Farmers can apply for REPS next week

FARMERS can apply for the new Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) next week, Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh announced yesterday.

Following discussions in Brussels with EU Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler, the minister said he expected that the technical issue that had held up European Commission approval for the new scheme to be cleared up within days.

He said he had spoken to Dr Fischler during yesterday morning’s meeting of agriculture ministers and had explained how Ireland’s proposals were being slightly modified to resolve the issue that had arisen.