Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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386. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive payments under the agri-environment options scheme for 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37187/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The first payment of 75% of the amount due for 2013 issued to the person named on 12 October 2015. The balancing 25% payment issued on 14 October 2015. The first payment of 75% of the amount due for 2014 issued on 29 October 2015 and the balancing 25% has been approved for payment and will issue shortly.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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387. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Question No. 349 of 16 June 2015, if he will provide an update; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37196/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for amounts different to those actually paid by the participants. Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly from the National Exchequer. There is a requirement and obligation to ensure that the expenditure claimed by scheme participants reflects the reality of what took place. For that reason my Department wrote to participants requesting alternative proof that the amounts claimed were in fact the amounts paid.

The person named above was written to on 11 June 2015 regarding the non-productive capital investment claim that they had submitted. This letter requested the submission of alternative verifiable proof to support one of the invoices that was included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 29 June last.

My Department officials carefully examined the application in light of this reply; this examination indicated that the amount claimed was different to the verified costs. A letter informing the applicant of this determination, and of the proposed penalty, was issued on 14 October. This letter also offered the applicant an opportunity to submit additional information if he wished and to have the proposed determination reviewed within the Department.

A request to have the determination reviewed was received from the person named on 28 October. This correspondence will now be considered by officials and a final decision will then be made in this case.