Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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87. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the avenues of determination for proof of postage when there is disagreement between his Department and an applicant under the 2014 area based schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21088/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As per the terms & conditions for the 2014 EU Single Payment Scheme (SPS) and other 2014 area-based schemes all SPS application forms had to be lodged on-line or in paper form. If applying using a paper form, the applicants must have submitted that form directly by post, or delivered by hand, to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, SPS Co-Ordination Unit, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. It was not permitted to submit the form through any other office of the Department. If the application form was being posted to the Department, farmers were advised to obtain acceptable proof of postage (see below), which could be used in the event of the application(s) not being received by the Department. In 2014 the only acceptable proof of postage for a 2014 SPS Application Form, Amendment Form and/or the Entitlements Forms was:

- Express post receipt i.e. a receipt is attached to each return envelope sent out with the pre printed application form, or

- Registered post receipt.

No other proof of post was acceptable in 2014. In cases where a dispute arises the Department has an internal appeals procedure in place. Where an applicant is dissatisfied with the outcome of the Department’s appeal procedure, it is open to the person concerned to make an appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. If not satisfied with the outcome of that appeal each applicant is advised of his/her right of further appeal to the Office of the Ombudsman.