Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the disadvantaged area payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40845/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Currently, this applicant is one of a number, whose cases are impacted by a requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011 and who have applied for a derogation in this regard. This application is currently under consideration and, immediately a decision is reached, the person will be notified in writing. However, should the decision be negative, a fully independent appeals procedure is available.

On a more general level, I can also confirm that payments under the 2012 Scheme are scheduled to begin issuing as and from today, directly to the nominated bank accounts of Scheme applicants, whose applications have been determined at that stage. These payments will include derogation cases where the applications have successfully met terms of the scheme and are fully processed for payment.