Talks process ‘will cover all aspects of REPS scheme’
John O’Connor, chairperson, ICMSA Farm Services and Environment Committee, said it had become uneconomical to participate in the REPS scheme and that red tape had made it unattractive for farmers in the past.
“The critical issue is the level of payment for farmers. The REPS budget must be fully utilised to ensure the objectives of this scheme are met and that rural environment and farming receives the investment it requires. The budget allocation for the REPS scheme must be fully allocated in the coming year and must not diverted to other uses,” he said.
Mr O’Connor said the ICMSA have made proposals for significant increases in REPS payments and the need for indexation, which is critical to maintain the attractiveness of the scheme over time.
ICMSA will add to these proposals already made to the Department in a written submission during the consultative process, he said.
Mr O’Connor called on the Department to implement any changes to the scheme as a result of the consultative process as early as possible.
IFA Rural Development chairman Michael Bergin said the changes are too little too late. Farmers now consider the scheme as financially unviable due to the Minister’s failure to increase payments, which have been eroded by at least thirty percent since the current payment rates were introduced in 1994.
Postponing the review of the scheme until 2003 was not acceptable as it was unlikely that any proposal to the EU Commission will not be passed for implementation until well into 2004.
This will mean that farmers will have to continue with the current rate of payment which has been clearly identified as the main reason as to why farmers who were in REPS I are not joining REPS II.
“The implementation of a simplified scheme for low intensity farmers is welcome and IFA now believes that the cost of carrying out such REPS plans should be significantly reduced as the work load on planners will reduce. It will also ensure that more extensive farmers can join the scheme at a lower cost,” he said.
Minister Walsh said the consultative process out of which he plans to make proposals to the European Commission during 2003 would cover all aspects of the scheme including the individual measures, payment rates, controls and sanctions.
He said he was calling initially for written submissions from stakeholder groups. The closing date for these would be the January 10, 2003 and they would form the basis of further consultations.
“I hope that all stakeholder groups will embrace this process and I look forward to positive, constructive submissions that will lead to the further development of the scheme,” he said.
Mr Walsh said the new rules on title documentation and simplification of REPS plans would be in place from early January 2003, while he envisaged that the consultative process on substantive changes to the scheme would be complete by mid-year.
REPS has delivered over 1 billion in direct payments to farmers. These payments have made a significant contribution in sustaining rural communities and to the rural environment, he said.
