Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the EU Regulations governing the scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. Successive EU audits have made it absolutely clear that compliance with the Regulations must be strictly adhered to and that all administrative checks must be passed and eligibility conditions met before payment issues. As a result, my Department is obliged to ensure individual payments will not issue until all aspects of a farmer's application are in order, all outstanding documentation provided and all queries resolved.

Outstanding payments under AEOS I and AEOS II are largely due to unresolved queries associated with applications. In most instances, officials in my Department will have contacted the applicants concerned with the intention of issuing payment as soon as possible. There is a specific issue delaying payments under AEOS 2 related to non-productive capital investments. In order to facilitate the 2012 payment, applicants must have submitted a valid claim form if they have selected a non-productive capital investment action. However, a significant number of applicants have either not submitted a claim form or have outstanding queries associated with submitted forms. Officials in my Department have been in contact with all these farmers and are dealing with the responses received with the intention of clearing any backlog as soon as possible.

I am conscious of the importance of these payments to farmers' incomes, especially at this difficult time. My Department is making every effort to assist farmers in regularising their applications and claims for payment. Additional resources have been assigned to dealing with all outstanding queries. Payments will continue to issue on an ongoing basis as outstanding issues are resolved. I am also conscious that farmers are experiencing difficulties given the current fodder shortage. Payments are being processed as promptly as possible. Some €2.5 million will be paid out in payments over the coming weeks.