Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a REP scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [5774/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named commenced REPS 3 in June 2006. His final payment in respect of year 5 was made in full in August 2010.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will immediately pay farmers their REP scheme payments and all other payments due. [5807/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department makes substantial payments under REPS and over €78 million was paid to participating farmers under the scheme in 2011 alone. To date, some 24,000 REPS 4 farmers have received a 2010 Scheme year payment. I am acutely aware, nevertheless, that many farmers are still awaiting their REPS 4 payments. I appreciate the importance of such payments to these farm families and I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made by my officials to expedite these payments.

Some REPS participants have not yet received their REPS 4 payment because their applications have not yet cleared the mandatory administrative checks. To meet the requirements of the EU regulations, applications for REPS payments have to go through an exhaustive series of administrative checks before payment can be released. In a significant number of cases, those checks have raised issues and queries which require further detailed examination. My officials are working to resolve these as quickly as possible with the applicants with a view to completing payment as quickly as possible.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when payment under the REP scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary and the reason for the delay in issue of payment. [5900/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named joined REPS 4 on 1st January 2009 and received his year 1 payment in March 2010. The 2010 REPS 4 application from the person named was under examination following a crosscheck with the 2010 Single Farm Payment application. Difficulties due to re-digitisation have now been resolved and payment will issue over the next two weeks.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding a forestry grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if this person is entitled to payment at the farmer or non-farmer rate and the exact payment per acre in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5927/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To qualify for the farmer rate of premium under the afforestation scheme, an applicant must either have an active Department ID (Herd Number) or prove that 25% of their income was from farming for either the year of completion of planting or for 1 of the 3 years prior to completion. The person named has yet to submit acceptable proof of his farming activity in order to qualify for forestry premiums at the farmer rate. The rates of premium payable, for the species planted, are €467.50 per hectare for farmers and €194.79 per hectare for non-farmers. Also, payment of grants and premiums cannot be made until the person named submits a current/valid Tax Clearance Certificate as issued to him by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid their sheep grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5929/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application under the 2010 Grassland Sheep Scheme was received from the person named on 14 April 2010. Payments under the 2010 Grassland Sheep Scheme commenced on 1 February 2011 in respect of those cases cleared for payment at that stage; the application for the person named in now fully processed with payment due to issue shortly.