Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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374. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive agri-environment options scheme, disadvantaged area scheme and single payment scheme payments for 2013 and 2014, balancing payments following an inspection of that person's lands in January 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15586/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/ Disadvantaged Areas Scheme revealed that a number of the land parcels contained ineligible features. This resulted in reductions of 1.40 hectares being applied to the area based payments due to the person named. The reductions were for ineligible features including buildings, areas of scrub, a farm road and a stream, which were included in the claimed area of the person named and resulted in a reduction between 3% and 20% to the area payable under all his 2013 area-based Schemes. The person named was notified of this over-declaration by letter of 12 June 2014 which also advised that if the number of hectares of eligible land found was insufficient to meet the number of his Single Payment entitlements, his Single Payment would be reduced accordingly. This letter also advised the person named that any reduction in his claimed area and/or the application of a penalty under the Single Payment Scheme may also have implications for other area based schemes for which he is an applicant such as the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS), Agri-Environmental Options Scheme (AEOS), Grassland Sheep Scheme (GSS), etc.

Resultant from the over-declaration, over-payments were established under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme and 2013 Disadvantaged Area Scheme. The same levels of reductions were also applied to the 2014 Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme applications submitted by the person named. The person named was advised of same on 21 October 2014 and 23 October 2014 respectively.

Following a review of the case further to correspondence from the person named on 25 September 2014 and 21 October 2014, my Department decided to carry out a ground verification check on the areas declared by the applicant. This verification visit was completed on 15 January 2015.

The person named was advised of the outcome of this verification visit, in writing, on 11 February 2015. The letter also advised that if the person named was not satisfied with the outcome of the review, he may submit a further appeal to the Independent LPIS Appeals Committee. The person named availed of this right on 18 February 2015 and his case will be reviewed by the Committee in the near future. This position was confirmed to the person named by an officer of my Department during a recent phone conversation.

Full AEOS payments for 2013 and 2014 have been made, less appropriate penalties. If the results of the above review make a material difference to the AEOS payments already made, then appropriate balancing measures will be taken as soon as possible after those decision are finalised.