Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if arrangements have been made, similar to previous years, for the acceptance of area aid forms in the Loughrea and Tuam Agricultural Environment and Structures office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18195/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I am very anxious that all those farmers who have still not submitted their 2008 Single Payment application would do so immediately. I am concerned that so many applications are still outstanding from farmers who made an application in 2007. There is absolutely no scope to extend Thursday's closing date, which is the latest date for receipt of applications allowed under the governing EU rules. I urge all farmers to complete their application form and return it immediately in the envelope provided. The form can be posted to the address on that envelope to reach my Department no later this Thursday, 15 May, or it can be handed in to any of my Department's offices around the country, including those mentioned by the Deputy, up to close of business on that day.

As a further help to farmers to meet Thursday's deadline, I am arranging that all Department offices, including those mentioned by the Deputy, will remain open until 9 pm on Thursday next to accept applications. I cannot stress enough the importance of the application being submitted on time, not only in the context of the Single Payment, but also for farmers who are applicants under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the REPS Schemes, Energy Crops Scheme and Protein Crops Scheme as these farmers are obliged to submit a Single Payment application by the 15 May deadline.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 385: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure farmers, who for personal reasons, wish to have their payments under the single payments scheme posted to their home address as usual, can continue to do so. [18246/08]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his attention has been drawn to the inconvenience it will cause elderly farmers if their payments are paid directly into the bank, especially with the closure of many branch offices in rural towns (details supplied) and the lack of rural transport. [18247/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together.

At present, farmers can choose to have their payments made by cheque or electronic funds transfer directly into their bank account and this situation will continue during the 2008 EU financial year which ends on 15 October. However, as and from the 2009 EU financial year commencing on 16th October 2008, payment by cheque will no longer be permitted under EU rules on the financing and management of the Common Agricultural Policy. From that date, my Department is required to make all payments under EU funded or co-funded schemes, including the Single Payment Scheme, directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. As the designated paying agency for EU funds, my Department is obliged to implement this new requirement.

My Department has notified the new requirement to farmers on a number of occasions over the past year and did so again in the past two weeks or so. A very large number of farmers have now 'signed up' for electronic funds transfer. Farmers who have not yet done so still have a number of months in which either to open a bank account or to notify my Department of the details of existing bank accounts. I will be urging all farmers to make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible so as to avoid disruption to their payments.

My officials have briefed the banks on the new requirement and have also met with Postbank which I understand is launching a new current account which will facilitate the electronic transfer of funds for farmers and which can be opened and operated through the Post Office network. My Department will also arrange payments to accounts in any Credit Unions which has the facility to process electronic transfers.

My Department will continue to issue a remittance note to each farmer in respect of all electronic payments setting out the amount and details of their payments.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on issuing a partial payment to REP scheme four 2008 applicants as farmers had been reliant on this money and that at least in 2009, applicants would be more prepared for the payment to issue in late autumn. [18253/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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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 and 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 Commission agreed that payments under REPS 2 and REPS 3 could continue to be made at the beginning of each contract year, as before, but insisted that the new rules must apply from the outset to participants in REPS 4. I believe that there is no prospect of securing any further concessions.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on issuing even a partial payment to a REP scheme four applicant (details supplied) in County Mayo with the remainder of their payment issuing later in 2008. [18254/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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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 and 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 Commission agreed that payments under REPS 2 and REPS 3 could continue to be made at the beginning of each contract year, as before, but insisted that the new rules must apply from the outset to participants in REPS 4. I believe that there is no prospect of securing any further concessions.