Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 17: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that have applied for the single farm payment online so far this year; if he will provide a breakdown by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14639/12]

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

An analysis of the numbers of applications lodged via iNet, my Department's on-line application facility for the Single Payment Scheme, shows continued, year-on-year growth, across all counties, with a seven-fold increase having occurred between the system being launched in 2007 and 2011, when over 54,000 applications were submitted. Initially, farmers and their approved agents were attracted to iNet by the fact that it guaranteed immediate, verifiable receipt by my Department of their applications and, through the system of in-built validations, significantly reduced the numbers of errors that could be made, thereby ultimately leading to speedier payment. In keeping with the practice of constantly improving the service and options provided by iNet, I am very pleased to see that it has been technically possible to introduce an on-line mapping element into the 2012 release. This new facility allows farmers, or their agents, who need to submit maps to my Department, to do so through iNet, thereby dispensing with the need to submit paper maps. But the benefits go beyond this, because, by virtue of the maps coming in online will result in greater efficiencies for all concerned. The 2012 version of iNet was released some weeks ago and already some 4,051 applications have been lodged (see county breakdown below). Now with iNet, farmers and their agents also have the facility to partially prepare and save draft versions of their applications, available to them to submit when they so wish.

I would again advise anyone considering availing of the on-line facility to make enquiries via the website, www.agfood.ie or, alternatively, the dedicated Helpdesk at Lo-call 1890 252 118.