FEAR GALWAY FARMERS WILL BE DENIED REPS PAYMENTS

Date Published: 07-Feb-2008

Several thousand Galway farmers could be denied their REPS payments this year because of a dispute over when the REPS 3 payments should be paid. That's according to local Fine Gael Deputy Paul Connaughton who says the European Commission and the Department of Agriculture have decided to stall the payments.Up until now every farmer who joined REPS was paid on entry to the scheme which meant that the REPS money was used to fund farm improvements.But there's a proposal being put forward which may put back payment of REPS cheques until the END of each year.