13 Mr. Morley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether the revised REPS regulations defer full compliance until year three of the scheme. [13804/96]

28 Mr. Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the impact, if any, on sustainable development of his relaxation in the REPS specifications. [13806/96]

37 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the fact that changes in the specifications of the REPS make its requirements, in instances, less onerous than standards currently operated by many local authorities. [13805/96]

38 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the measures, if any, he proposes to adopt to minimise the risk of pollution to our rivers and lakes by farming activities; if he will ensure that the control of farmyard pollution scheme and the rural environmental protection scheme will continue to be used to prevent fish kills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13778/96]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 28, 37 and 38 together.

My Department has recently revised the agri-environmental specifications which are the framework within which plans under the rural environment protection scheme (REPS) are drawn up by professional planners approved by the Department. Such plans must set out the works to be carried out annually to comply with REPS measures. Farmers who fail to comply with their commitments run the risk of obtaining reduced payments or face disqualification from the scheme.

14 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the random post-primary checks, if any, that have been carried out by his Department with regard to works carried out under the REPS, if he has satisfied himself with the monitoring of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13785/96]

A system of compliance checks and penalties is in place for all participants in the rural environmental protection scheme. At present all cases are being checked. In cases where a participant has not carried out specific work during the first year in the scheme, penalties ranging from 10 per cent to 100 per cent of payment are imposed, depending on the importance of the measure in the scheme. In cases where a 100 per cent penalty is imposed the participant is excluded from the scheme and a refund of all of any aid paid may be sought.