 71 applications under the Scheme have been received. 13 of these applications have been fully processed and pension payments to these participants have commenced or will commence in November.

ERAD

Up to 15 November 2007 a total of 4,898 applications were received for Compensation Payments.

A total of 99.5 % of On Farm Market Valuation payments for reactor animals were processed within 8 weeks of receipt of all the required documentation, of which 95.5 % were processed within 3 weeks and 4% processed within 3-8 weeks, the remaining 0.50% being paid outside that period.

99% of Income Supplement Grants were paid within 8 weeks of receipt of the required documentation of which 92% were paid within 3 weeks, 7% within 3-8 weeks and the remaining 1% being paid outside that period.

98.5% of Hardship Grants were paid within 8 weeks of receipt of the required documentation, of which 89% were paid within 3 weeks, 9.5% within 3-8 weeks and the remaining 1.5% being paid outside that period.

96.8 % of Depopulation Grant payments were processed within 8 weeks of receipt of the required documentation, of which 77.4% were processed within 3 weeks and 19.4% processed within 3-8 weeks, the remaining 3.2% being paid outside that period.

SCRAPIE

A total of 20 flocks have been restricted in 2007.

Upon receipt of completed and correct documentation, compensation, income loss and restocking costs all paid within the required time frame set out in the Charter of Rights for Farmers 2005 to 2007 i.e. 21 days.

€549,870.60 has been paid in compensation and €154,227.21 in restocking costs up to 16th November 2007. All were paid within 14 days.

BSE Payments 2007

Under the Charter of Rights for Farmers BSE Compensation is to be paid within 21 days of receipt of completed documentation.

Since 5 April 2006, the policy of whole herd depopulation has changed. BSE depopulation has been replaced with a partial depopulation scheme, where the cohorts and progeny of the infected animal are depopulated.

BSE Cohorts and Progeny – Compensation of €121,280.50 was paid to 74 herd owners by 19 October 2007. 99% of herd owners were paid within 21 days of which 89% were paid within 14 days.