Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 1162: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the criteria for a person to start up on their own as a REPs planner; the qualifications which are needed; the way in which a person can apply for their own REPs planning licence; the location where a person can obtain the appropriate application; the length of time a person would have to wait to get registered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28501/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Individuals who wish to operate as REPS planners on their own must be approved by my Department as REPS planning agencies in their own right. They must demonstrate that they fulfil my Department's minimum criterion, which is a university degree in general Agricultural Science. If a comparable or equivalent degree is proffered, subjects such as soil science, farm management, farm buildings and pollution control, animal husbandry and crop husbandry must have formed a significant part of the degree course syllabus and the qualification must, in the opinion of my Department, have sufficient relevance to the requirements of the REP scheme.

Applicants whose qualifications are acceptable will be required to attend a REPS planning agency training course organised by my Department, and having completed the course, must submit within one year three unsupervised training plans for detailed assessment. If deficiencies are found in the first or second such plan, the trainee planning agency shall amend and resubmit the plan as necessary. If the third plan is acceptable, the trainee planning agency will be required to sign a form of undertaking before being issued with a planning agency code by my Department and being added to the approved list of REPS planning agencies. The conditions for the issue of a planning agency code are under review at present.

Applications for approval of new planning agencies should be sent to the REPS Section of my Department at Johnstown Castle Estate, Co Wexford.