Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

80. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he is taking to reduce the backlog in the number of farmers in County Donegal who are currently waiting on a field inspection to be carried out as part of having their applications for single farm payments processed due to unsuccessful remote sensing inspections having been previously carried out on their lands; if his attention has been drawn to the financial impact that this delay in receiving payments is having on farmers; if he will allow for a partial payment to be made to farmers who are currently waiting on a ground inspection to be carried out on their lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48511/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

EU Regulations governing the administration of the Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Schemes, and other area based schemes, requires my Department to carry out an annual round of inspections, both in the field and by means of Remote Sensing, to ensure the eligibility of land declared to drawdown payments. The basis of these inspections is governed by EU legislation and there are minimum numbers that must be conducted each year.

Land eligibility checks must be carried out on at least 5% of applicants. In response to concerns about the impact of on-the-ground inspections on farmers, 6,715 cases or some 85% of the required 2014 inspections are initially being carried out without the need for a farm visit as the information needed is acquired using the technique of remote sensing via satellite.

Of the 6,715 cases selected for a Remote Sensing inspection, 484 cases are in Co Donegal, which equates to 7.2% of the overall number selected. To-date, inspection results have been finalised in respect of 448 cases and any payment due has issued, or will issue shortly, in respect of these cases.

I am of course conscious of the financial impact of any delays in payments and I am prioritising the resolution of all outstanding cases. The outstanding 36 cases will continue to be processed by my Department on a daily basis with the intention of issuing any payments due as soon as possible.