Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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506. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a person's (details supplied) 2015 area aid payment. [29385/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Payment under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named in October 2015.

An application under the 2016 ANC Scheme was received from the person named on 23 March 2016. Payment under the ANC Scheme has not issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements.

Under the 2016 ANC Scheme, eligible applicants are required to meet a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months and to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. Sheep farmers are also required to comply with EU Regulation 21/2004 and return an annual count of the sheep numbers on their holding using the annual Sheep Census return. Examination of my Department's records confirm that the Sheep Census return in respect of this holding was not returned within the permitted time period and this has resulted in no payment issuing under the ANC scheme. An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named and further documentation in relation to this issue is to be forwarded to my Department. Upon receipt of this documentation the application will be further reviewed.