Written answers
Thursday, 28 June 2018
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
GLAS Issues
Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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238. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the deadline of 1 July 2018 will be brought forward to allow farmers participating in GLAS to cut traditional hay meadows in the coming week to avail of the good weather which is forecast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28411/18]
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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239. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the cutting date for the traditional hay meadow will be brought forward by one week in view of the weather forecast to enable farmers that are in the GLAS scheme to complete their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28415/18]
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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241. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding hay making under the GLAS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28575/18]
Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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242. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the start date for the cutting of traditional hay meadows under GLAS can be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28597/18]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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243. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for a once-off amendment to the rules regarding traditional hay meadows under the GLAS scheme to allow for the saving of hay or haylage off such crops in order to avail of the strong spell of sunny weather forecasted. [28623/18]
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 238, 239 and 241 to 243, inclusive, together.
Joining GLAS is a voluntary commitment by a farmer to undertake certain actions during their participation in the scheme. The Traditional Hay Meadow action in GLAS promotes the maintenance of a traditional method of forage conservation that is beneficial to grassland flora and fauna. Farmers who have opted to participate in this action voluntarily commit to the closure of such meadows until July 1st and receive €315 payment per hectare per year to compensate for income foregone. In total, these farmers will be paid at least €18m this year for this one action. My priority is to ensure that farmers continue to qualify to receive payment for this action.
There are currently no plans to bring forward the date permitted for cutting these meadows.
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