IFA Hill Committee chairman Neilie O’Leary said that progress has been made in discussions with the Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan and her department in ensuring that non-SAC designated commonages will benefit from the 17% increase in REPS payments inline with all other areas under the scheme.

IRISH sheepmeat exports declined by 5% or almost 2,000 tonnes for the first eight months of 2006 compared to the same period last year, according to latest Central Statistics Office figures.