Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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226. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 522 of 14 June 2016 to set out the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the agri-environment options scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21383/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The person named commenced their AEOS 1 contract on 1 September 2010 and was paid in full for the 2010 – 2014 Scheme years.

Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. The application of the person named was also selected for an on-farm inspection which took place on the 21 August 2015. During this inspection non-compliances with the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme were noted in relation to the Species Rich Grassland and the Traditional Stone Wall Maintenance actions which resulted in a penalty being incurred. The stone walls in this case were found to be covered with scrub, bushes and briars. As such, they were not visible and were not accessible for assessment and maintenance. The application was processed on the basis of the inspection findings and payments in respect of the 2015 Scheme year, less penalty, were issued on 6 May and the 16 May.

The person named requested a review of the decision to apply the penalty for the Traditional Stone Wall Maintenance action to the Regional Inspector who upheld the original decision. The person named appealed this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office and an oral hearing took place on 16 June 2016. The decision of the Appeals Officer which will also issue directly to the person named is awaited.