Agriculture Schemes Administration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 October 2012

Thursday, 25 October 2012

Questions (121)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

121. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an interim payment will be paid to farmers in the Twelve Bens/Maam Turk Complex who left the REP scheme after applications for an agri environment options scheme two closed, in view of the agreement entered into with the farmers in this area and the fact that the National Parks and Wildlife Service scheme is closed and that AEOS 3 will not open until April 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46937/12]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

In September 2011, I announced an additional compensation measure for out-of-contract REPS farmers in the complex referred to by the Deputy whose plans were completed after the closing date for applications to AEOS 2. These payments of up to €4,000 per farmer ran until the 15th May 2012. I have no plans to introduce further measures. Additionally, in the Twelve Bens/Maamturk complex, my Department is making top-up payments to REPS and AEOS farmers for current restrictions. For the five years of the scheme, REPS/AEOS farmers are paid €2,000 by my Department for each year in which they have fully met the destocking and off-wintering provisions of their plans (which will run until the end of 2013). Application forms for the Year 4 top-up payments were issued by my Department last week.