14 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will ensure that staffing levels in the farm development service offices, with particular reference to the south-east region, are brought up to satisfactory levels in order that applicants for a variety of schemes, such as farm retirement and REPS schemes, can be dealt with expeditiously. [4232/95]

123 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has in place to increase the staff levels in the Department of Agriculture offices in County Meath, to cope with the applications for the REPS scheme in view of the fact that there is only one official handling these claims currently and that other countries with a lesser number of applications have more staff assigned. [4664/95]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 123 together.

I am aware that the work levels in the farm development offices have increased with the introduction of the farm retirement scheme and REPS. My Department is currently reviewing the allocation of personnel in this area. This review will be completed in a matter of weeks and appropriate measures taken to maintain an efficient service.

Is the Minister of State aware that a short time ago his senior Minister, Deputy Yates, promised an increase in the number of personnel whereas the Minister of State is now telling us he has requested his Department to review those numbers? What is the position? Is what the Minister Deputy Yates promised another broken promise? Will his Department accept farming plans drawn up by private companies established nationwide?

Had the Deputy been listening he would have heard that I said, as did the Minister in the course of his last Question Time, our Department is currently reviewing the allocation of staff in this area. Surely Deputy Hugh Byrne knows there is a large number of private consultants preparing REPS plans which are quite acceptable to my Department; indeed, those companies are playing an important role overall in the administration of that scheme; they were established to undertake this task and are acceptable. The administration of the REPS programme has created a large number of jobs for young graduates, a number of whom I have met, who would not otherwise have obtained any. The scheme is being very successful in that aspect also. Such private consultants are very much part of the overall scheme and accepted as such by my Department.