Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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92. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 2 April 2015, the specific regulations and/or statutory instrument that refers to the proof of postage necessary to comply with the scheme's terms and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21156/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Applicants under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015 may lodge applications on-line or by post. The on-line option is becoming increasingly popular as a secure means of lodging applications and was availed of by over 80,000 applicants in 2014. There are no specific regulations and/or Statutory Instrument that refer to the proof of postage necessary to comply with the scheme’s terms and conditions. The required proof is specified annually in the Terms and Conditions of the Single Payment Scheme/Basic payment Scheme.

Commencing in 2011, it became a requirement of the Single Payment Scheme for an applicant to furnish an Express Post or Registered Post receipt as proof of postage where such was required. Internal procedures were put in place to keep a record of all post received via registered/express post. Each applicant is supplied annually with a pre-addressed return envelope and express post label with their Single Payment Scheme/Basic Payment Scheme application pack. Part of that label is proof of postage.

Prior to 2011, my Department had reason to conclude that some of the proof of post certificates provided, were unreliable. It was for this reason that procedures were updated while still providing for two very accessible and reliable proof of postage options readily available to all applicants.

While my Department has over the years made strenuous efforts to facilitate its customers and simplify the application procedure, its primary function is to act as a Competent Authority in processing payment applications. Under the Regulations governing the Schemes the primary onus rests firmly, at all times with the applicant to ensure a completed application form is lodged by the closing date.