Some 143,000 applications were received under the 2005 single payment scheme. In addition to those applicants seeking both to activate their entitlements and also receive payment, applications were received from farmers seeking only to activate their entitlements. It will be recalled that farmers who did not seek to activate their entitlements in 2005 would, under EU rules, forfeit these entitlements to the national reserve.
Of the 143,000 applications received, approximately 128,000 are eligible for payment under the 2005 scheme. To date, payments worth in excess of €1.118 billion have issued to 123,000 farmers.
In common with the coupled schemes, which the single payment scheme replaced, delays in processing can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and discrepancies highlighted following computer validation, which are required to be resolved via correspondence with the applicant.
In many cases, payment could not be made because applicants did not submit an application to transfer the single payment entitlements to them with lands by way of inheritance, gift, lease or purchase. Many of the applications were only received after my Department made direct contact with the farmers in question during recent weeks and some have yet to be submitted.
Applications under the single payment scheme are processed as follows. They are date stamped upon receipt and are then prepared and forwarded for scanning. This provides an electronic image of all applications and associated documentation received. Following scanning, the applications are presented to the single payment scheme unit to be data-captured onto the Department's database, SPS. Upon completion of data capture, applications which contain new plots-parcels, are submitted to a third party contractor, so that the plots-parcels can be digitised onto the Department's database. Amendment forms received are scanned and data captured. Selected applications are issued for inspection. Queries arising from the digitisation process are referred to the single payment scheme unit for resolution. Queries arising from the data capture or digitisation are then referred to the applicant through the issue of query letters. Responses received from applicants to queries raised are scanned upon receipt and are processed to finality if possible.
If necessary, further query letters are issued to resolve specific issues. Where selected, cases subject to inspections have results entered. Quality control procedure is carried out on cases available for payment. A payment file is generated and presented for payment.
The successful introduction of the single payment scheme in Ireland, in 2005, is testimony to the efforts of all concerned. It is my intention that this success will be built on into the future to the benefit of all concerned.