Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress made with regard to farm waste management inspections and payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26015/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Payments are continuing to be made under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a phased basis with 40 per cent being paid this year as claims are approved. To date in 2009, 13,381 payments totalling almost €185.9 million have been made to farmers under the Scheme, while a further 1,396 claims for grant-aid have been inspected and approved for payment. This compares to 12,847 payments in the whole of the 2008 calendar year.

The process of on-farm inspections and approval of payments is continuing and additional staff have been re-deployed to certain parts of the country to ensure that the remaining payments to be made under the Scheme are effected as soon as possible.