Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 18 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 4

Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

42 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of REP scheme grant applications currently being processed by his Department; when the backlog in this regard will be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23353/97]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

Almost 31,000 participants have already been accepted into the REP scheme. In addition 3,308 REP grant applications are currently being processed.

The normal procedure is that up to 95 per cent of first year REPS payments are made within six weeks of the receipt of a valid application.

However, a random sample of 5 per cent of applicants are selected for a farm inspection and this can cause some delays in the issuing of payments. The applicant is notified that this inspection is taking place and the timeframe for completing these inspections has been reduced in 1997.

In the case of second and subsequent year payments currently 50 per cent of all applicants are subject to compliance inspections. Assuming that all is in order payments are then made. In the non-inspected cases the issue of second and subsequent year payments is made within six weeks of receipt of a valid application.