Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding entitlements in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry [5520/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme provide that entitlements have to be used at least once in every two-year period. "Used" in this context means that in any of two consecutive years one hectare of eligible land must have been declared in respect of each entitlement held. The Regulations further provide that any entitlements that remained unused over the two-year period must revert to the National Reserve and are thereby lost to the farmer.

A letter issued to the person named on 9 January 2013 advising that 5.87 Entitlements had remained unused in the two – year period, 2011 and 2012. The person named was advised that before a final decision was made in the matter the Department would consider any observations he may wish to make. To date no letter of appeal has been received. If the person concerned wishes to set out any mitigating factors as to why the entitlements in question were not used in the period concerned he should make contact with my Department.