James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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574. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the frustration that the spy in the sky is causing to progressive farmers who improved their lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2902/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Payments under the Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and other area-based schemes may be made only in respect of eligible land and applicants are obliged annually to declare the land parcels available to them; details of the eligible area of the land parcels are recorded on my Department’s Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). Details of the use and area claimed for each of some one million parcels on the LPIS system are registered and continually monitored by my Department.

It is the responsibility of all applicants to ensure that the details in each year’s application are accurate. Therefore, applicants are advised of the need to confirm their right to declare such parcels and to make the appropriate deductions (e.g. in respect of houses, farm buildings, roadways, scrub, etc.) to the area of eligible parcels, as necessary. Applicants under either/both the Single Payment Scheme and/or the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme are obliged to maintain the land declared in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition for the period 1 January to 31 December of the year of application.

In the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme and other area based schemes, my Department is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and also cross compliance aspects, to ensure compliance with EU regulatory requirements in the areas of public health, animal and plant health, environment and animal welfare.

Land eligibility checks must be carried out on at least 5% of applicants. These checks are carried out to verify that the actual area claimed in the application form corresponds to the area farmed and to ensure that any ineligible land or features are not included for aid purposes. Currently, around two-thirds of these inspections are carried out in the first instance without the need for a farm visit, as the information needed is acquired using the technique of remote sensing via satellite. Ground verification checks are included as part of the inspection process as required.

Farmers who have improved their lands by removing ineligible features and updating their land parcel details will increase their levels of compliance from an eligibility checks perspective regardless of whether these checks are undertaken on the ground or by satellite imagery.