Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 624: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give approval to allowing tree planting whips as a valid action in respect of the agri environment options scheme application (details supplied). [19899/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named has been informed in writing that he was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1st September 2011.

Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), must be completed before any payment can issue. During this checking process it was discovered that the person named had selected an invalid combination of actions on parcel E21212016, namely, Species Rich Grassland, which constitutes an area based action and Tree Planting Whips.

Under the Terms and Conditions of the scheme area based actions must be delivered on a full LPIS parcel basis, therefore only the Species Rich Grassland is deemed valid on this parcel. The person named was informed in writing dated 28 September and subsequently on 20 January that the Tree Planting Whips was invalid as it was not selected in accordance with the scheme Terms and Conditions. The person named appealed this decision in writing on 17 February and my Department replied on 29 March that the original decision was upheld. The application of the person named will be processed for payment on the basis of this decision.