Written answers

Tuesday, 30 November 2010

Department of Agriculture and Food

Grant Payments

5:00 am

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive disadvantaged area scheme and single payment scheme. [44969/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 22 April 2010. This application was selected for and was the subject of a Ground Eligibility Inspection. The inspection process is complete and the results are now being processed.

Under EU regulations governing the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Single Payment Scheme all Ground Eligibility Inspections must be completed before any payment can issue to any applicant under either scheme, including those not selected for a Ground Eligibility Inspection. In the vast majority of cases that were inspected amendments have had to be made to the maps in order that the Land Parcel Identification System that is used for making payments to farmers is kept up-to-date. Processing of these changes is continuing with priority being given to applications that were the subject of a Ground Eligibility Inspection.

Photo of John PerryJohn Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason a person (details supplied) did not receive their full headage payments; if he will now ensure that they do so urgently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45027/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2010. The 75% advance payment under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, which issued on 21 September, was on the basis of those parcels cleared for payment at that stage, as a parcel listed on the application of the person named required re-digitisation. This process is now completed and the application has been processed for payment of the balance of the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, which issued on 9 November.

Photo of Tom SheahanTom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not received full payment in respect of single farm payment and the disadvantaged area scheme payment. [45031/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2010. An advance of the Single Farm Payment issued to the person named on 18 October on the clear eligible area. A number of the land parcels listed on the application required digitisation. The advance payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Single Farm Payment issued to the person named on 22 September and 18 October respectively on the clear eligible area, as some of the land parcels declared required re-digitisation. This process is now complete and balancing payment due in respect of the Disadvantaged Area Scheme issued on 26 November and the Single Payment Scheme balancing payment will issue to the applicant very shortly.

Photo of Seymour CrawfordSeymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive their area aid and single farm premium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45032/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 17 May 2010. This application was selected for and was the subject of a Ground Eligibility and Full Cross Compliance Inspection. The inspection process is complete and the results are now being processed.

Under EU regulations governing the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Single Payment Scheme all Ground Eligibility Inspections must be completed before any payment can issue to any applicant under either scheme, including those not selected for a Ground Eligibility Inspection. In the vast majority of cases that were inspected amendments have had to be made to the maps in order that the Land Parcel Identification System that is used for making payments to farmers is kept up-to-date. Processing of these changes is continuing with priority being given to applications that were the subject of a Ground Eligibility Inspection.

Photo of Seymour CrawfordSeymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive their area aid and single farm premium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45033/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Two applications were received on 17 May 2010 requesting the transfer of 44.37 Single Payment entitlements by way of gift and 9.82 Single Payment entitlements by way of lease respectively to the person named from other farmers. The transfer by way of gift was completed on 9 July 2010. Entitlements being transferred by lease must be accompanied by an equal or greater number of hectares of eligible land. This application to transfer by lease requested the transfer of 9.82 entitlements but the transaction involved only 8.02 hectares of land. A letter issued to both parties on 9 November requesting clarification.

An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 17 May 2010. During the validation of the application, a dual-claim was identified in respect of one land parcel as well as over-claims in respect of a number of land parcels . These matters have now been resolved following correspondence between the person named and my Department. A number of parcels listed on the application of the person named required re-digitising. This process is now complete and the application is being further processed with a view to any payments due issuing shortly.

Photo of Seymour CrawfordSeymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive their area aid and single farm premium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45034/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 17 May 2010. Initial processing of this application revealed a dual-claim of one land parcel, as well as over-claims in respect of two other land parcels. These matters have now been resolved following correspondence between the person named and my Department. A number of parcels listed on the application of the person named required re-digitising. This process is now complete and the application is being further processed with a view to any payments due issuing shortly.

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not received their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45075/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 26 April 2010. The 75% advance payment on the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme which issued on 21 September 2010 and the 50% advance on the Single Payment Scheme, which issued on 18 October 2010, both on the basis of the land cleared at that stage, as a number of parcels declared required digitising. While balancing payments are scheduled to commence issuing as and from 1 December, such payments would, in normal circumstances, be confined to those whose applications are fully processed, specifically, where all digitising is finalised.

However, following recent consultation with the EU Commission, agreement was reached whereby, in addition to issuing balancing payments to those farmers whose applications are fully processed and whose maps are fully digitised, payments will also issue to those farmers where some or all of their maps are still to be digitised, with the payment being calculated on the basis of the digitised land confirmed eligible. I am pleased to say that, because of this change, many farmers, including the person named, whose balancing payments would otherwise have been delayed until their digitising is complete, will now receive an interim balancing payment. The position regarding the balancing payments is, therefore, as follows:

From 1 December all applicants will be paid their full balancing payments, where the case is fully processed and clear;

Applicants, whose applications are fully clear, where the only outstanding issue is a non-digitised map(s), will be paid their balancing payment on the clear, digitised area (excluding their non-digitised land), subject to a maximum of 80% of the value of their total Single Payment; these farmers will receive the final instalment of their balancing payment when their maps are re-digitised and their applications are fully clear.

Digitising is now complete on this application, however, an error has arisen on one of the parcels declared. An official from my Department will make direct contact with the person named with a view to an early resolution.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45080/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 27 April 2010. The advance payment which issued on 18 October, was on the basis of land confirmed eligible at that stage, as a number of other parcels listed by the person named required re-digitisation; this process is now complete and the payment due will issue to the person named shortly.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a decision will issue on a forestry grant appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45085/10]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the appeal on behalf of the person has been disallowed. Following a further field inspection of the site it has been found that the northern, low lying section of wetland is almost at sea level and was waterlogged at the time of the inspection. As the conditions required to ensure wind-firmness of the crop over the silvicultural rotation are absent, this section of the site is not eligible for grant aid because of the risk that is presented by these factors as the crop matures.

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