P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food further to Parliamentary Question No. 993 of 24 March 2009 when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be awarded their REP scheme four payment; the amount of the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20387/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Payment will issue to the person named within the next fifteen days.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of their REP scheme four grant; the amount they will receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20395/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Payment will issue to the person named within the next fifteen days.

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when payment of a scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [20407/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements under Category B of the 2008 National Reserve. This category caters for new entrants to farming who commenced farming after 31 December 2005 and who did not pursue any agricultural activity in his/her own name or at his/her own risk in the five years immediately preceding the commencement of the new agricultural activity.

As the person named did not submit sufficient information with her application in order to fully process her application my Department wrote to her requesting the outstanding documentation. This documentation was only received recently and her application has now been finalised.

The person named has been deemed successful for an allocation from the National Reserve under this category and a formal letter outlining the allocation has issued to her.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the way he can justify the 8% cut in forestry premia, which leaves farmers and growers in a catch-22 situation, tied to contracts and yet unable to realise a fair return on investment and furthermore forced to pay for fire insurance, which was not a condition of their original contracts; the measures he is putting in place to counteract this further blow to the viability of the farming sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20499/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The decision to reduce the forestry premium and to restrict the availability of the reconstitution grant to forests damaged by disease or frost was set against the background of unprecedented pressure on the public finances and the necessity to take difficult decisions in order to make maximum use of limited resources.

Maintaining an active afforestation programme was an important consideration in deciding how to make the most effective use of these limited resources following the supplementary budget on April 7th. New planting is a key element of the Government's overall strategy for forestry and funding for 5,500 hectares of new planting in 2009 has been preserved. Notwithstanding the reduction in premium levels, I am confident that this level of planting will be achieved in 2009. With the continued availability of grants to cover establishment costs the overall planting package should still provide an attractive land-use option for farmers.

Notwithstanding the budgetary changes, it has always been considered good practice for forest owners to insure their investment against the potential for financial losses resulting from damage to their estate and they have been consistently encouraged to do so over many years.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive their REP scheme three payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20502/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Payment will issue to the person named within the next 15 days.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the current position regarding the payment of forestry grants (details supplied) in view of last month's supplementary budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter [20522/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to the annual forestry premium that is paid to clients who have established forests under the Afforestation Scheme administered by my Department. This year's annual forestry premiums were paid earlier this month and included an 8% reduction. This decision to reduce the forestry premiums must be viewed in the context of the unprecedented pressure on the public finances and the necessity for my Department to take difficult decisions in order to make maximum use of limited resources.