Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

REPS 4 was closed to new applicants in July against the background of the situation in the public finances, the resources available to the Department and the substantial increase in the past year in the number of REPS participants. Almost 17,000 applications were received up to the closing date of 15 May for 2009. Further applications which were received up to the time of closure will be processed as applications for 2010. Payments due to REPS farmers for 2009 will be the highest ever and all participants already in REPS will continue to receive annual payments until their current contracts run their course.

I plan to introduce a new agri-environment scheme in 2010 which will reduce compliance costs to participants and provide a menu of targeted actions from which farmers may choose. Funding for the new scheme will include the additional modulation funds which I ensured would be retained for the benefit of Irish farmers in the negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy health check. It will also include additional matching Exchequer funding. The scheme's details are being finalised and will require the approval of the European Commission, which has already received an outline of our proposals.

Just under 51,000 farmers are in REPS. In addition, the Department is processing 16,718 applications received for REPS 4 in 2009 up to the closing date of 15 May. I will forward Deputy Sherlock a breakdown of these applications by county. A further 1,509 applications were received after this date and before the scheme closed to new applicants on 9 July. If they meet the scheme's requirements, this group of applicants will start their contracts in 2010.

As a measure approved as part of the current rural development programme, REPS 4 is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including plan checks, to be completed before the first 2009 payments issue. My officials are working on the processing of applications with a view to facilitating the release of payments at the earliest possible date.

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