Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food further to Parliamentary Question No. 366 of 8 May 2008, the reason for the delay in payments under the farm improvement scheme from offices (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19145/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The issues that had delayed processing of schemes in these offices have been resolved and payments will commence shortly.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if an application under the 2007 national reserve for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been successful. [19160/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person named has submitted an application for consideration of an allocation under Category C of the 2007 National Reserve which caters for sheep farmers for whom at least 40% of their Single Payment was derived from direct payments associated with sheep production (Ewe Premium/Rural Word Premium) during the reference period and where their existing Single Payment is less than €10,000.

As category C of the 2007 National Reserve is a non-mandatory category, the EU Regulations provide that in allocating entitlements to successful applicants, the Member State must ensure that the allocation does not have the effect of increasing the value of any existing entitlements above the regional average value of entitlements. Similarly, the value of any new entitlements allocated to non-mandatory categories must not exceed the regional average. The Member State was allowed to determine what constituted the regional average. In Ireland the regional average value of entitlements is the average value of entitlements in the District Electoral Division (DED) associated with the applicant's herd number.

The person named qualifies under the criteria laid out for Category C and has now received an allocation that has brought up the value of his entitlements to the DED average value associated with his herd number. A letter outlining the allocation and relevant payment will issue shortly.

The person concerned was also successful under a measure for sheep farmers with commonage land which formed part of the 2005 National Reserve.