Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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190. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payment to a person (details supplied) under the grassland scheme, the disadvantaged areas scheme and the single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2878/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme was received from the person named on 23 February 2015. Processing of the application is currently in progress in respect of both schemes. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date. An Official from my Department will be in direct contact with the person named to advise them of the status of their application.

The former Grassland Sheep Scheme was based on Article 68 of EU Regulation 73/2009 which governs direct payments in the form of the Single Payment Scheme. As of 1 January 2015 that Regulation is superseded by EU Regulation 1307/2013 which does not provide a legal basis for the continuation of a Grassland Sheep Scheme. However, any payments received under the 2014 Grassland Sheep Scheme have now been incorporated into the new Basic Payment Scheme.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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191. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of agricultural payments to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2883/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named did not submit an application for the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015. Therefore, no payments are due at this juncture. However, the Deputy contacted the Department recently to outline the circumstances encountered by the person named in 2015. The Deputy was advised on 8 January 2016 to arrange the submission of a 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application with the relevant medical documentation confirming the circumstances outlined. On receipt of this documentation, the Department will examine the case to establish whether the application can be accepted at this stage on grounds of force majeure or exceptional circumstances.