Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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387. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a penalty was imposed on a person (details supplied) under the BPS and ANC 2018 schemes; the position regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20875/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The person named submitted a 2018 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint schemes application on 14^thMay 2018. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases remote sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue.

The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. As part of the inspection process, a field visit was carried out on 15^th November 2018 on a parcel to verify the position on the ground. The inspection process identified an over-declaration in area exceeding 10% of the area claimed.

The person named was notified of the interim inspection findings by control report letter of 30^thNovember 2018 and comments on the findings were received on 3^rd December 2018. As part of the examination of these comments, a further field visit was carried out on 10^thJanuary 2019, the outcome of which did not alter the initial inspection findings. A letter issued to the person named on 23^rdJanuary 2019 detailing the final inspection outcome and advising of their right to seek a review.

The final inspection outcome resulted in no payments being due under the Basic Payment or the Areas of Natural Constraints schemes. A reduced Greening payment issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on the 24^thJanuary 2019.

While no request for a review has been received to date, officials in my Department have been in direct contact with the person named recently regarding the inspection outcome and understand that a request for a review is to be submitted. On receipt of the request, my Department will re-examine the inspection outcome taking account of the content of the review request.

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.