Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason for the reported 15,000 queried applications in respect of single farm payment. [36226/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Agreement was reached in the Council of Ministers in June to allow for an advance of the single payment scheme payments to begin issuing on 16 October, a full six weeks earlier than the 1 December commencement date provided for under the rules of the scheme. As well as earlier payments, the level set for the amount of the advance payable was set at an unprecedented 70%. While some member states are not in a position to make advance payments, this is not the case in Ireland and I can confirm that arrangements are in place for the commencement of these payments in accordance with this very welcome concession and payments will begin to issue to applicants' accounts over the coming days. The 30% balancing payments will begin to issue with effect from 1 December.

Approximately 123,700 applications were submitted to my Department under the 2009 single payment scheme. At least 92% of these applications, worth over €800 million, are now fully clear for the first payment run on 16 October. My Department is continuing to process applications and I have made arrangements for further frequent payment runs to ensure that newly finalised applications are paid without delay.

In order to ensure that payments under the single payment scheme are maximised between now and the end of 2009, I would take this opportunity to urge all applicants who have received queries from my Department in connection with their application to respond as a matter of urgency with the necessary clarifications.