Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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324. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the BEAM scheme and the eligibility of farmers that had animals sent for slaughter to plants located in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40524/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The definition of eligible animal in the terms and conditions of the scheme /) defines eligible animals as follows:

Eligible animal shall mean those bovine animals identified on AIM (Animal Identification and movement system) at midnight on 29 July 2019 as either those aged over 12 months presented to a slaughtering establishment approved under the European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations (SI 432 of 2009) in the period 24 September 2018 to 12 May 2019 inclusive, and/or those beef breed female animals with progeny born in the year 2018, which were sired by a beef breed bull.

In the first instance, the case made to the European Commission for an exceptional aid package for Irish beef farmers was based on the price reduction in Ireland, over the period of September 2018 to March 2019. The price received for export of animals to Northern Ireland was not included in this analysis. A clear link was required between the analysis supplied to the Commission in support of the package and the subsequent scheme notified to the Commission once that package was granted.

In devising a framework for the Scheme, a key aim was to ensure that the Scheme would be as easy to apply for and to administer as possible in order to minimise the burden on applicants and ensure the money could be paid out as quickly as possible in light of the financial difficulties being experienced. To this end, the scheme was designed around ensuring all eligibility criteria could be verified rapidly from the Department records. The Deputy should be aware that my Department only has access to records on the AIM system of animals slaughtered in Ireland.

An Appeals system is available under the scheme. Details of this can be found on the Terms and Conditions document for the scheme on the Dept of Agriculture Food and the Marine website: .

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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325. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons selected for remote sensing eligibility inspection that submitted applications to the 2019 basic payment scheme and-or the 2019 areas of natural constraint scheme; the timeline for issuing payments under both schemes to those that have been selected for such inspections; the reason such inspections are yet to take place in some instances in view of the fact the deadline for the schemes was in May 2019; if he has explored carrying out such inspections in the period immediately after such scheme deadlines in order to ensure that payments are not delayed till late autumn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40525/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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EU regulations governing the administration of the Basic Payment Scheme, the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme and other area-based schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including Ground or Remote Sensing (Satellite) inspections where applicable, are fully completed to ensure eligibility with the various schemes requirements before any payments issue. There are certain minimum numbers of inspections that must take place annually under the various schemes.

The method of selecting of cases for inspection is set down in EU regulations and is undertaken by means of a risk analysis process with cases being selected on a risk and random basis. All cases to be selected for inspection must be eligible beneficiaries under the various schemes. Therefore the selection of cases for inspection, while commencing after the closing date for receipt of applications, i.e. 15th May, is an on-going process so as to ensure this specific regulatory requirement is adhered to.

My Department accepted late applications up to 9th June 2019, with a penalty deduction. Furthermore, as amendments to applications could be accepted by my Department up to 9th June, and allowing for the Preliminary Checks process whereby applicants could amend their application further up to 19th June as a result of issues notified to them by my Department, the details of the land to be subject to the inspection process cannot be finally established until these periods have elapsed.

The process of a Remote Sensing inspection involves a comprehensive review of the satellite imagery received at two stages during the year, and also the assessment of additional imagery, where required, to ensure that the actual claimed area in the application form corresponds to the area farmed by the applicant, that the crop types are as claimed and that ineligible land or features are not included for payment purposes. The governing regulations further prescribe that where it is not possible to make an accurate determination on the eligibility of a parcel or parcels of land by means of an assessment of the available imagery, a field visit must be undertaken to verify the position on the ground.

Some 6,840 applicants have been selected for a Remote Sensing inspection in respect of the various 2019 area-based schemes. As of 7th October my Department had received inspections results in respect of 62% of these cases for final processing. Of these cases over 78% have been finalised and processed to payment stage to date. Where an over-declaration in area is identified as part of the inspection process, officials in my Department will be in contact with the applicant. The issuing of the ANC payment is also subject to other checks in addition to land eligibility, e.g. stocking density and stock retention, which must be met before payment can issue.

My Department continues to finalise the outcome of Remote Sensing inspections on a daily basis to ensure that payments due are issued as quickly as possible.