Vol. 486 No. 1
461 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will make arrangements for a derogation from Europe to exempt farmers from Achill Island, County Mayo from the cross compliance regulations in view of the fact that the average acreage of farms in Achill is 3.5 acres with turbary rights making them ineligible to join the REP scheme. [1830/98]
The implementation of cross compliance is dependent on the agreement of a revised REPS compensation package for farmers who have lands in special areas of conservation, SACs, or special protection areas, SPAs. Discussions have been taking place for some time with the European Commission in this regard, including the matter of the minimum area of private land required for applicants with commonage land.
Turbary rights are not eligible for REPS in the existing scheme. Hovever, grazing rights and commonage are eligible, subject to certain conditions of the scheme. The national scheme for SACs and SPAs to be implemented by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands will be available to farmers where REPS is not an option.
462 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the de-stocking element of his REP scheme payment for each of the years 1996 and 1997. [1831/98]
This applicant has to date received two annual REPS payments of £6,210.08 each. If he wishes to avail of the supplementary measure relating to de-stocking payments, it will be necessary for his planner to submit a revised agri-environmental plan before 1 May 1998.
