€211m to be lost to rural economy in 2010/11 – Creed

Ends of REPS 3 a major blow to farming communities

Fine Gael Agriculture Spokesperson, Michael Creed TD, has described as short-sighted the Government decision to suspend entries to REPS 4 for farmers about to complete REPS 3. Speaking on a parliamentary question tabled by Fine Gael Clare TD Joe Carey, Deputy Creed said:

“The Government decision to suspend entry into REPS 4 from REPS 3 will leave 32,465 farmers nationally out in the cold in the coming year. The effect of this in the rural economy will be devastating with an average payment of €6,500 being denied to farmers. This scheme is a crucial form of income for farmers who are currently stretched across sectors by poor prices, bad weather and ever increasing output costs.

“Fine Gael has stated categorically that we will maintain participation in REPS at its current level. REPS is co-funded to the tune of 55% by the EU. The new Agri-Environment scheme proposed by Minister Smith is substandard and will not achieve the same results as REPS did for the rural environment or economy.”

Ends

Contact: Joanne Lonergan 01 6183858

Note for editors: see Parliamentary Question below

Parliamentary Question No.550

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of farmers per county due to finish REP scheme three in 2010 and 2011 that have not transferred to REP scheme four in tabular form.
- Joe Carey.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 26th January, 2010.

Ref No: 3034/10


REPLY

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: (Brendan Smith)
The information requested is set out in the table below.
County Number of participants leaving
REPS 3 in 2010 and
2011 REPS 3 participants who have
not applied for REPS 4
Carlow 347 340
Cavan 1,274 1,259
Clare 1,830 1,786
Cork 2,210 2,079
Donegal 2,932 2,913
Dublin 62 60
Galway 4,047 3,991
Kerry 2,105 2,063
Kildare 379 371
Kilkenny 927 913
Laois 557 534
Leitrim 1,076 1,036
Limerick 1,034 962
Longford 575 571
Louth 216 214
Mayo 3,738 3,679
Meath 762 752
Monaghan 1,072 1,057
Offaly 906 866
Roscommon 1,754 1,716
Sligo 1,160 1,140
Tipperary Nth 833 820
Tipperary Sth 820 771
Waterford 604 591
Westmeath 701 676
Wexford 863 838
Wicklow 477 467
Totals 33,261 32,465