Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a balance of REP scheme and single farm payments will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; if not, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24006/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The first part of the REPS payment to the person named in respect of 2008 will issue within the next ten days. He has already received his payment for 2008 under the Single Payment Scheme.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when single farm payments will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary for 2008 and 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24007/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application was received for each of the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 requesting the transfer of 13.08 entitlements by way of one-year lease from the second named person to the first named person. The one-year lease for the 2007 scheme year ended on 31 March 2008 at which time the entitlements reverted back to the second named person. Consequently they were not available to the first named person for the scheme year 2008 and no payment issued on these entitlements for that year.

No application to transfer these entitlements was received by the Transfer of Entitlements Section of my Department for either 2008 or 2009. However, the first person named included a note with his Single Payment Scheme application for 2008 indicating his intention to lease land and entitlements. In view of this, an official from my Department has been in contact with the first person named in relation to the submission of transfer of entitlement applications for 2008 and 2009. When these applications have been received and processed all outstanding payments will be made.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when an area aid payment will be issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary ; if not, the status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24008/09]

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 2007. This application was selected for and was the subject of a ground eligibility and full cross compliance inspection. During the course of the ground eligibility inspection, discrepancies were found with parcel numbers P16508043, P16508044, P16508045 and P16508046 which resulted in these parcels being rejected. As there was an over declaration of over 20%, under the Terms and Conditions of the schemes, no payment can be made for the year in question.

The person named was officially informed of these findings on the 14th January 2009 and of her right to seek a review of this decision within 21 days and also of her right to appeal the outcome of any such review to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. On the 8th May 2009, the District Inspector reviewed this case and it was decided to uphold the original decision and apply the penalty. The person named was advised that she could appeal the outcome of this review to the Agriculture Appeals Office. I have had the matter investigated and the position is that this file is with the Agriculture Appeals Office who will contact the person named, within the next week, to invite them to attend an Oral Hearing in order to clarify the position regarding the areas under query.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will be awarded a farm improvement scheme grant in view of the fact that the work was completed in February 2009; his views on whether delays such as this are putting pressure on young farmers and their families; the action he will take to have payment made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24029/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. My Department is currently examining the application and a decision will be made as soon as possible.