Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will expedite a decision on an application for the young farmer installation scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Cork which was lodged with his Department in October 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26585/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned is an applicant under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme. His application for payment, following the receipt of some additional information, is currently being examined and a decision will be made in regard to the application as soon as possible.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason, regarding an alleged overclaim on an area aid application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork, he did not adjust the area aid application as per correspondence submitted by the applicant; if he will subsequently end the alleged statement of overclaim to take account of this correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26603/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As indicated in a previous reply, an application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 1 May 2008. The details of the over-claims in respect of the areas declared are as follows. This application was selected for a satellite eligibility inspection which required a follow-up field visit. During this visit, discrepancies were found in relation to 4 parcels (D28306026, D28306048, D28306049 and D28306047). As a result of these discrepancies, the area claimed of 35.88ha was reduced to 33.02ha.

If the total area found is not sufficient to support the number of entitlements held, penalties must also be applied in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme. In this case, the number of entitlements held by the person named is 36.85. 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 eligible for payment under the Single Payment Scheme was 27.30 hectares.

The person named was informed of these findings on 24 March 2009 and of his right to seek a review of this decision within 21 days and of his right to appeal the outcome of any such review. An appeal was received from the person named, and it is currently under consideration. The person named will be advised of the outcome of the appeal, in writing, and, should he be dissatisfied with the outcome, will then have the opportunity to appeal to the Agricultural Appeals Office.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange payment of the second part of REP scheme four which is outstanding to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [26639/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person named received his 75% payment in March 2009. I expect the remaining 25% payment to issue within weeks to those farmers who have already received their first payment of 75% in respect of REPS 4 applications lodged in 2007 and 2008.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the level of payments being issued under the forestry premiums following the reductions applied under the 7 April 2009 supplementary Budget; if further reductions are being considered in the context of 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26661/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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From January 2009 to the end of May 2009 my Department made forestry premium payments totalling almost €62.5 million. Of this figure, approximately €900,000 was for first premiums in respect of new planting and €61.5 million was for subsequent premiums in respect of previous planting. Premium payments since the Supplementary Budget reflect the 8% reduction. As for future premium payments I cannot anticipate the measures that will be included in the 2010 Budget later this year.