Vol. 446 No. 7
93 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of applications received by his Department for inclusion in the rural environmental protection scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2798/94]
96 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of farmers who have applied for the rural environmental protection scheme; the progress, if any, that has been made in processing applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2762/94]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 96 together.
Nearly 300 applications under the rural environment protection scheme have now been received by my Department. One hundred and sixteen of these have been accepted and are being processed for payment.
I understand that approximately 1,500 further applications are in the pipeline in the sense that agri-environmental plans are in the course of being drawn up by approved planning agencies.
The scheme can be of considerable benefit to Irish farmers and to the protection of the environment and I am very satisfied with the response to date from farmers.
