Vol. 562 No. 4
196 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon has been in receipt of a top-up payment for NHA designation under the REP scheme; the value of such payment per acre; the value of such payments under REP scheme 11; if this person can remain destocked under the conditions of REP scheme two; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6404/03]
In the case in question the participant is in the first REP scheme and his contract will expire on 30 September 2003. He has received five annual payments under this scheme, which included an additional payment of €36 per hectare under supplementary measure one. This supplementary measure provided for payment in recognition of the additional costs associated with complying with REPS in areas of natural heritage.
Supplementary measures one and two of the first REP scheme were replaced in 1999 by supplementary measure A, which is known as measure A in the current scheme. Measure A is mandatory for participants in REPS who have target area land – commonages, natural heritage area, special area of conservation or special protection areas. It provides for payment on up to 120 hectares of target area land at €242 per hectare for the first 40 hectares, €24 per hectare for the next 40 hectares and €18 per hectare for the next 40 hectares. No additional payments are available over and above the measure A rates. In general, REPS planners, when drawing up farm plans, determine the appropriate environmentally sustainable stocking levels of designated lands. In all cases the grazing regime must ensure that both over grazing and under-grazing of lands is avoided.
