Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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431. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has had payments under the agri-environment options scheme 3 for 2014-2015 reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21386/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named was approved for participation in the 2012 Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1 May 2013. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. The application of the person named was selected for an on-farm inspection in 2014, during which non-compliances with the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme were noted in relation to the Species Rich Grassland action, as it did not contain the required mix of grass species. The area found to be eligible for payment as Species Rich Grassland was reduced from 9.96 hectares to 2.46 hectares, which resulted in a 100% reduction in payment for that crop group for the year of the inspection. The person named was notified of the inspection finding on 20^thFebruary 2015.

The first instalment of the 2014 payment, less reduction, issued on 15^thMay 2015 and the balance, less reduction, issued on 22^ndMay 2015.