Local Farmers owed over €5.3m – Naughten

In Agriculture by Denis Naughten

Local TD Denis Naughten has been informed by the Department of Agriculture that over 2,400 farmers in Leitrim and Roscommon are awaiting payments of over €5.3m under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme.

Presently there are 1,500 Roscommon farmers waiting on €3.25m and over 900 Leitrim farmers waiting on €2m under the scheme.

“These same farmers will lose on the double, as their Single Farm Payment will also be delayed, which will put serious financial pressure on many farm families,” stated Denis Naughten.

“This delay will also have a serious impact on the local economy and local business, which relies on such payments to supplement cash flow in the lean weeks before Christmas.

“It is unfair to expect farmers to be left out of pocket because of the lack of action to clear delays in processing applications and I would again urge the Minister for Agriculture to issue 75% of the payment which is due to farmers pending the processing of the maps associated with the applications,” concluded Deputy Naughten.

 

Copy of Dáil Replies.


Parliamentary Question No.223

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number and value of 2011 disadvantaged area payments which have been made to applicants in County Roscommon; the number and value yet to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

– Denis Naughten.

For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 13th October, 2011.

Ref No:   29339/11

REPLY

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: (Simon Coveney)

The following tabular statement shows the position regarding applications and payments to County Roscommon herd-owners under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme:

 

Applications received Applications paid Value of payments
Roscommon 5,687 4,157 €8.84m

There are no delays in payments to farmers under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, in relation to which there is no regulatory payment date – however, it is generally recognised and indeed acknowledged in the Farmers’ Charter, that a payment target of late September of the year in question is the most realistic.

Payments commenced, on target, on 22 September, with payments issuing to those farmers whose applications had been confirmed eligible for payment at that time. I can confirm that my Department has, in the interim, continued to pay individuals, as their cases became clear, with payment runs taking place twice a week. This is normal practise and will continue on an ongoing basis, as necessary. In this regard, while I am pleased to note that payments worth in excess of €173 million have issued to date, representing almost 80% of applicants, I remain confident that the full budget for the Scheme will have been exhausted by year-end.

As ever, the working relationship between my Department and the farming community greatly assists in the processing of these Schemes. Where in-house checks reveal anomalies in applicants’ applications, the necessary correspondence issues immediately. By replying to all such correspondence as quickly as possible farmers ensure the rapid resolution of issues, thereby allowing their payments to be made.

In the specific case of DAS, however, issues arise each year in relation to the required minimum stocking density of applicants’ holdings, usually affecting in the region of 10,000 farmers. These are cases where my Department cannot confirm adherence to this requirement through the established computer-based animal systems and, therefore, the individuals concerned are required to submit the necessary hard-copy evidence. Farmers can only do this, obviously, when they are satisfied that they have met this requirement for the requisite three consecutive month period. Therefore, there are unpaid DAS applicants who have not yet satisfied this requirement.
 
 

Parliamentary Question No.224

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number and value of 2011 disadvantaged area payments which have been made to applicants in County Leitrim; the number and value yet to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Denis Naughten.
For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 13th October, 2011.

Ref No:   29340/11

REPLY

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: (Simon Coveney)

The following tabular statement shows the position regarding applications and payments to County Leitrim herd-owners under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme:

 

Applications received Applications paid Value of payments
Leitrim 3,487 2,518 €5.4m

There are no delays in payments to farmers under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, in relation to which there is no regulatory payment date – however, it is generally recognised and indeed acknowledged in the Farmers’ Charter, that a payment target of late September of the year in question is the most realistic.

Payments commenced, on target, on 22 September, with payments issuing to those farmers whose applications had been confirmed eligible for payment at that time. I can confirm that my Department has, in the interim, continued to pay individuals, as their cases became clear, with payment runs taking place twice a week. This is normal practise and will continue on an ongoing basis, as necessary. In this regard, while I am pleased to note that payments worth in excess of €173 million have issued to date, representing almost 80% of applicants, I remain confident that the full budget for the Scheme will have been exhausted by year-end.

As ever, the working relationship between my Department and the farming community greatly assists in the processing of these Schemes. Where in-house checks reveal anomalies in applicants’ applications, the necessary correspondence issues immediately. By replying to all such correspondence as quickly as possible farmers ensure the rapid resolution of issues, thereby allowing their payments to be made.

In the specific case of DAS, however, issues arise each year in relation to the required minimum stocking density of applicants’ holdings, usually affecting in the region of 10,000 farmers. These are cases where my Department cannot confirm adherence to this requirement through the established computer-based animal systems and, therefore, the individuals concerned are required to submit the necessary hard-copy evidence. Farmers can only do this, obviously, when they are satisfied that they have met this requirement for the requisite three consecutive month period. Therefore, there are unpaid DAS applicants who have not yet satisfied this requirement.