I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 232 together.
As has been mentioned in answer to recent parliamentary questions there are no appreciable delays in issuing of payments to farmers under the various schemes operated by the Department with the exception of the REPS scheme and the Young Farmers Installation Scheme.
REPS
By the closing date of 15 May, 2009 my Department received 29,376 REPS 4 applications and these are the potential applicants for participation in the Scheme and payment in 2009. The acceptance of REPS 4 applications is governed by EU Regulations which require exhaustive administrative checks and on-the-spot inspections. In a significant number of the applications received, the administrative checks raised issues and queries which required further detailed examination. My Department's staff have been working to resolve these as quickly as possible. Many of these cases required the applicants' planners to amend the farm plans that were submitted originally. The applicants concerned were made aware of the position and the applications are being further processed without delay on receipt of amended plans. So far, 24,023 applicants have received full payment for 2009 and work is continuing to process the remainder as quickly as possible.
My officials have also been in contact with the 111 applicants whose plans had been rejected, to inform them of their right to appeal the decision. Alternatively, unless the application had been found to be fundamentally ineligible, applicants were given the opportunity to submit a new REPS 4 plan and application form on or before 17 May 2010. The latter cases will be dealt with as a priority.
Young Farmers' Installation Scheme
Due to the redeployment of relevant staff onto the checking of REPS applications, delays have occurred in the processing of grant applications under the Young Farmers' Installation Scheme and the preceding installation aid schemes. However, arrangements are now in place to expedite the processing of these applications and the delays concerned should be eliminated in the very near future. It is hoped to have completed the county by county listing of payments to those in receipt of Installation Scheme payments and forwarded to the Deputy, as requested, shortly.