Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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144. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the single payments or other entitlements of farmers in special protection areas have been adversely impacted upon or if the farmers have been penalised because of the designation of their lands. [12501/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Payments under the Single Payment Scheme were made to applicants, who held payment entitlements under that Scheme. In order to benefit from payment under that Scheme, an applicant had to declare an eligible hectare for each payment entitlement held. An eligible hectare must have all of the ineligible areas and features excluded and must have an agricultural activity carried out on it. The same provisions apply to all land declared for payment under the Scheme irrespective of whether the land is designated or not. Therefore, a farmer who declares designated land, which is eligible for payment and on which he or she is carrying out an agricultural activity, will receive payment under the Basic Payment Scheme in the normal fashion. The Basic Payment Scheme replaced the Single Payment Scheme in 2015.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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145. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the value of entitlements has been reduced in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12502/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As of the 2014 Scheme Year, no modulation was applied to payments received under the Single Payment Scheme. However, as the national ceiling available to Ireland was reduced proportionately, a linear reduction was applied to the value of all Single Payment entitlements so as to bring their total value into line with the national ceiling that was available for the 2014 Scheme Year.

The person named held 93.53 entitlements at the start of the 2014 Scheme year and a linear reduction of €13.94 was applied to each of these entitlements reducing their net unit value from €132.87 to €118.93. Also, the person named transferred 17.50 entitlements by way of sale for the 2014 Scheme Year leaving him with a balance of 76.03 entitlements at a net unit value of €118.93 each for the 2014 Scheme Year.

Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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146. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the Scottish derogation in relation to entitlements from the national reserve; if the derogation will be available for farmers who previously held entitlements but had to give them up due to exceptional circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12503/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The “Scottish Derogation” allows for the allocation of payment entitlements to persons who never held Single Payment Scheme entitlements, either owned or leased, but who can produce verifiable evidence that they actively farmed in 2013. The Scottish Derogation will be open for applications in early April of this year and the Terms and Conditions of same, including eligibility conditions, will be available at that time.