Part compensation

More than 400 commonage farmers who were in the REPS scheme for only part of 2003 are being part compensated for destocking that was forced on them by Commonage Framework Plans.

The Department of the Environment payout will be worth about €200,000 in total, according to IFA.

They will be paid a portion of the standard €60 per destocked sheep, according to how many months they were not in REPS.

For example, a farmer who joined REPS on July 1, 2003 will be paid €30 per head for destocked sheep, said IFA Hill Farming Committee Chairman Michael Comiskey.