Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 806: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be considered for assistance under the 2008 single farm payment; if not, the options available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36046/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that Single Payment entitlements were established for farmers who were farming and in receipt of direct payments under the Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid Schemes during the reference years 2000, 2001 and 2002 and who continued to farm in 2005. The person named did not receive payments under the Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid Schemes during the reference years and therefore no Single Payment entitlements were established for him. The person named applied for entitlements from the 2005 National Reserve but as he was not a registered herdowner the application was rejected.

The person named applied under Category B of the 2006 National Reserve. Category B catered for farmers 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. In order to be eligible for an allocation of entitlements from the National Reserve a herdowner must submit a Single Payment Scheme application form. As the person named did not submit a 2006 Single Payment Scheme application form he was therefore not eligible for an allocation of entitlements from the 2006 National Reserve.

The person named subsequently submitted an appeal against my Department's decision. This appeal was forwarded to the Independent Single Payments Appeals Committee who completed their review and they have upheld my Department's decision. A letter outlining the decision of the Committee issued to the person named. The question of a 2008 National Reserve will be considered by the Single Payment Advisory Committee (comprising representatives of the farming organisations, Teagasc and officials from my Department) who will make a recommendation to me in due course. In the meantime the person named should ensure that he submits a completed Single Payment application to my Department by the closing date of 15 May 2008. Blank application forms will shortly be available in my Department's Local Offices.