Eye in the sky costs at least one Irish farmer his SFP
Minister Brendan Smith has given details of at least one farmer found to have over-claimed by at least 20% for the 2009 Single Farm Payment (SFP) — the level at which the governing EU regulations require that no payment be made for the year in question.
The minister told the Dáil of a farm where ground inspection confirmed issues revealed by satellite surveillance, where a farmer claimed for 29.41 hectares, but inspection established an area of 16.53 hectares. In another case, ground inspection established there were 7.64 eligible hectares, compared to declared area of 8.82 hectares.
“As the level of over-claim is greater than 3% but less than 20%, a penalty of twice the area over claimed is applied, as per the governing EU Regulations,” said the minister. In both cases,. the farmers were offered the right to appeal the findings.
Details of the use and area claimed for the one million parcels on the land parcel identification system are registered and continually monitored by the Department of Agriculture. Single Payment Scheme applicants are advised of the need to confirm their right to declare such parcels and to make the appropriate deductions, for example where a house or other building has been constructed, and to exclude ineligible features such as scrub.
