Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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241. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an overpayment of €1,126.33 was assessed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; the amount and the years it relates to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21353/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The penalty applied under the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme relates to breaches of Cross Compliance requirements. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Basic Payment Scheme, an applicant, as well as meeting the scheme criteria, must comply with EU regulatory requirements relating to Cross Compliance.

A report detailing findings of an inspection carried out by Sligo County Council on 12^thDecember 2016 was referred to my Department's Cross Compliance Unit for attention. This report detailed breaches relating to the cross compliance requirements under the Nitrates Regulations.

The breaches under the Nitrates Regulations related to the dumping of a significant quantity of farmyard manure at a location in Co Sligo.

The breaches resulted in a 20% penalty being applied against the 2016 Direct Schemes payments.

The person named was notified of this decision on 20 February 2017 and of their right to seek a review of the findings from the District Inspector. To date no request for review has been received.

In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of any such review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.