Jan 29th, 2010

ICMSA say fury over REPS 4 chaos mounting

The Deputy President and Chairperson of the ICMSA's Farm Services and Environment Committee, Mr. John Comer, has expressed his fury over the number of REPS 4 applicants still awaiting payment and has called on Minister Smith to immediately step-in and sort out the shambles that REPS 4 payments have become yet again this year. He stated that the number of applicants paid in some counties to-date is as low as 20 per cent and this pathetic figure is despite assurances given in early December by Senior Department officials that REPS 4 payments would not be subject to the same delays as last year.

Mr. Comer stated that Minister Smith must now direct his Department officials to immediately let farmers know if their contracts have been approved and ensure payments are made without delay. The anxiety of farmers cannot be overstated and many are under severe pressure from their banks to let them know when REPS 4 payments will be received. He quoted a ridiculous situation where a farmer had a REPS 4 inspection in December despite the fact that his contract had not been formally approved. Six weeks after his REPS 4 inspection this farmer is still awaiting confirmation that his contract has been approved and/or payment.

He also pointed out that many of the farmers awaiting payment of REPS 4 had already been subjected to a phased payment on the Farm Waste Management Scheme and are now in severe financial difficulty. He concluded by stating that the schedule for REPS payments is now well outside that laid down in the Farmers Charter and has called on the Minister to establish a Charter Committee to resolve the outstanding issues and ensure similar delays don't occur in 2010.

Ends.      29 January 2010.

John Comer, 087-2057846

Deputy President, ICMSA

Or

Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758

ICMSA Press Office

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