Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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84. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a second penalty has been imposed on a single payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway, when a previous penalty was dealt with through an appeal. [17971/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 17 April 2013 and payments of €5,642.31 and €3,532.77 were issued on 16 October 2013 and 2 December 2013 respectively under the Single Farm Payment Scheme. A payment of €2,553.33 was issued on 20 September 2013 under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme.

A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that several of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features and the person named was notified. These area reductions resulted in a reduction between 3% and 20% to the area payable under the 2013 Direct Payment Schemes. Therefore, any payments made under the 2013 Schemes, which are now deemed to be over - paid will have to be offset against future payments made to the applicant by my Department.

The person named was notified of this decision and of her right of appeal. Following the review of my Department’s decision, sought by the person named, a visit by a Department official to verify the position on the ground was necessary. The finding of the verification check resulted in a further reduction in the overall payable area from 25.28 hectares to 22.52 hectares.

A letter detailing the outcome of the verification check was issued to the person named on 26 July 2014 where she was advised of the option open to her to pursue the matter to the independent LPIS Appeals Committee should she so wish. The person named opted to avail of her right to appeal her case to the independently-chaired LPIS Appeal Committee. Following due consideration, the LPIS Appeal Committee rejected her appeal, and she was notified of the decision by letter on 29 October 2014. The person named can appeal this decision to the Office of the Ombudsman if she so wishes.