Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 3

Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

208 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the plans, if any, he has to remove the rulings in the REP scheme, introduced by the Government rather than as an EU Directive, which state that commonage must have been on an area aid application in 1997 to qualify for payment and a farmer who owned sheep in 1997 but had no quota until 1998 cannot join the scheme; and if he will make a detailed statement on this issue in view of the large number of farmers it disqualifies from REP scheme eligibility. [7857/99]

Michael Ring

Ceist:

246 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will consider each REP scheme application with commonage not previously included on a 1997 aid area application on its individual merits in order that farmers under the age of 35 are not unduly penalised. [8141/99]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 246 together.

Farmers or successors in title who own commonage shares and or grazing rights who declared the commonage and/or grazing rights for area aid in 1997 or 1998 and either applied for livestock premia/headage in 1997 or 1998 or held quota rights in 1997 or 1998 are eligible to apply for the REP scheme. Farmers with less than 15 livestock units who have not made an area aid application and who provide evidence acceptable to the Minister that in 1997 or 1998 they farmed the commonage and/or grazing rights and either held quota rights or applied for livestock premia/headage are also eligible.