Smith confirms second instalment of REPS 4 payment to be paid

THE second instalment of REPS 4 payments for 2008, amounting to some €12 million, will be paid in the coming week to over 11,000 farmers, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith announced yesterday.

He said he was glad to be now in a position to make these payments to the farmers who joined REPS 4 in 2007 and 2008.

Mr Smith said the same farmers will be eligible for a further €70m in respect of 2009.

“On top of that, we received another 17,000 applications for REPS 4 by the closing date of May 15 and those farmers, too, will be eligible for payment this year,” he said.

Mr Smith said his department has completed a review of its procedures for processing applications and payments, following discussions with the European Commission last year.

He said he was confident that future REPS 4 payments can be released without undue delay.

Mr Smith pointed out that as well as the farmers in REPS 4, there were over 34,000 farmers eligible for REPS 3 payments in 2009 amounting to over €200m.

IFA rural development committee chairman Tom Turley said these payments should have been made last year.

The delay caused serious cash-flow difficulties for farmers, he said.