Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 533: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the 25% of REPS 4 will be paid in respect of a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35983/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named commenced REPS 4 in May 2008 and received payments for the first two years of the contract. In addition, 75% of the year 3 payment issued on 31st December 2010 for the amount of €6,754.31 and the remaining 25% balancing payment of €2251.43 issued on 16th November 2011 for the amount of €1568.99 less a penalty deduction of €682.44 for an over-claim which was discovered following the cross check between the application for the Single Payment Scheme for 2010 and REPS 4 agri-environmental plan.

Area-based schemes under Rural Development Programme, 2007-13, in particular are subject to EU Regulation which require rigorous detailed administrative checks on all applications. I have given the highest priority to the processing and payment of all scheme payments and to the elimination of all unnecessary delays.

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not received any payment for 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36065/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the 2011 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 7 April 2011, processing of which has recently been finalised, thereby allowing the 50% advance of the Single Payment and the Disadvantaged Areas payment to issue to the applicant in the coming days.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 535: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36070/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 9 May 2011, processing of which has recently been finalised, thereby allowing the 50% advance of the Single Payment Scheme to issue to the applicant in the coming days.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 536: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not received an agri-environment options scheme payment; when payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36078/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) with effect from 1st November 2010. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. During these checks it was established that the claimed area on the AEOS application of the person named does not match the area declared in the Single Payment Scheme in respect of one of the land parcels. This parcel also has a status of "Rented in" under the Single payment Scheme. My Department has been in direct contact with the person named and the problems are being addressed with a view to issuing payment as quickly as possible.

An application under the 2011 Single Payment/Disadvantage Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 11 May 2011. Processing of the claims has recently been finalised which will allow the 50% advance of the Single Payment Scheme and full payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme to issue in the coming days.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 537: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a single farm payment and REP scheme payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36113/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the 2011 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 10 May 2011, processing of which has recently been finalised, thereby allowing the 50% advance of the Single Payment Scheme issue to the applicant on 15 November 2011. The Terms and Conditions governing the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme require applicants to maintain a minimum stocking density on their holding of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare declared, for a period of at least three consecutive months during the year of application.

My Department wrote to the person named on 1 September 2011 requesting him to submit appropriate evidence of the numbers of livestock maintained on the holding, as Department records did not show the person named as having yet achieved the minimum stocking density. As no reply was received, the person named was written to again on 10 November 2011. On receipt of a satisfactory response, the application will be further processed with a view to making a final decision on the case.

The person named participation in REPS 3 commenced in April 2005 and he received full payment for the first four years of their contract. In addition, the payment in respect of year five was issued on 25 May 2009 for the amount of €7,775.80. The applicant's contract under REPS 3 ended on 31 March 2010.