Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding an application for installation aid by a person (details supplied) in County Cork which was recently submitted. [25130/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned is an applicant for aid under the Installation Aid Scheme. His application is currently being examined within my Department and the outcome will be notified to the person concerned as soon as possible.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding an application for single farm payment for newcomers to farming in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25161/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The herd number quoted is registered in the sole name of the second person named. The second person named applied to be considered for an allocation of entitlements under Category A of the 2005 National Reserve which catered for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died by 16 May, 2005 and who had leased out his/her holding to a third party during the reference period 2000 to 2002. The second person named did not apply under the New Entrant category of the 2005 National Reserve.

The second person named was deemed unsuccessful under Category A as he did not submit documentary evidence to indicate that the land he acquired from his father was received free of charge or for a nominal amount. The second person named subsequently submitted an appeal against this decision and provided additional documentation in support of his appeal. In all such cases, the procedure is that all contentions put forward in support of an appeal are first of all reviewed within my Department to see whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant any change to the original decision. In this case the documentation was examined by my Department but did not provide grounds for a change to the original decision. This appeal was then considered by the Independent Single Payments Appeals Committee who disallowed the appeal. A letter outlining the decision of the Committee has issued to the second person named.

To date the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 National Reserve has specifically included a New Entrant category for farmers. The New Entrant category of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 National Reserve schemes 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. The 2008 National Reserve caters for farmers who commenced farming for the first time after 31 December 2005. In addition all applicants must also meet certain criteria in relation to farming income and farming qualifications. As mentioned earlier the second person named has never applied under the New Entrant category of the National Reserve. However my Department will now contact the second person named directly to determine his eligibility under the New Entrant category of the 2005 National Reserve.