Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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234. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of withheld premiums in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35659/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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There are no forestry premiums being withheld in respect of the person named.

The application under the reference number quoted  was approved for payment of the 1st grant and premium on 26 April 2016 with the 2 premium paid on 08 June 2016.

The person named queried the area approved for payment of 9.47 hectares as it is less than the area of 9.54 hectares submitted for payment by his registered forester. The reason for the reduction is attributable to two factors. The first is that the Department, under the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme rules, pays on the lesser of the area claimed and the area of the claim as digitised by the Department. In addition the area of biodiversity enhancement is limited to 15% of the area determined for payment.  When the necessary adjustments were made in accordance with the Scheme rules this resulted in a slightly reduced payable area to that claimed on behalf of the person named.