Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 4

Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

64 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the current position regarding the reduction of stock numbers on the REP scheme when a farmer or a flock owner has both leased and owned quota in the year 1995. [23185/97]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I presume the Deputy is referring to the current destocking option under supplementary measures 1 and 2 of the Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

If a participant reduces livestock numbers as specified in his agri environmental plan, compensation is based on the reduction achieved by comparison with quota rights or actual numbers in 1995, whichever is the lesser.

The quota rights released for the period of the scheme are held by the owner but not used for the duration of the scheme, subject to the provisions of EU Quota Regulations. I would emphasise that the destocking payment in both of these cases applies only to quota rights owned. It is not possible to compensate applicants for destocking on quota not owned by them but subject to lease because under the EU quota regulations such rights may only be leased for a maximum period of three years after which they must be exercised by the owner for two years.