David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of applications for REPS 4 on a county basis; the number of applications which were accepted and rejected; the amount of money awarded to date on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22108/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The details requested are set out in the tabular statement attached. The acceptance of REPS 4 applications is governed by EU Regulations which require exhaustive administrative checks and on-the-spot inspections. In a significant number of the applications received, the administrative checks raised issues and queries which required further detailed examination. My Department's staff have been working to resolve these as quickly as possible. Many of these cases required the applicants' planners to amend the farm plans that were submitted originally. The applicants concerned were made aware of the position and the applications are being further processed without delay on receipt of amended plans. So far, 24,023 applicants have received full payment for 2009 and work is continuing to process the remainder as quickly as possible.

My officials have also been in contact with the 111 applicants whose plans had been rejected, to inform them of their right to appeal the decision. Alternatively, unless the application had been found to be fundamentally ineligible, applicants were given the opportunity to submit a new REPS 4 plan and application form on or before 17 May 2010. The latter cases will be dealt with as a priority.

REPS 4 applications and payments

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 406: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of REPS 3 farmers who have joined REPS 4, on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22109/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The majority of farmers who applied for REPS 4 were former participants in either REPS 1, REPS 2 or REPS 3. The following table details county-by-county the number of former participants in REPS 3 who applied for REPS 4.

The new Agri-Environment Options Scheme was open to all farmers but I expect that many of those who were formerly in REPS 3 have submitted applications for the new scheme. While figures are not yet available as to the number of ex-REPS 3 participants in the new Scheme, the level of interest shown was very high and I expect many will have taken the opportunity to apply in order to continue farming within an agri-environmental framework.