Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 376: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is entitled to a single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31878/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The person named established 4.05 entitlements at a unit value of €8.34 (total value €33.78) in 2005 under the Single Payment Scheme. He applied on those entitlements and was paid in respect of the 2005 scheme-year. The person named did not apply for the Single Farm Payment in any of the years from 2006 to 2011. As he did not use his entitlements in the years 2006 to 2008 the entitlements were surrendered to the National Reserve. The person named was informed of this in a letter issued by my Department on 12 November 2008. Therefore, as he no longer holds payment entitlements, the person named is not entitled to payment under the Single Payment Scheme.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 377: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their disadvantaged area aid payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31890/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 11 May 2011, processing of which has recently been completed, thereby allowing the 50% advance payment under the Single Payment Scheme to issue on 28 October. Payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has also issued to the applicant on 28 October and the balancing payments under the Single Payment Scheme will commence on 1 December, as is provided for in the relevant EU regulations.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 378: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and value of 2011 disadvantaged area payments which have yet to be made to applicants in County Roscommon; if he will make a 75% payment to applications which are delayed due to digitisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31896/11]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 380: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and value of 2011 disadvantaged area payments which have yet to be made to applicants in County Leitrim; if he will make a 75% payment to applications which are delayed due to digitisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31898/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 380 together. The following tabular statement shows the position regarding applications and payments to County Leitrim and County Roscommon herd-owners under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme:

As the Deputy is aware, there are no delays in payments to farmers under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, payments having commenced, on target, on 22 September, with payments issuing to those farmers whose applications had been confirmed eligible for payment at that time. I can confirm that my Department has, in the interim, continued to pay individuals, as their cases became clear, with payment runs taking place twice a week. This is normal practice and will continue on an ongoing basis, as necessary. In this regard, while I am pleased to note that payments worth €191.7 million have issued to date, representing over 85% of applicants, I remain confident that the full budget for the Scheme will have been exhausted by year-end.

It is not intended to resort to the exceptional, once-off measures adopted in the latter part of 2010, when the decision was taken to make payments at a rate of 75%. It should be recalled that these payments were made on the basis of land confirmed eligible at the time of payment, whereas payments under the 2011 Scheme, in addition to being at a rate of 100%, are made on applicants' entire eligible areas following the completion of the validation process for each application.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 379: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and value of 2011 single farm payments which have been made to applicants in County Roscommon; the number and value yet to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31897/11]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 381: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and value of 2011 single farm payments which have been made to applicants in County Leitrim; the number and value yet to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31899/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 381 together. The following tabular statement shows the position regarding applications and payments (95% of applications are paid) to County Leitrim and County Roscommon herd-owners under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme, for the year specified:

As is clear, while the timing of all direct aid payments to farmers is crucial, it is the Single Farm Payment that is of most importance to farmers, given that it represents in excess of €1.2 billion of the €1.7 billion that is paid out annually in direct aid. The SFP forms a significant part of the annual income of all farmers in Ireland. In many cases it is used to subsidise the running costs of the farming enterprise and is, therefore, greater than the net farm income. Earlier this year, mindful of the significance to the wider rural economy of the Single Payment, I successfully sought the approval of the Commissioner to have advance payments made. I am pleased to say that these payments commenced issuing on 17 October, with payments continuing to be made twice weekly on an on-going basis.