Connaught Takes One-Third of all REPS Funding

4 November, 2003

A total of €1.3 billion has been paid to farmers under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) since the scheme was introduced in 1994, the Teagasc annual REPS conference was told.

The five counties of Connaught have received the largest injection of REPS funding, accounting for €430m, or one-third of total funding. This reflects the higher participation levels in these counties. Mayo, with 4,575 participants, is the top REPS county in the country, closely followed by Galway with almost 4,500 participants.

However, Leitrim has the highest percentage of farmers participating in the scheme. Three out of every five Leitrim farmers are now involved in the environment scheme compared with just 13% in Dublin and 17% in Louth. Cork, the largest county in the country, with just over 2,800 participants, has 22% of its farmers involved.

John Carty of the Department of Agriculture and Food told the Teagasc conference that payments to the 37,000 participants REPS are expected to reach €170 million this year. Penalties imposed on farmers for non-compliance with the scheme have reduced substantially in recent years. Out of a total payment of €140 million paid to date this year just under €1.8 million has been imposed in penalties.

He said almost a quarter of all penalties in 2003 related to non-compliance with undertakings relating to farmyards. Failure to properly maintain hedgerows and stone walls and inadequate stock proofing of farm boundaries also accounted for a significant number of penalties.
Click here for the full REPS 2003 Conference Proceedings