Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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299. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite verification of land eligibility, by means of a field inspection, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8116/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas scheme application on 28 April 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue.

The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. The inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found resulting in an over-declaration in area of between 3% and 20%. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Single Payment Scheme this resulted in the 2014 payment being based on the found area having been reduced by double the difference between the area found and the area declared. The person named was notified of this decision on 19 December 2014.

Payment, on the basis set out above, under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 11 December 2014. The payment due under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas' Scheme was not affected by the over-declaration referred to above. This payment under this scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 9 January 2015.

A review of the outcome of this inspection identified the need for the verification of the position on the ground by means of a field visit. This inspection has been completed and the results are currently being finalised. The person named will be notified of the outcome of this field visit, and any impact on payments due under the 2014 schemes, as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this field visit they can seek a review of the decision.