Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the grants available through his Department for a group (details supplied) in County Kildare in regard to a community centre that they voluntarily run for their community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9070/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding for projects such as the one that the Deputy refers to, through a number of schemes and programmes, and details regarding these are provided below.

It should be noted that each of the schemes and grant programmes operated by my Department are governed by rules and eligibility criteria, which projects have to meet in order to qualify for funding.

Programme of Grants for Locally Based Community and Voluntary Organisations

This Programme supports the activities of locally based community and voluntary organisations by way of three Schemes:

the Scheme of Refurbishment Grants;

the Scheme of Equipment Grants and

the Scheme of Training, Education and Research Grants

A copy of the Programme Guidelines and the Application Form in respect of these Schemes, including eligibility criteria, can be accessed on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie.

Community Services Programme

The Community Services Programme operated by my Department is currently closed for applications, however, it is hoped to reopen the Programme again later this year and the project, that the Deputy refers to, can at that point apply through their local Partnership, Community Partnership or Leader group for funding. The objective of the Programme is to support local community activity to address disadvantage, while also providing local employment opportunities and regeneration of communities.

In the case of managing Community Halls and Facilities, funding is limited to small grants approximately the equivalent of 2 workers per project.

The Local Development Social Inclusion Programme

The Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP) provides a series of Measures, funded under the National Development Plan 2007-3013, that are designed to tackle social exclusion.

The project that the Deputy refers to may wish to contact the Local Partnership Committee, which is Kildare Community Partnership.

LEADER Programme

The draft Rural Development Programme 2007-13 is at present under discussion with the European Commission. Full details of the funding opportunities under the programme will be made available when the draft programme is finalised.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a REP scheme payment was made to persons (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that their REP scheme plan was submitted some time ago and soil samples, and so on were submitted several weeks later; and the position in this case. [8963/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The persons named were paid for their first year in REPS in June 2005 and were due to submit an amended plan and soil samples before their second-year payment could be made. Their application for second year payment should have been received in the Department before the end of August 2006 to avoid a late application penalty. However it was not received until 7 September 2006, and when it did arrive it was not accompanied by the amended plan and soil samples. My Department wrote to the persons named on 19 October 2006 requesting the amended plan and soil samples. There is no record of their having been received since then. When they are received, the payment will be processed, subject to the late application penalty.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a single farm payment will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8964/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named did not establish Single Farm Payment entitlements during the reference period 2000-2002.

An application for the Transfer of Entitlements by gift without land under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme to the person named was submitted on the 24th April 2006.

The Regulations governing the transfer of entitlements provide that Single Payment entitlements may be transferred without land only if the transferor has used at least 80% of his payment entitlements in one calendar year. This application for the transfer of entitlements to the person named was rejected as the transferor involved did not use 80% of his entitlements in 2005.

A formal letter outlining this decision was issued to the person named on 30th January 2007.