Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason for the delay in REP scheme 4 payments; the position regarding negotiations between his Department and the European Commission arising from a court of auditors report into the administration by his Department of the REP scheme; if he will confirm if a monitory fine has been sanctioned against his Department by the Commission on this matter; if so the size of the fine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3979/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. The first payments for 2008 REPS 4 applications issued last week to those whose applications required no correction following the administrative checks. However queries arose during the administrative checks on a significant number of REPS 4 applications and these are under examination. Further payments will continue to be made as more applications are cleared.

The European Court of Auditors and the European Commission both carried out audits on REPS in early 2008. The conclusions of the audit by the Court have been published but I am still awaiting the outcome of the audit by the Commission.