Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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904. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry for a BEAM scheme will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36099/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland. The granting of the aid was subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.

Just over 33,000 participants, including the person named, joined the scheme and, in doing so, gave a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021, compared with the reference period of 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019 as recorded on the Department's AIM system.

In light of the difficulties some farmers were experiencing in meeting this reduction arising from COVID-19 Government Public Health restrictions, I secured a new reduction. From 19th March 2021, BEAM participants were able to select the alternative reduction period of 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021 over which to meet their 5% reduction. This facility remained open until 21st June 2021 and some 16,000 BEAM participants opted for the deferred reduction period.

The person named applied to defer the reduction period and therefore his reduction period was 1st January 2021 - 31st December 2021. Following the end of that reduction period, my Department undertook a series of administrative and compliance checks to ensure that the commitments farmers had entered into under the BEAM Terms and Conditions had been met.

In the case of the person named, the commitment to reduce the bovine livestock manure nitrogen by 5% was not met and, as a result, all BEAM payments made to him were to be recouped.

The person named was informed of this decision by letter, which also advised him of his right to request a review of the decision if he so wished. To date, no such request has been made.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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905. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on an appeal under the beef exceptional aid measure scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36135/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland. The granting of the aid was subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.

Just over 33,000 participants, including the person named, joined the scheme and, in doing so, gave a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021 as compared with the reference period of 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019 as recorded on the Department's AIM system.

In light of the difficulties some farmers were experiencing in meeting this reduction arising from COVID-19 Government Public Health restrictions, I secured a new reduction period, from 19th March 2021. BEAM participants were able to select the alternative reduction period of 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021 over which to meet their 5% reduction. This facility remained open until 21st June 2021 and some 16,000 BEAM participants opted for the deferred reduction period.

The person named applied to defer the reduction period and therefore his reduction period was 1st January 2021 - 31st December 2021. Following the end of that reduction period, my Department undertook a series of administrative and compliance checks to ensure that the commitments farmers had entered into under the BEAM Terms and Conditions had been met.

In the case of the person named, the commitment to reduce the bovine livestock manure nitrogen by 5% was not met and, as a result, all BEAM payments made to him were to be recouped.

The person named was informed of this decision by letter which also advised him of his right to request a review of the decision if he so wished. The person named contacted my Department to request a review of the decision and a decision on that review issued to him on the 4th March 2022, upholding the original decision and advising him of his right to appeal the outcome to the Agriculture Appeals Office. To date, no such appeal has been received.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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906. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1977 of 14 June 2022, if he will clarify a matter with the appeals section of his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36144/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The position as advised to the person named and in the response to Parliamentary Question No. 1977 of 14 June 2022 has not changed. My Department still awaits receipt of the late applications which will be reviewed in conjunction with the medical evidence which was submitted. If the person named wishes to proceed with the request for a review he must submit the necessary documents.

A member of staff from my Department will make direct contact with him again to explain in detail and provide assistance to the person named.