Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications on hand for planting grants and premiums to plant forestry; the number of these on hand for more than three months, six months, nine months, twelve months and fifteen months; the reason for the delay in making decisions in these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39530/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The total number of applications on hand in my Department for payment of grants and premiums for planting forestry is 468. Of this total number, 72 are on hand for more than 3 months, 22 for more than 6 months, 18 for more than 9 months, 16 for more than 12 months and 75 for more than 15 months. There are a number of reasons for the time taken to process applications and I will set out the major ones.

Once an applicant receives approval from my Department to plant forestry he or she may proceed to establish the forestry plantation to the Forest Service standards. Upon completion of the establishment the person may submit an application for payment of the establishment grant and the associated premiums. In order to receive payment promptly an applicant or his forester, on his behalf, must submit all the required documentation including the Form 2 signed by both the applicant and his forester, maps, provenance certificates, evidence of ownership, tax clearance certificates, if required, mandate for payment of the grant directly to the forester if required, farmer proof if appropriate and any other relevant documentation.

Most applications for payment of grants and premiums following establishment of a forestry plantation are processed and finalised very quickly. However, delays can occur when incomplete documentation is submitted by the applicant. For instance, a Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) will be required if the payment exceeds €10,000. In many cases this is not submitted with the application for payment and this can result in significant delays while a TCC is sought by the applicant from the Revenue Commissioners.

Likewise ownership documents, clearly showing the applicant as the owner of the property the subject of the plantation, are often missing from applications. An application for payment can therefore be delayed for a number of months whilst the ownership evidence is sought. Other documentation such as provenance certificates for the plants used may also be absent. Some of the delays in processing payment applications to finality relate to the applicant claiming farmer status to receive farmer rate premium but are not able to produce documentation to prove it.

Following the completion of the planting, the new forestry plantation may be subject to an inspection by a Forest Service Inspector. From a silvicultural aspect there can be a delay in making the final decision on payment when it appears to the Forestry Inspector that the plantation is not up to Forest Service standards. In those cases the applicant is notified of the work required to bring the plantation up to the required standard. Payment in these cases will be delayed until the appropriate remedial work is carried out.