Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the rate REP scheme four payments will be when payments are made in October-December 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20165/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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At the time of the Supplementary Budget, in April, I indicated that, given the pressures on the public finances and having considered other alternatives, I had decided to reverse the seventeen per cent increase in REPS 4 payments. The effect of this decision is to bring REPS 4 payment levels back to the current REPS 3 levels. This reduced level of payment will be applied to REPS 4 payments made in respect of 2009.

Given that the closing date for the 2009 REPS scheme passed on Friday last, 15th May, my Department is now in the process of determining the final number of applications. While the majority of applications were prepared on eREPS, use of that system did not become compulsory until February and, by then, a substantial number of plans had been prepared manually or on other systems.

The first instalment of 75 per cent will be paid as soon as all administrative checks have been completed and I anticipate that this will be around October next. The remaining 25 per cent will be paid as soon as all on-the-spot inspections have been completed, which should be in December.

REPS has been particularly successful in meeting environmental imperatives and consumer demands for environmentally-friendly food production and the necessity to reduce the payment levels reflect its success and the participation levels.

In view of the decision to reduce the payment levels, my Department has indicated our willingness to examine the obligations imposed on participating farmers and, only last week, my officials met with the farming organisations to discuss this particular issue. I should say, however, that the undertakings in the REPS 4 scheme have been agreed with the European Commission and any changes to those undertakings can be introduced only with the approval of the Commission.

By 31st December 2008, my Department had received 12,146 REPS 4 applications. As of today, payments have issued to 9,332 applicants and a further 418 cases have been approved for payment in the coming days.