Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10101/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the EU Regulations governing the Agri-Environment Options Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. Payment will issue to the person named at the earliest possible date once these checks have been completed.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that outstanding REP scheme payments will not be paid until July due to the fact that his Department is awaiting a new computer system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10136/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A total of 26,664 farmers have received their REPS 4 payment to date. The majority of outstanding payments have issues which need to be examined or resolved and these are being dealt with on an ongoing basis by my officials.

A small number of farmers are awaiting their balancing payment of 25%, having already received 75%, because they have incurred breaches of the Scheme. The balancing payment cannot be paid until the appropriate penalties have been applied. In order to accommodate the application of these penalties for future payments, my Department is currently developing a computerised system which will facilitate the automated calculation and application of these penalties. Development work on the system is well advanced and the aim is to complete the work as quickly as possible with a view to issuing the REPS payments at the earliest possible date.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food further to Parliamentary Question No. 172 of 29 March 2011, when REP scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10153/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2009 and received the year 1 payments in December 2009.

The first instalment of 75% of the year 2 payment was made on the 14th April 2011. The balancing payment of 25% was made on 18th April 2011.

Under the EU Regulations governing REPS, payments for the current year i.e. 2011 cannot issue until comprehensive administrative checks, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, are completed. As these checks are dependant on the finalisation of the processing of Single Payment applications, it is expected that REPS 2011 payments will issue in the Autumn.