REPS target of 70,000 members by 2006 unlikely

THE Government's target to have 70,000 farmers in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme by 2006 is unlikely to be reached.

An analysis by a leading Teagasc environmentalist revealed yesterday that the number of farmers taking part in the scheme was projected to increase from 37,000 at present to 54,000 by 2006.

Teagasc chief environmental adviser Sean Regan said that while there were 71,000 additional farmers capable of joining REPS, at most, only 25 per cent of these could be expected to join the scheme over the next four years.