Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1820. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1012/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The person named was approved to GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1^stJanuary 2017.

The GLAS contract was selected for an on-farm inspection on 29^thMarch 2021 and notification of the inspection findings issued to the person named by letter dated 20^thJuly 2022.  This letter gave the person named the option of appealing this decision to the Regional Inspector. An appeal was received on 29^thJuly 2022.

The Regional Inspector reviewed the original decision and notified the person named of the findings by letter dated 31^stAugust 2022. The original findings were upheld.  There is no record of this decision being appealed to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

The applicant also had a 20% penalty applied following a non-compliance with Statutory Management Requirement 3 relating to Habitats. The applicant was notified of the inspection outcome on 9^th September 2021, this communication afforded the right to seek a review of the decision. The applicant sought a review on 29^thSeptember 2021 and this was completed on 7^thJanuary 2022.

The penalty imposed was increased to 45% on review. The applicant was notified of the review outcome on 7^thJanuary 2022 , this also outlined the option to appeal the decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

The applicant has submitted an appeal to that office. The office of the Agriculture Appeals Office is independent of my Department and any decision on this case is now outside the remit of my Department.  The outcome of the appeal will be notified directly to the applicant.