Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

385. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the areas of natural constraint scheme was reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37180/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Terms and Conditions of the Direct Payment Schemes, an applicant as well as meeting the Scheme criteria is required to comply with EU regulatory requirements relating to Cross Compliance. The Department’s records indicate that in 2013, the amount of nitrogen from livestock manure applied to land on the holding of the person named above, (including that deposited by animals), was 236 kgs per hectare, which exceeded the limit of 170 kgs per hectare set down in the Nitrates Regulations. This resulted in a penalty of 5% being applied against the 2013 Direct Schemes payments. This overpayment was deducted from payments due to the person named under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme resulting in a reduced 2015 payment.

The person named was notified of this decision on 27 February 2015. The decision was appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office and, following an oral hearing, the Appeals Officer upheld the Department’s decision. The person named was notified of this decision on 9 September 2015. In the event that the person named feels that they have been treated unfairly it is open to them to raise the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman.