Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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398. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appeal process is available to farmers in respect of the minimum of 3 ha of forage land which a person owns and farms to qualify for ANC; if the case of a person (details supplied) will be considered in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53006/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms and conditions of the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme, applicants are required to occupy and farm in their own right and at their own risk a minimum of 3 hectares of ANC forage land in an eligible area.

As the person named only farms 2.93 hectares of ANC land they are not eligible for payment under the scheme.

Where farmers are unhappy with the outcome of their scheme application they may, in the first instance, seek in writing a review of the decision. Reviews can be sought in the first instance from the manager of the particular payment section involved.

If the internal review does not resolve the position to the satisfaction of the farmer, appeals can be made to the Agriculture Appeals Office (AAO), which is an independent statutory agency, which provides an independent, impartial and free appeals service to farmers who are dissatisfied with decisions of DAFM regarding their entitlements under certain schemes.

Full details of appeals procedures, including details of the Schemes covered, are available on the Agriculture Appeals Office website at www.agriappeals.gov.ie or from the Department’s local offices. Appeals should be addressed to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

If at the end of the appeals procedure the farmer feels his/her case has not been dealt with fully they can seek the assistance of the Ombudsman by contacting the Office of the Ombudsman.