Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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309. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that the €40,000 ceiling is preventing farmers from getting into the new single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14848/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The process of deciding objective criteria for the National Reserve is carried out in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies and advisory services. After consultation with this Committee in recent months and in the context of the limited funding available to the National Reserve, it was decided that an off farm income limit of €40,000 would be applied to all applicants. The corresponding off farm income limit under the previous National Reserve was €30,000. Applicants under the 2015 National Reserve also have the flexibility of choosing either the 2013 or 2014 tax year, whichever is more advantageous. Applicants must comply with all eligibility criteria including off farm income criteria in order to be deemed eligible to qualify for an allocation of entitlements under the National Reserve. By increasing the off-farm income limit and granting a choice of reference years, I have granted the maximum possible flexibility regarding income limits for the National Reserve.