Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated time the DAS Appeals Committee will take considering individual appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54432/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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When proposals were being made to the EU Commission regarding changes to the Terms and Conditions governing the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, I confirmed that provision would be made for those farmers adversely affected by the revised stocking density requirement to apply for derogation, on the basis of specific verifiable reasons. Furthermore, it was appropriate that provision also be made for an independent appeals process, in order that those, whose applications are not successful, may be afforded the opportunity to appeal my Department’s decision.

In this regard, I established the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals Committee, comprising of Appeals Officers from the Agriculture Appeals Office in Portlaoise, chaired by an independent Chairman. In order to facilitate the orderly work of the Committee, a regular flow of cases has been instituted; to date, some 300 appeals have been adjudicated upon and returned. Letters advising of the outcome of these appeals are currently in the process of issuing. It is anticipated that the Committee will consider a further 250 appeals before year-end. On the basis of the volume of appeals received to date, it is reasonable to envisage the work of the DAS Appeals Committee being finalised early in 2013.