Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of inspections to be carried out under the single payment scheme in 2009; the number carried out to date in 2009; and the number of penalties imposed. [36208/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme, my Department is required to carry out on-the-spot inspections on a number of farms covering such issues as eligibility under the Scheme, compliance with EU legislation in the areas of the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health and ensuring that the farm is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition. A minimum of 5% of Single Payment Scheme applicants is required to be inspected under the eligibility rule. These checks are carried out to verify that the actual area claimed in the Single Payment Scheme application form corresponds to the area held by the farmer and to ensure there are no overlapping claims, or duplicate claims. Up to two thirds of these inspections are carried out without a farm visit and using the technique of remote sensing.

The rate of on-farm inspection required for cross-compliance is 1% of those farmers to whom the Statutory Management Requirements or GAEC apply. Under the relevant Regulations 5% of producers must be inspected under the Bovine Animal Identification and Registration requirements together with 3% of sheep producers covering 5% of the National flock. For the 2009 Scheme, there were a total of 11,391 farms selected for inspection out of some 130,000 who have applied for the Single Payment Scheme – over 100,000 of these are also applicants under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. The value of both schemes to Irish farmers is some €1.5bn. Over 3,000 of these inspections are carried out without a farm visit using the technique of remote sensing.

All inspections relating to land eligibility have been carried out and are being processed for payment. Currently, 1,063 applicants will be paid on a lesser amount than they claimed as a result of a minor area discrepancy while a further 233 have recorded penalties as the discrepancy was greater than 3% of the area found. Inspections relating to Cross Compliance are still ongoing but with 3,792 completed there are currently 404 penalties in place.