Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons who applied for a derogation under the stocking density rules of the 2012 disadvantaged area scheme; the number who have been granted a derogation to date; the number refused and the number of outstanding appeals to be dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6993/13]

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

It will be recalled that, arising from the 2012 budgetary process, savings needed to be found in my Department’s expenditure for 2012 to keep it in line with government targets. Accordingly, it was necessary to adjust the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. However, rather than simply apply an across the board cut to the rates payable or reduce the maximum payable area, I decided that real efforts should be made to focus the Scheme on those farmers who are most actively contributing to achieving the aims of the Scheme, namely: ensuring continued agricultural land use, thereby contributing to the maintenance of viable rural communities; maintaining the countryside; and maintaining and promoting sustainable farming systems, which take account of environmental protection measures.

I was also determined that those adversely affected by the 2012 changes should be afforded the opportunity to appeal, where they could show legitimate reasons for their inability to meet the new requirements. In total, my Department wrote to in excess of 10,000 beneficiaries under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme whose holdings had not achieved the minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare, as required under the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Scheme.

Provision was made for an appeals process to take account of a variety of situations, specifically: Restriction on the stocking levels on the holding due to adherence to an agri-environments plan such as REPS, AEOS or National Parks and Wildlife Service plan; Farming marginal land where the level of stock that can be maintained is restricted; Illness or death in family; Outbreak of animal disease in the herd; New entrant to farming.

In response, my Department received 9,635 applications from farmers seeking derogation from the requirement that the minimum stocking density on the holding should be 0.3 livestock units per hectare or higher in respect of 2011.

These applications have been fully processed, with 7,086 being successful. Those, whose applications were unsuccessful, were informed of their right of appeal to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee. Appeals were received from 1,459 applicants, of which my Department was in a position to overturn the original decision on 547 cases, without the need to refer to the DAS Appeals Committee, on the basis of additional information which had not previously been submitted.

Of the 849 appeals submitted to date to the Committee, decisions have been taken in respect of 599 cases, of which 192 were allowed, 351 disallowed and 56 requested to submit additional information. Processing of the outstanding appeals remains ongoing.