Written answers
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Department of Agriculture and Food
Rural Environment Protection Scheme
9:00 pm
John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food her plans to compensate the 200 farmers in the Owenduff-Nephin complex protection area when they become REP scheme four; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3934/08]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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REPS farmers in this area received payment, under an agreement with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 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.
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.
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