Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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547. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an officer of his Department in County Galway could recommend 90% forest eligibility on land at Kilbeg (details supplied) and then agree with the finding of zero forage on similar type of land at Keelderry commonage, County Galway despite no change in the terms and conditions of the single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50519/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The commonage lands at Kilbeg were subject to an eligibility inspection in 2009. During the course of this inspection ineligible areas, comprising roads, were identified, resulting in a reduction of 10% being applied to the area. The remaining 90% of the land was deemed to be eligible forage land as it was found to be actively farmed, as required under the terms and conditions of the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. While parcels adjacent to this land comprise of forestry, no forestry was found within the area subject of the inspection.

The commonage lands at Keelderry were inspected in 2010/2011. During the course of this inspection it was found that 90% of a specific area of this commonage land was ineligible under the terms and conditions of the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme as it contained ineligible areas and the land was not being actively farmed. Two further parcels were deemed ineligible as one comprised of scrub and the other comprised of bog with heather and both parcels were not being farmed. Finally one parcel, while declared as rough grazing, was found to comprise ineligible forestry, as it did not meet the specific requirements attaching to eligible forestry land due to it having been afforested prior to 2009.