Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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462. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on appeals lodged by farmers on Killery mountain with respect to land eligibility and burnt land for the purpose of BPS payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21079/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been in contact with 33 farmers in relation to ineligible land due to burning on Killery mountain. 29 of these farmers have lodged an appeal with my Department on this issue.

In general terms, where the area determined to have been burned exceeds 3% of the eligible area declared, an administrative penalty of 1.5 times the area burned is applied. Where the applicant provides appropriate evidence that he/she was not involved in the burning of the effected lands, the administrative penalty may be waived. However, the burnt land remains ineligible for payment.

24 of the appeals have now been decided, and my Department has communicated these decisions directly to the farmers concerned and advised them of their right of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. A further 5 cases remain under review.