Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 572: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will sanction the payments of the 537, REP scheme four payments in County Donegal that are still outstanding from 2009; his views on whether farmers are already under financial strain due to the refraction of the farm waste management scheme in January 2009 and the reluctance of banks to supply farmers with agricultural credit for the purchase of store stock in autumn 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3620/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. Payments issued in 2009 to those whose applications required no further examination following the administrative checks. However, queries arose on a significant number of applications, in the course of the administrative checks. My Department is continuing to process applications to payment stage, with a view to payment as soon as possible and, in this context, will be in touch with the applicants where necessary, to resolve outstanding issues.

Earlier this month, I authorised payments of a further €190 million in grants to farmers under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. This expenditure was in addition to the €49 million already paid out by this Department by way of the second tranche of grant-aid under the Scheme towards the end of 2009. Total Exchequer funding for the 34,000 participants for this scheme now exceeds €1 billion, which represents 90% of the total funding of the scheme.

I have made ongoing efforts to impress upon the banks the need to provide more assistance to their farmer clients at a difficult time, particularly having regard to low product prices last year. It is my intention to continue ongoing discussions with the Irish Bankers' Federation and the banks with regard to agri-sector issues including credit to farmers. This will represent a significant component of the ongoing Government objective to free up lending on a commercial basis into the economy as a whole.

It will also compliment the work of the Credit Supply Clearing Group, set up by the Tánaiste, to identify credit bottlenecks to viable businesses and to seek to identify credit supply solutions. This group includes representatives from the main banks, business interests, including the farming sector, and state agencies. These meetings provide the opportunity to impress upon the banks the short-term liquidity difficulties being experienced by the farming sector and, in particular, the need to extend normal working capital facilities to farmers.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the final payment of REP scheme four will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; the reason for the delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3627/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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A 75% payment issued to the person named on 31 December 2009. The remaining 25% is currently being processed and will be issued shortly.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the proportion of REP scheme four applicants who have received their full payment to date in 2010. [3721/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The first payments for the 2009 scheme year issued on 18 December 2009, and payments have continued to issue in the meantime. To date, 9,823 REPS 4 participants have been paid in full. A further 4,508 have received the first phase of 75% of their payments and are due to receive the balance shortly. Payments will issue this week to approximately 1,300 participants. My Department continues to process payments as a matter of priority with a view to completing all payments due as quickly as possible and, in this context, may be in contact directly with participants to resolve queries arising.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when REP scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied). [3725/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before the first payments issue. Payments have issued to those whose applications required no further examination following the administrative checks. However, queries arose in the course of those checks on a significant number of applications, including that of the person named. My Department is continuing to process such applications with a view to payment as soon as possible, and will be in touch with the applicants where necessary to resolve outstanding issues.