Dept to hear views on scheme

A wide-ranging consultative process on the Rural Environment Protection Scheme is to be carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

Minister Joe Walsh announced the move yesterday when he also revealed that administrative changes are to be made to the scheme, which has a target of 70,000 participant farmers by 2006.

He said the consultative process out of which he plans to make proposals would cover all aspects of the scheme.