Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason there was a reduction in the area aid payment in respect of a person (details supplied); if this decision will be reversed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10550/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas' Scheme was received from the person named on the 15th May 2008.

This application was selected for a ground eligibility and cross compliance inspection. During the inspection discrepancies were found in relation to parcels Y16520034, Y16520056, Y16520022, Y16520023, Y16520025, Y17001029, Y17002018, Y17002037, Y17107024 and Y17107031. As a result of these discrepancies, the claimed area for the Single Payment Scheme of 56.52 ha was reduced to 54.27 ha. As the total area found is not sufficient to support the number of entitlements held, penalties will be applied as per the Terms and Conditions of the scheme. In this case the number entitlements held by the person named is 56.22. As the difference between the area declared and the area found is more than 3%, under EU Regulations, the difference between the area found and the area claimed is doubled and deducted from the area found. As a result, the area put forward for payment under the Single Payment Scheme was 50.37 ha.

For the Disadvantaged Areas' Scheme, the area declared of 38.20 ha was reduced to 36.03 ha as deductions were made on parcels Y16520022, Y16520023, Y16520025, Y16520034, Y16520056, Y17001029, Y17002017, Y17002018, Y17002037, Y17002039, Y17005040, Y17107024 and Y17107031. This left a shortfall of 2.17 ha which resulted in 6.02% of an over claim.

A formal decision issued to the person named on the 29th September 2008 that advised him of his right to seek a review of the decision within 21 days to the District Inspector.

The person named sought a review and on the 28th November 2008 the District Inspector issued a decision upholding the original findings of the inspection.

The person named was advised of his right to appeal this decision to the Director of the Agriculture Appeals Office, Kilminchy Court, Portlaoise, Co Laois. No appeal has been lodged to date.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will be awarded their suckler cow premium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10595/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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According to the information submitted by the person named, all animals were weaned on the same date. The scheme requires that the animals must be weaned gradually. Therefore they may not all be eligible for payment. My Department has written to the person named informing him of the situation.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will be granted their REP scheme four payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10596/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. The first payments for 2008 REPS 4 applications issued in the last week of January to those whose applications required no correction following the administrative checks. Further payments continue to be made as applications are cleared.

Queries have arisen during the administrative checks on the plan of the person named and it is currently under further examination.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on a matter in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [10612/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016.