Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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307. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on CAP regulation 1306/2013 and the way all administrative controls must be completed before direct payments can issue to farmers even those that have not been selected for on-the-spot checks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19060/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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EU regulations governing the Direct Payment Schemes require that full and comprehensive checks, including Ground or Remote Sensing (Satellite) inspections where applicable, are fully completed before payments are issued. This is to ensure that payments do not issue on ineligible areas/features, that only eligible applicants are paid, and to avoid an applicant receiving an undue payment that would have to be recovered by my Department.  

As the completion of the administrative and on-the-spot checks prior to payment issuing is prescribed in the EU regulations governing these schemes, my Department cannot deviate from these requirements.  Individual cases can proceed to payment once all checks are finalised.