Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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441. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied), who had a cross-compliance inspection in 2011-2012, was subsequently informed in July 2014 of an overclaim under a land parcel identification system review; the size and percentage of the over-claim; the amount of penalties that will attach to this over-claim, broken down by year and scheme; when the appeal of the system's appeals committee will be decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20701/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 11 March 2013 and payments issued on 16 October 2013 and 2 December 2013 respectively under the Single Farm Payment Scheme.

A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that a land parcel declared by the person named contained ineligible features. The person named was notified, in writing, of this decision and of his right of appeal on 2 December 2013. An appeal was received by my Department from the person named on 20 January 2014.

Further to this appeal, a visit by a Department official, to verify the position on the ground was deemed necessary to progress the matter. This verification visit was completed on 25 March 2014. This inspection determined that the position on the ground was worse than the initial assessment and the overall reference area was further reduced from 132.46 hectares to 130.32 hectares.

The resultant area reductions were less than 3% but more than 2 hectares to the area payable under the person named 2013 land based schemes, which have resulted in an overpayment of €3,190.51 under the 2013 Single Farm Payment Scheme and will be netted-off payments made by my Department. A letter detailing the outcome of the verification check was issued to the person named on the 25 July 2014 where he was advised of the option to pursue the matter to the independent LPIS Appeals Committee should he so wish. To date the person named has not availed of this right.

The results of the ground verification visit have been carried forward to the 2014 Single Farm Payment application of the person named, which was received on 12 March 2014 and payments issued on 16 October 2014 and 1 December 2014 respectively under the Single Farm Payment Scheme.

The resultant area reductions were less than 3% but more than 2 hectares to the area payable under the person named 2014 land based schemes, which have resulted in an underpayment of €2,961.46 under the 2014 Single Farm Payment Scheme. The person named was advised accordingly, in writing, on 11 October 2014.