Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 492: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare has not been facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13880/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named joined the Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) in 2010 and his selected measures under AEOS included Traditional Hay Meadow. He subsequently joined the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) in 2011.

My Department has established that payment, under both OFS and AEOS for land submitted under the Traditional Hay Meadow option in AEOS, is primarily based on the same principle i.e. income foregone due to the reduction of fertilizer inputs or restricted access for production. From an EU perspective, payment under both Schemes on the same parcel is regarded as a "double payment", which is not permissible.

Accordingly, to regularise this situation and to avoid "double payment" from an EU perspective my Department wrote to the person named and indicated that he should either (i) withdraw from OFS or AEOS, or (ii) continue in AEOS and remain eligible for full payment in respect of this scheme while also continuing to farm organically and receive the OFS payment on all lands farmed organically except that paid for Traditional Hay Meadows in AEOS. No recoupment will be sought in respect of monies already paid.