Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 2003

Vol. 571 No. 1

Written Answers. - Farm Waste Management.

Tom Hayes

Ceist:

322 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the new grant rates agreed in the partnership talks will be introduced for farm waste management and dairy hygiene schemes and also the new rates under the REP scheme. [20677/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The changes to the farm waste management and dairy hygiene schemes proposed in the Sustaining Progress agreement require EU Commission approval prior to implementation. My Department has already written to the EU Commission signalling the changes it is proposed to make to the schemes and indicating the Department's desire to implement these as soon as possible.

These schemes form part of the regional operational programmes of the national development plan. The monitoring committees of these programmes will consider these proposed changes to the schemes at their meetings in October. Formal Commission consideration of the changes will follow the committees' examinations.

In the case of REPS, the Sustaining Progress agreement includes an undertaking to seek approval, in negotiation with the EU Commission and based on analysis of the underlying data, for increased payment rates. Proposals are currently in preparation and will be submitted formally to the EU Commission following consultation with the CAP rural development plan monitoring committee.