John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their BTAP 2012 outstanding payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9327/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Beef Technology Adoption Programme (BTAP) was introduced in 2012 to improve the technical and financial performance of producers. Its objective is to improve the productivity and profitability of participants’ beef enterprises by focusing on five areas: financial management, grassland management, herd health, animal breeding/welfare and producing animals to market specifications. Under the BTAP, participants engage in peer-to-peer learning by joining discussion groups which are facilitated by professional agricultural advisors drawn from Teagasc and the private sector.

Payments to producers in 2012, which were limited to a maximum of €1,000 per participant and subject to EU state aid rules, were contingent on compliance with Programme requirements, i.e. attendance at a prescribed number of discussion group meetings or approved national events plus completion of two technology adoption tasks from a menu of eight designed to enhance on-farm efficiency. The broad range of available task options allowed participants to choose those best suited to the business needs and particular characteristics of their beef enterprises.

I understand that the individual concerned is eligible for payment and payment will issue to him within the next few weeks.