Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 636: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their REP scheme four payment. [11641/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In discussions with my officials, the European Commission have confirmed the new rules for applications and payments under REPS 4. Payments will relate to the period in each calendar year during which a participant is in REPS 4. Payments will issue in two stages. The first, which will be 75% of the total, will issue when all administrative checks for REPS and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. In practice, this will be in early autumn. The remaining 25% payment will go out when the last of the year's REPS on-farm inspections has taken place. This means that these payments will be processed in December.

The person named applied for REPS 4 in February 2008. Farmers who submitted valid applications in February will start their REPS 4 contracts on 1 March 2008. They will receive 75% of a payment in respect of ten months when all administrative checks for REPS and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. The remaining 25% payment will go out when the last of the year's REPS on-farm inspections has taken place.

To be eligible for his REPS payment in 2008, the person named must also submit his 2008 Single Payment application by 15 May 2008.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 637: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their REP scheme four payment. [11642/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In discussions with my officials, the European Commission have recently confirmed the new rules for applications and payments under REPS 4. Payments will relate to the period in each calendar year during which a participant is in REPS 4. Payments will issue in two stages. The first, which will be 75% of the total, will issue when all administrative checks for REPS and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. In practice, this will be in early autumn. The remaining 25% payment will go out when the last of the year's REPS on-farm inspections has taken place. This means that these payments will be processed in December.

In this case the REPS 4 contract commenced on 1 November 2007 and, assuming a valid application, payment in respect of 2007 will therefore be for 2 months. It will be paid in two parts (75% and 25%) as soon as possible following the programming of the necessary changes to the Department's computer system. As all REPS 4 contracts will have an anniversary date of 1 January, my Department will adjust the length of this contract so that the anniversary date will become 1 January 2008 and the contract will be valid for a further 5 years from that date.

In 2008 the person named will receive 75% of a full year's REPS payment when all administrative checks for REPS and the Single Payment Scheme are completed. The remaining 25% payment will go out when the last of the year's REPS on-farm inspections has taken place. To qualify for payment in 2008 the person named must submit his 2008 Single Payment application by 15 May 2008.