Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2004
105 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the measures he is taking to resolve the impasse which has stalled the start of the new REP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4923/04]
View answerThere is no impasse stalling the start of the new REP scheme. On the contrary, the EU Commission's initial reactions have been both positive and helpful. My Department submitted proposals to the Commission early in December 2003. Those proposals had emerged from a comprehensive consultative process involving all stakeholders, and they also reflected the significantly increased payment rates agreed in Sustaining Progress. My Department met the Commission services in December and again on 20 January to progress the approval of the revised REPS scheme.
In its initial comments on the proposals, the Commission has welcomed the way the scheme is evolving from being primarily concerned with conserving the existing environment, towards restoring and enhancing it. It advised, however, that for the present it would have difficulty in considering the proposal to extend eligibility for REPS to farmers applying an amount of livestock manure per hectare containing over 170 kg and up to 210 kg of organic nitrogen. It indicated that such a proposal would best be deferred pending a Commission decision on Ireland's action programme under the nitrates directive. As there are over 100,000 farmers already at or below the 170 kg threshold, the current qualifying limit for REPS, it was decided to resubmit the proposal without the reference to eligibility for farmers above that level.
I remain convinced that it is best to extend the ambit of REPS to more intensive farmers and it is my intention to resubmit this element of the proposal once the Commission has given its decision on derogations from the nitrates action programme for farmers above the 170 kg limit. The implementation of the nitrates directive is itself a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
A modified proposal for payment of the higher rates to existing REPS participants, under which they will incorporate elements of the new scheme into their existing undertakings, has also been included in the revised proposal forwarded to the Commission. While the Commission's formal procedures require a period of at least two months for examination of a proposal of this nature, I have written to Commissioner Fischler asking for his help in securing quick approval for the scheme and I am confident of a favourable outcome. As the Deputy is aware the payment rates under the new scheme are: up to 20ha, €200/ha; 20ha — 40ha, €175/ha; 40ha — 55ha, €70/ha.
