Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

367. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52619/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

368. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52621/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

371. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52664/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

372. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52665/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

373. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52666/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

374. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52671/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 367, 368 and 371 to 374, inclusive, together.

These 6 PQs relate to a commonage on Carryeen Mountain on which illegal burning has been determined by my Department to have taken place during the period 1st March to 31st August

My Department actively investigates incidents of illegal burning using satellite imagery.  Where land has been burned between the period of 1 March and 31 August of any given year it is not eligible for payment under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2017.

The persons named in the above Parliamentary Questions submitted applications under the 2017 BPS.  In order to qualify for payment under the BPS an applicant must have an eligible hectare of land in respect of each entitlement held. 

As part of the process of determining land eligibility, parcels declared by the persons named on their 2017 BPS applications have been identified as having been burned outside of the permitted timeframes.  Accordingly, such lands are not eligible for the purpose of a BPS payment and this has created an over claim on the named persons' BPS applications. 

The persons named have been written to by my Department outlining the current position in relation to their BPS applications and setting out the options available to them in relation to the over-claimed parcels, including the right to seek a review. 

Should the persons named seek a review, they should ensure that they submit any supporting documentation which they deem relevant for review accordingly by my Department.