Michael Finucane
Question:148 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the incentives in place for those in the REP scheme to get involved in forestry. [15188/00]
Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.
Participants in the rural environment protection scheme must farm all their lands to the REPS specification for a contracted period of five years. As a general rule, any participant who reduces the area of the holding farmed under REPS during the contracted period must reimburse all aid paid on a pro rata basis. However, specific provision is made excluding afforested lands from the reimbursement requirement.
In recognition of the fact that there is scope for closer integration between REPS and the forestry planting programme operated by the Department of Marine and Natural Resources proposals in this regard have been included in the draft rural development plan for the period 2000-2006 which has been submitted to the European Commission. In the process of preparing a REPS plan planners will be required to identify areas of the farm which would be most appropriate for afforestation on environmental, agricultural forestry and socio-economic grounds. Planners will receive training/guidance from both Departments on the criteria to be applied on prioritisation of land use between agriculture and forestry. Such criteria would include landscape, pollution control, carbon sequestration, wildlife and productivity-suitability of land for forestry and agriculture.
Any afforestation of land which is the subject of a REPS plan will aim not to affect or disturb wildlife habitats as the intention will be to protect existing habitats and offer greater habitat area overall.
Michael Finucane
Question:149 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmers involved in REP schemes; the number of hectares involved; the percentage of land involved in agriculture included in REP schemes; and the projections for REP schemes under the 2000-2006 operational programme. [15189/00]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
(Mr. Walsh): The total number of REPS participants paid between the beginning of the current scheme in June 1994 to 31 December 1999 was 47,013. At 31 December 1999, there were 45,450 active REPS participants. Approximately 1.6 million hectares has been contracted to REPS, some 33% of the utilisable agricultural land in the country.
Under the proposals for a new REP scheme which were submitted to the European Commission as part of the draft rural development plan for the period 2000-06, it is projected that participation will reach some 70,000 by 2006.