Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will confirm that 1 September will be the commencement date for all agri-environment options schemes including those applications that have not been fully processed. [43960/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Some 6,000 letters of approval for participation in the scheme have now issued to applicants under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme, with a start date of Ist September, 2010. Comprehensive administrative and validation checks must be carried out on all applications to ensure eligibility and compliance with the terms and condition of the scheme before letters of approvals can issue, particularly in the case of those applications which required the submission of a Sustainable Management Plan. This represents the majority of 3,419 applicants who have not yet received a start date. I expect the administrative and validation process to be completed and all outstanding cases to be notified of the outcome of their application before the end of November, with successful applicants receiving a start date of 1st November, 2010.