Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when REP scheme four will be fully introduced and available for applications through the local offices of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22603/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I launched REPS 4 on 8 August after Ireland's Rural Development Programme was approved by the EU Structural Funds Committee. Scheme documents were subsequently published on my Department's website and printed versions are currently being made available in local AES Offices.

A number of applications have already been received. Those that were received in September will, if they were valid, be paid with a start date of 1 October 2007; similarly, valid applications arriving this month will have a start date of 1 November. The electronic mapping system, eREPS, is being re-programmed for the new scheme and will be available at the end of October. This system is funded by my Department and hosted by Teagasc, and is now used by the majority of planners. Planners still have the option of submitting REPS plans with maps that have been prepared manually, however, and the applications received so far have been prepared in this way.