Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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202. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal under the national reserve and young farmers scheme by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15100/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The person named submitted an application under the ‘new entrant’ category of the 2015 National Reserve. This application was not successful as the applicant was deemed to have exceeded the off farm income threshold of €40,000. This income limit is applied to all applications regardless of the jurisdiction in which the income was earned. The applicant was notified in writing of this decision and was offered the opportunity to submit an appeal. My Department has received an appeal from the person named in relation to his National Reserve application. This appeal will be considered by my Department based on the information set out by the applicant and a decision with regard to the outcome of the appeal will be notified in writing to the applicant as soon as possible.

In calculating the EURO equivalent of the off-farm income declared under the National Reserve earned in another jurisdiction, the conversion rate on the final date of the tax year in the jurisdiction in which the income was earned is utilised. The determination of off farm income is applied consistently to all National Reserve applicants irrespective of the jurisdiction in which the income was earned. As per the Terms and Conditions of the 2015 National Reserve it is the gross off farm income earned by an applicant in either 2013 or 2014, whichever is more favourable, that is used to determine eligibility and factors such as ‘cost of living’ are not taken account of in the calculation.

Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied). [15178/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The person named submitted an application under the 2015 Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. The application received from the person named has been fully processed and payment is due to issue very shortly.