Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I launched REPS 4 on 8 August 2007. To date some 1,250 applications have been received and the first payments under REPS 4 will issue next week.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There are still questions to be resolved with the European Commission regarding processing of payments in REPS 2, REPS 3 and REPS 4 and whether we can continue with the previous practice of making up-front payments to all REP scheme participants at the start of the contract year. My officials have argued in the strongest terms with the Commission Services that we should be allowed to continue with this practice. I also raised this issue with Commissioner Fischer Boel on her recent visit and I am awaiting a response from the Commission before payment procedures for all REP schemes can be finalised.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make the REP scheme package more flexible for the sheep sector, particularly for hill sheep farmers with designated lands; if she will include the €2,000 top up for hill sheep farmers in designated areas as a supplementary payment measure in REP scheme four; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3130/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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REPS 4 includes a new mixed grazing supplementary measure specifically targeted at the sheep sector. Farmers availing of this new supplementary measure can draw down an additional annual payment of up to €1,000. In addition, payment rates in REPS 4 are 17% higher than those in REPS 3, in accordance with the partnership agreement with the farming organisations.

I have recently had discussions with farmers' representatives who made certain suggestions about the supplementary measure. I undertook to have these examined and I hope to respond shortly. However the European Commission's agreement for this measure in REPS 4 was secured on the basis that it would deliver specific environmental benefits and the scope for amendment is limited.

I understand that the reference to the €2,000 payment to certain hill farmers relates to a specific arrangement in County Mayo operated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. REPS farmers in this area received payment for undertaking a new grazing regime which was necessary to deal with serious environmental problems caused by overgrazing. The agreement was confined to farmers in REPS 2 and REPS 3 on the grounds that the specification for REPS 4 would contain a requirement for a grazing regime to include a sustainable stocking requirement to protect against both undergrazing and overgrazing. Such a provision is included in the current REPS 4 specification. Consequently there are no grounds on which an additional payment under REPS 4 could be justified.