Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects all of the first 40% instalments of the remaining farm waste management grants to be awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20318/09]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason for the delay in inspections and payments under the farm waste management scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20206/09]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the date by which all first 40% tranche farm waste management payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20161/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 103 and 110 together.

The arrangements for payment of grants under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a phased basis have been confirmed with 40 per cent being paid this year as claims are approved. A further 40 per cent will be paid in early January 2010 and the remaining 20 per cent in January 2011. I have also announced that a special ex-gratia payment not exceeding 3.5 per cent of the value of the deferred amount will be made to farmers whose Farm Waste Management grants have been partially deferred. This payment will be made in January 2011 along with the final instalment.

It is intended that the first instalment of 40 per cent will have been paid by my Department in respect of all approved claims by end-June 2009 and my Department keeps its staffing arrangements in local offices under constant review in order to ensure that payments continue to flow in a timely manner to farmers under the Scheme. In addition, revised arrangements have been introduced by my Department to expedite the approval procedures involved.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if an 8% levy has been applied to forestry premia on a retrospective basis; if so, the reason payment that was due at the end of March 2009 was delayed until 5 May 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20182/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Following the supplementary budget on 7 April, an 8% reduction was applied to forestry premiums. This reduction applies to all premiums for 2009 onwards; it does not apply to any premiums in respect of the years prior to 2009. The forestry premiums are paid annually in late March or early April. Issues relating to the implementation of the reduction had to be addressed before payment was made this year.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will clarify his intentions with regard to a review of REP scheme three payments as indicated in his April 2009 budget statement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20264/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Given the pressures on the public finances and the level of up-take of REPS 4, I decided that it was necessary to reverse the 17% increase in REPS 4 payments and this reduction applies to REPS 4 payments in respect of 2009.

The closing date for REPS applications for 2009 has now passed. When the number of applications has been determined, I will be in a position to assess what level of financial commitment is involved and in this context it may be necessary to review the payment level for REPS 3 participants.

I will also be initiating a review of the scheme in the context of the overall level of participation, the funding which is likely to be available to me and the flexibility provided by the additional funding which I negotiated in the recent CAP "Health Check".