214 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the fact that applicants for the new farm schemes and REP scheme are being returned for supposed serious offences (details supplied). [24808/01]

My Department does not reject any application gratuitously. When the payment targets under the protocol on direct payments to farmers were being negotiated with the farming organisations, my Department emphasised that the onus lay on applicants to submit applications that conformed with the requirements of the various schemes and that the targets could apply only to valid applications. Under REPS and the early retirement scheme, an applicant is required to provide land parcel identification numbers and areas, or where such numbers are not available to provide evidence that they have been applied for. Cross-checking of land areas in area-based schemes is a requirement of EU regulations and the LPIS is the means by which this must be done. Where such information is not submitted my Department has no option but to return the application.

In the early retirement scheme, my Department has to obtain a substantial amount of information so that it can establish the eligibility of both the transferor and the transferee. The information required relates – among other things – to age, income and farming experience. The application is a composite one and must be completed and signed by both parties. There is no intention to disclose information about a transferee to a transferor, as I would expect that a farmer intending to retire under the scheme would already have ascertained that his or her intending transferee meets all the conditions for eligibility.

Some 2,500 applications have been received under the schemes of investment aid for farm waste management and for the improvement of dairy hygiene standards in the local farm development services office. The processing of applications has suffered serious delays arising out of the foot and mouth crisis. Just over 50% of these applications have been examined. Some 25% had deficiencies in the documentation and were returned to applicants.

215 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of applications received to the end of September 2001 for the new REP II scheme in County Clare; the number which have been approved; the number awaiting approval; the number which have been returned to the applicant; the number rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24809/01]

Up to 30 September 2001, 461 applications had been received in County Clare under the new REP scheme. Of these, 321 had been approved and paid. In total 53 applications were rejected. Of this number 23 were resubmitted, approved and paid and are included in the figure of 321. On the day in question, 30 applications stood as rejected and 110 were being processed.

216 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of applicants for the new farm waste management scheme, the dairy hygiene scheme and alternative enterprise scheme in County Clare to the end of September 2001; the number who have been approved; the number investigated and are awaiting approval; the number which have not yet been investigated; the number returned to the applicant and rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24810/01]

The position, as of 30 September 2001, in relation to the matters raised by the Deputy, is as set out in the following table: