Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1503. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will make payments as soon as possible from the producer organisation funding due to the commercial mushroom producers for the 2015 programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24503/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Scheme of EU Aid for Producer Organisations in the Fruit and Vegetables Sector is a scheme which is fully funded by the European Union. Under the scheme, recognised producer organisations implement operational programmes approved in advance by my Department. The governing legislation provides that producer organisations can apply for EU aid in the year following implementation of the operational programme. My Department is currently in the process of completing the required checks in respect of the 2015 claim for aid by this particular producer organisation.

It is important to note that in this case, the producer organisation concerned has a number of outstanding issues which it still needs to resolve with relevant documentation to be submitted to my Department before any payment can be made. This position has been brought to the attention of the producer organisation concerned. As soon as all outstanding issues are satisfactorily resolved, my Department will arrange for payment to issue to the producer organisation, shortly thereafter.