Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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134. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that the terms and conditions for the instalment scheme for the payment of the 2014-2015 super levy, as presented by his Department in June 2015, are being followed by all milk purchasers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28022/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, I announced the detailed rules for the Instalment Scheme for the payment of the 2014/2015 super levy on the 18 June and these rules were issued to all milk purchasers on the same day . The scheme is the national implementation of the Commission’s initiative to facilitate payback of the superlevy bill over an extended three year period on an interest free basis. On the basis of the larger than usual superlevy bill faced by farmers I was anxious to implement the scheme here as quickly as possible. My Department consulted widely with both milk suppliers and purchasers and this is reflected in the final scheme design which has been broadly welcomed. After receiving the detailed rules on 18 June, milk purchasers distributed the information on the instalment scheme, in addition to the application forms , to all the suppliers in their area who incurred a super levy liability in the 2014/2015 quota year. Milk producers who intend to avail of the scheme were required to complete the first section of the form and return it to their milk purchaser by the 30 of June. Milk purchasers must then complete the second section of the form and have until the 15 of July to return the completed forms to my Department. This process is currently underway and it is after this date that we will have more information on the level of uptake of the scheme.

Under the terms of the scheme milk producers can pay their super levy liability over three years. Producers who participate in the scheme must have paid at least one third of their super levy liability to their milk purchaser in time for the purchaser to forward the payment to the Department by the 1 of October 2015. The second and third instalments must be paid by the producer in accordance with the terms of the formal agreement that will be signed by each participating producer. This will require that at least two thirds of the entire levy due from a producer will be paid by the 30 of September 2016, with the outstanding amount paid by the 30 September 2017. The repayments will be required in equal amounts in the months of May to September in each of those years.

It should be noted also that the scheme design allows for participation from farmers who are no longer supplying milk to the milk purchaser with whom they incurred the levy as well as allowing for suppliers to switch his or her milk purchaser at any time during the lifetime of the scheme subject to their own milk supply arrangements with their purchaser.

I am satisfied that there are systems in place to ensure compliance with the scheme.

My Department issued a detailed FAQ note at the time of the scheme launch which is also available on our website and which answers most of the main queries. Department staff are also available to answer any queries which co-ops or farmers may have and the helpdesk number is 01-6072857.