Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The farm waste management scheme was introduced by our Department in March 2006 in order to assist farmers to meet the additional requirements of the nitrates directive. Under the scheme, a standard grant rate of 60%, or 70% in the four zone C counties, was available, and €114 million was spent on this scheme in 2007. Payment claims substantially in excess of this figure are expected in 2008.

The success of the scheme is evidenced by the fact that 48,580 applications were received from farmers under the scheme before the closing date of 31 December 2006. To date, 41,750 approvals have issued to farmers to commence work. The remaining applications have either been withdrawn, are awaiting the receipt of full planning permission or are explained by the receipt of multiple applications from a single farmer. This Department is continuing to issue approvals on an ongoing basis as confirmation of the receipt of full planning permission is received from applicants and has already written to local authorities acknowledging the major contribution which they have made to this process, as well as reminding them of the importance of the end of 2008 deadline for completion of works under the scheme.

The 31 December 2008 deadline is a condition of the EU state aid approval governing the scheme. Farmers must complete the works and submit a payment claim to the Department by this date in order that they can qualify for the generous grants available. A notice has already been sent out by the Department to all approved farmers under the scheme reminding them of the importance of compliance with this deadline. I am not in a position to ask the EU Commission to alter the terms of the state aid approval.

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