Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a reply will issue to representations this Deputy made to him on behalf of a person (details supplied). [5978/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named has been informed in writing that he was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2011. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. This process is under way with a view to commencing payments as soon as possible. In the event of any queries arising from these checks in individual cases, including the person named, my Department will be in direct contact with the applications to have them resolved.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total payments to farmers to date in relation to REP scheme and agri-environment options scheme for counties Leitrim and Sligo separately; if he will provide a breakdown of the various percentages regarding applications and moneys paid to date. [5985/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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REPS 4 and AEOS are both measures under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and accordingly are subject to EU Regulation which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. These checks have now been completed and 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.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the remaining 25% REP scheme 4 payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [6002/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named commenced REPS 4 in May 2008 and received payments for the first three years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. 75% of the Year 4 payment issued on 11 January 2012 for the amount of €3395.57 and the remaining 25% balancing payment for Year 4 issued on 16 January 2012 for the amount of €1131.86.

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in County Kerry that have not yet received their 2011 single farm payments; the number that have been paid; the total amount owed; the total amount paid; when the balance will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6044/12]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in County Kerry that have not yet received their 2011 disadvantaged area aid payments; the number that have been paid; the total amount owed; the total amount paid; when the balance will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6045/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together.

The situation under the Single Payment Scheme nationally is that the vast majority of applicants have received their payment. In respect of applicants from County Kerry, the position is as set out in the following tabular statement:

There are outstanding errors on the applications of the 31 farmers who have yet to be paid; such error cases continue to be cleared on an ongoing basis, as soon as satisfactory responses are received from the applicants concerned.

There is a similar situation in respect of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme where payments amounting to €18.6 million have been made to 7,600 farmers. There are 268 outstanding cases but many of these will not be eligible for payment as they will not meet the stocking density minimum requirement of 0.15 livestock units per hectare. Details as follows:

Again, error cases continue to be cleared on an ongoing basis, as soon as satisfactory responses are received from the applicants concerned.

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in County Kerry who have not yet received their 2011 REP scheme payments; the number who have been paid; the total amount owed; the total amount paid; when the balance will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6046/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and accordingly is subject to EU Regulation which requires detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue.

A total of 1,352 REPS 4 participants in Kerry have already been paid an amount totalling €9,110,977. 689 remain unpaid and of these 109 have been confirmed for payment and will receive their payment very shortly, while the remaining 580 will be resolved on an ongoing basis as queries are resolved. The estimated balance to be paid is approximately €4.3million.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average payments per capita to farm households in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6060/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The table shows the total payments made by my Department in each of the four years in question. These amounts include direct payments to farmers as well as capital and other grants and both EU and Exchequer funded payments.

Payments issue to up to 130,000 scheme participants as in the case of the Single Payment Scheme; Average payments per capita to farm household are not available based on this data as the number of participants varies substantially across schemes.

Teagasc's National Farm Survey provides information on farm incomes, including direct payments, based on a representative sample of farms. The National Farm Survey shows the following average total direct payments (excluding capital grants) for all farms as follows:

2008: €17,467

2009: €17,347

2010: €17,354

The National Farm Survey 2011 will be published later this year.

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a REP scheme 4 payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6102/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The person named commenced REPS in June 2008 and received payments for the first three years of their contract.

REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulation which requires detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. During the course of the administrative check an area discrepancy was discovered between the Single Payment Scheme application for 2011 and the REPS 4 Agri-environmental Plan of the person named. This issue has now been resolved and I expect payment to issue to the person named shortly.