Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if all 17,400 farmers will be awarded their first 40% tranche of payment by 30th June, 2009 as promised by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26060/09]

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. Payments can only be made to those farmers whose claims for grant-aid under the Scheme have been found to be in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme.