Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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564. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding single farm payments that were claimed by a person as an individual in 2011 but the farming set up is now run by them through a limited company; if the company will be able to claim the payments originally activated by the person should the 2011 activation measure, as part of the reference year proposals come to fruition under the new common agricultural policy proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23039/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The negotiations on reforms to the CAP are still under way and it is not possible to say with any certainty what the final outcome will be, nor what precise impact the reform will have on individual farmers. The Commission’s proposal is that entitlements will be based on hectares declared in 2014 but the farmer must have activated one entitlement in 2011. The approach agreed by the Council gives member states the option of basing entitlements on hectares declared either in 2012, 2013 or 2014 and the 2011 activation clause is made optional for member states and extended to 2010. The European Parliament view is close to that of the EU Commission. These three different positions are currently the subject of negotiations between the three institutions and it is too early to say what the final outcome may be.