Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
289 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way in which her policy on a person who is in a REP scheme and wishes to apply for milk production farm family partnership operates; the way in which they apply for the above; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26588/04]
View answerParticipation in both REPS and the new entrant and-or parent milk production partnerships is possible provided that the farmers in question can satisfy the conditions of both schemes. To participate in a new entrant and-or parent milk production partnership, all the farming enterprises of the partners, other than certain specialist enterprises, must be pooled. The resultant change to the farming operations of the partners may have implications for compliance with the conditions of any existing REPS contract.
Any person who is in REPS and is considering forming a new entrant and-or parent milk production partnership should, therefore, contactmy Department for guidance on the precise implications which forming such a partnership might have for their continued participation in REPS.
290 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of applications her Department has received for milk production farm family partnership by persons who are also in a REP scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26589/04]
View answerApplications for the registration of new entrant parent partnerships are not made to my Department but to Teagasc which is the registration body designated under the milk quota regulations. The application form for registration as a new entrant parent partnership does not require the applicants to indicate whether they are participants in REPS. Therefore, the information sought by the Deputy is not available to me.
