Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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172. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of approved applicants into each 2019 area-based scheme in pillars 1 and 2; the number of such applicants selected for inspection; the number of applicants who have had their inspections and are awaiting their advance payments; the number of applicants who have had their inspections and received their advance payments; and the number of applicants who have not had their inspections to date and are awaiting payment by county in tabular form. [45865/19]

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. Some 8,000 applicants have been selected for a Ground or Remote Sensing inspection in respect of the various 2019 area-based schemes.

The table below details the position on Ground and Remote Sensing inspections, as of 6th November, in relation to the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), Greening and the Areas of Natural Constraints/Areas of Specific Constraints (Islands) Schemes (ANC/Islands).

The data is being provided at national level as the annual inspections programme, including the risk analysis selection process, operates on a national basis. Therefore, any comparison on a county basis is meaningless.

Payments under the Protein Aid Scheme, Young Farmers Scheme and Beef Data and Genomics Programme are due to commence in early December, therefore detailed data in relation to these schemes is not yet available.

In many cases, the existence of an inspection will not necessarily be delaying payment. In relation to the ANC/Islands Schemes, these schemes are subject to a range of eligibility and compliance criteria such as the requirement to meet a minimum stocking density in addition to maintaining minimum livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. At this stage, a number of farmers are not eligible to receive payment, however they may become eligible for payment later in the year when such criteria have been met. Factors that may impact on payment issuing under BPS/Greening would be, for example, applications to transfer entitlements, change in ownership request, etc.

The inspections yet to be completed are at various stages of final processing and once fully finalised will advance to payment stage.

My Department continues to finalise the outcome of both Ground and Remote Sensing inspections on a daily basis to ensure that BPS, Greening and ANC/Islands Schemes payments due are issued as quickly as possible.

Payments under the Organic Farming Scheme are only approved after all administration checks and validations have been completed. A total of 1,503 applications will be subject to these checks and validations for 2019. Payments under the Scheme will not commence until early December, therefore detailed data in relation to these schemes is not yet available.

There are 328 applicants in the Burren Programme. 20 applicants have been selected for inspection, which have not yet been undertaken. 100 applicants have received their advance payment under this programme.