REPS payments difficulties resolved

DIFFICULTIES that had arisen over Rural Environment Protection Scheme payments were resolved at a meeting in Brussels yesterday between Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan and European Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

The commissioner agreed that Ireland could continue paying REPS 2 and REPS 3 participants at the beginning of each contract year.

Ms Coughlan said she was very grateful to Commissioner Fischer Boel for her personal intervention to resolve the situation.