Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

This matter was discussed at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. After decoupling and CAP reform, environmental measures were regarded as a means of making payments to farmers. It has been accepted that the REP scheme in Ireland is a model of how the scheme should operate. Early payment is one of its selling points. I take issue with the Minister calling the payment an "up-front" payment. It is early because it has been approved in advance. We made the same mistake at the committee meeting. If the EU is considering rolling out this model on a European scale, we should examine the Irish model to establish the aspects of it that are working. One such aspect is the early payment given to participants to carry out the necessary works and measures to comply with the rules.

For farmers whose REPS 2 term finished in October 2006, the process was supposed to start by January 2007; they could not take up REPS 3 and REPS 4 was not rolled out until much later. Therefore, those farmers have incurred a year's loss of income. Will the Minister of State comment on that?

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