Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

338 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government when he expects to have the review of the essential repairs grant scheme and the disabled person's grant scheme completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28275/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)

A review of the disabled person's grant scheme is currently being finalised in my Department and in this context the operation of the essential repairs grant will also be considered. On completion of the review, I will be in a position to determine the changes, if any, required to the regulations governing the schemes.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

339 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the main differences between the REP scheme and the proposed national compensation scheme for commonage farmers who are not in the REP scheme but are affected by destocking regulations. [28285/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

For commonage farmers affected by stocking level restrictions, both the REP scheme and the national scheme administered by my Department require the full application of the relevant commonage framework plan at farm level. The main difference relates to the calculation and levels of payments arising.

The payments in REPS are standard area based payments, whereas in the national scheme payments will be based on proven actual loss due to the restrictions imposed and, subject to certain limits, will be proportional to the number of stock removed from the commonage. Participants in REPS receive set annual payments for a five year period. Under the national scheme, from 2004 participants will also sign up to a five year plan, but will receive annual payments which will vary according to their actual loss in each year. The calculation of REPS payments also includes an incentive element which is not present in the national scheme. It should also be noted that no payments will be made under the national scheme for reductions of stock above five ewe equivalents per hectare calculated over the farm as a whole.

Farmers choosing in 2004 between REPS and the national scheme will need to be aware of the implications of decoupling. When decoupling is implemented, REPS payments will not change, but the amount payable under the national scheme is likely to reduce substantially when elements such as ewe premium are incorporated in the new single payment and are no longer taken into account in compiling figures for the actual losses sustained by destocking.