Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the cut-off point for the receipt of applications for the now closed farm improvement scheme is 31 October 2007, the date she made the announcement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35722/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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On 31 October 2007, I announced the closure of the Farm Improvement Scheme as applications received under the Scheme had reached the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The applications received under the Scheme up to 31 October 2007 will be processed by my Department up to the level of funding available.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will ensure that the full single farm payment will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [35728/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 25 April 2007. Also an application to consolidate entitlements was received on 26 April 2007. An advance payment in the amount of €5422.10 issued on 16 October 2007. Payment of the balance was slightly delayed while the application for consolidation was being processed. This application was rejected, as under the rules of the consolidation measure a person must declare a number of eligible hectares which must be at least 50% of the number of entitlements originally granted to him. The balancing payment in the amount of €5422.09 has been cleared for issue, and will be lodged to the account of the person named in the next 2 to 3 days.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will sanction a grant for farmyard improvements for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35759/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Approval to commence work was issued by my Department to the applicant on 22 October 2007. My Department has no record of having received any notification of completion of works and the related documents from the applicant since that date. The matter cannot be further progressed until this documentation is received.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason for the delay in the issuing of a single farm payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare in 2006 and in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35760/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The delay in making payment under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme arose from the fact that the person named did not declare land parcels during the 2000-2002 reference period. Under the regulations governing the old coupled schemes, the person concerned was not obliged to declare his land. Under the Single Payment Scheme it was necessary for my Department to establish what land was owned by such applicants in order that a number of payment entitlements could be determined. Under EU regulations, the number of entitlements could be determined based on either the land declared during the reference period or, alternatively, on owned land declared in either 2004 or 2005. This case was complicated due to the fact that the applicant also leased out some land and entitlements in 2006 that he acquired from another farmer.

Insofar as the 2007 Single Payment Scheme is concerned, an application was received on the 15 May 2007 requesting a transfer of 5.77 entitlements from the person named to a third party by way of one-year lease. As essential elements of the application form were not completed, it was necessary to return it to the herd owners for completion. In addition it was also necessary to query the number of hectares being transferred.

It transpired that the net area of land being transferred was 5.6 hectares and, as each leased entitlement must be accompanied by one hectare of eligible land, it was necessary, in consultation with the herd owners, to reduce the number of entitlements being transferred to 5.6. The transfer has now been fully processed and payment will issue as soon as possible.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 283: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will take steps to ensure that an application received on 25 October 2007 from persons (details supplied) in County Westmeath for grant aid under the farm improvement scheme will be dealt with, as this grant is important in aiding the provision of necessary infrastructural facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35782/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Applications received under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007 will be processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 284: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will be paid their single farm payment for 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35815/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted a Single Payment application to my Department on 9 May 2007, declaring 6.40 hectares. However, as he does not hold any Single Payment entitlements, payment cannot issue to him. He has received full payment under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme in respect of these lands.