Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding an application for a disadvantaged area scheme grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [29094/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 10 April 2009.

The Terms and Conditions governing the Scheme require, inter alia, that applicants maintain a minimum stocking density on their holding of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare declared, for at least three consecutive months, during the calendar year of application. However, where the holding of an applicant is identified as not meeting this minimum requirement, the person in question is invited to submit evidence of satisfactory stocking i.e. Flock Register, Horse Passports or details of a REPS or Commonage Framework Plan, which provides for a lower stocking level.

The person named was written to by my Department on 23 July 2009 and again on 21 January 2010 and invited to submit appropriate evidence of the numbers of livestock maintained on his farm, as Department records currently do not show the person named as having yet achieved the minimum stocking density. To date, no reply has been received from the person named; however, on receipt of a satisfactory response, the application will be further processed with a view to payment at an early date.