Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a 2015 basic payment scheme penalty applied to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be struck off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27532/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application on the 28th April 2015.

The application of the person named was the subject of a ground eligibility inspection on the 4th September 2015. This inspection identified an over-declaration in area of between 3% and 20% and the person named was notified of this outcome by letter dated 16th November 2015. Payments under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme, based on the reduced area, issued on 23rd November and 1st December, 2015.

A review of the inspection outcome was undertaken following submission of additonal information on behalf of the person named on 25th November 2015 and 18th January 2016.  This review included a re-inspection of the land on 29th January 2016, which resulted in an increase in the eligible area by 2 hectares. Notification of the outcome of this review issued to the person named on the 9th March 2016. A supplementary payment under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme issued on the 24^thJune 2016, based on the increased eligible area.

The person named appealed the inspection outcome to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office on the 28th July 2016. The Appeals Officer's decision letter issued on 6^thApril 2017 advising that the revised inspection outcome was upheld. A request for a review of this decision by the Director of the Agriculture Appeals Office was submitted and the Director's decision issued on 23^rdAugust 2019, upholding the original Appeals Officer's decision. 

The Deputy will appreciate that it would be entirely inappropriate for me to intervene in an independent appeals process.