I propose to take Questions Nos. 798 and 799 together.
REAP is an innovative and farmer-friendly pilot that will deliver an important income boost for farmers while also developing knowledge of results-based payments, and the way in which those payments may be maximised.
Please find information as requested by the Deputy in the following table.
REAP Status
|
Number of Applicants
|
Average farm size (ha)
|
Selected
|
4926
|
30.82
|
Not selected
|
5879
|
30.23
|
Total
|
10805
|
30.5
|
The average was calculated by dividing the total size of all holdings in each category by the number of applicants in each category.
The ranking and selection criteria for REAP is published in section 10 of the terms and conditions and farm size is not included within the criteria. It is also important to note that REAP is not a whole of farm project, applicants select fields within their holding to enter into the project. These fields were selected after approval to the project so such information was not available at the ranking and selection stage. Hence the size of a farm was not a factor in the ranking and selection process of the project.