James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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601. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Longford will receive their payment of REP scheme and disadvantaged area scheme which is due to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49395/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 29^th November 2012. The process of ranking and selecting all AEOS applicants was clearly set out in the scheme documentation. Acceptance into the scheme was established using the pre-determined selection criteria as follows:

1. farmers in the Boora region of Co. Offaly who chose Wild Bird Cover Option B (Grey Partridge) as one of their selected options,

2. farmers with a minimum of 0.5 hectares of designated land,

3. farm partnerships,

4. farmers who previously participated in REPS commencing with smallest farms, and

5. others based on farm size (again favouring smaller holdings).

The person named was a previous participant in REPS. Based on the funding available farmers in category 4 with 22.06 hectares of utilisable agricultural area and below were successful. As the farm size of the person named is 144.17, the application was unsuccessful. On 27^th May 2013, a letter issued to the person named informing him that he was not successful and setting out the reasons. The person was also informed of right of appeal to AEOS Section. To date, there is no record on an appeal having been received by my Department.

The person named also submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 14 May 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.

The application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility/cross compliance inspection. This inspection has been completed and the results are now being finalised with the intention of issuing any payment due as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will shortly be in contact with the person named.