Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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108. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received and studied the submission made by the Irish Farmers Association in respect of the operation of various farm support payments, and the concern expressed therein regarding their functionality and applicability; his proposals to address such issues and allay the concerns of the farming community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22848/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have noted the 'Farm Income Review 2014', copied to me by the IFA earlier this year. Much of the analysis therein reflects similar analysis done by the Department, Teagasc and others in this regard. In relation to the CAP implementation issues which were raised in the Review:

- The Single Payment Scheme was replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme and the Greening Payment in 2015. While all farmers in receipt of payment under the Basic Payment Scheme are eligible for the Greening Payment, the greening obligations apply mainly to arable farmers. My Department worked very closely with the farming organisations, Teagasc, the ACA and individual farmers to introduce a system most appropriate to arable farming in Ireland. An on-line application system was designed to assist arable farmers in ensuring that they were compliant with the greening obligations in their 2015 application. The applications process has now closed and I am satisfied that every assistance was provided to individual farmers during the application period. My Department has now commenced processing the applications with a view to making the Greening advance and balancing payments in October and December respectively.

- The approval of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) was a key priority of mine and following my recent announcement of its approval by the Commission, I have commenced a number of key measures, which will underpin economic growth and development throughout rural Ireland in the years to come.