Vol. 530 No. 5
91 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he proposes any changes to Supplementary Measure 5 of the rural environment protection scheme; if this measure will be substantially the same under the new REP scheme as it has been in the last scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4316/01]
Supplementary Measure 5 of the previous rural environment protection scheme provided for payments to farmers who undertook to give public access to their land for environmentally friendly leisure and sporting activities. There is no supplementary measure of this kind in the new scheme which commenced on 27 November 2000. Unlike the regulation governing the previous scheme, Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, under which the new scheme is implemented, includes no provision for a public access measure as part of the EU co-funded agri-environment programme. In an effort to secure the continued availability of public access as part of REPS, my Department made proposals to the European Commission for the inclusion of the measure in the new scheme as a State aid fully funded by the Exchequer. However, the Commission has indicated that a public access measure was not admissible under the agri-environment title of Regulation (EC) No. 1257/1999, even as a State aid. Participants in the previous REP scheme who are currently in receipt of payment under Supplementary Measure 5 may continue to avail of payments under this measure until the end of their existing agreements.
