Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he is taking to expedite payments due to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39784/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Under the legislation governing the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme it is permissible to pay applicants only in respect of eligible land. This year up to 70,000 applicants have identified ineligible areas and features on maps sent to my Department which is then obliged to have these amendments re-digitised onto its Land Parcel Identification System. The volume of maps received is 40,000 more than in 2009. Additional resources were allocated to the re-digitising of the maps received. Nevertheless in some cases the required amendments were not carried out prior to payment.

Consequently some applicants were paid an amount less than the 50% advance payment expected in respect of the Single Payment Scheme and less than the 75% paid under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme. However, it is important to emphasise that payments did issue to these farmers and they did not have to wait to have all of their parcels re-digitised to be paid, as was the case in other years. Furthermore, in recognition of the need to maximise payments I have implemented a provision whereby farmers not in receipt of their full advance payment can receive a supplementary advance payment following the re-digitising of their land parcels.

The earliest permissible date for the payment under the Single Payment Scheme is 1 December. However in 2010 I made a special case to the European Commission and secured agreement to make an advance payment of 50% from 18th October. The total number of farmers paid since payments commenced just over two weeks ago is 110,438 farmers with an amount totalling €519 million. The balancing payments of 50% will commence on 1st December. The payment of the aid under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 22 September 2010. The total number of farmers paid to date under this Scheme is 89,096 with the total amount paid of €177.5 million. Between both schemes nearly €700 million has been paid out to farmers.

The measures I have taken have maximised the rate at which farmers can be paid taking account of the need to process the very large volume of maps received. My Department will continue to ensure that the digitising of all maps received is a top priority.