Mr. Brian Dolan:

Even though it is the 11th hour, I think we have a solution to the problem. A process is under way at present in respect of commonage management plans, which are to be drawn up for these commonages. We contend that were farmers on the hills and on the commonages to sign up to a commonage management plan, we could take the reference area we have at present and then, when the adviser draws up the commonage management plan, he or she may amend the reference area. There should be no penalties on the farmer if the reference area is amended after that. While everyone, including farmers, the Department and ourselves as advisers, acknowledges there is a problem, the solution is quite simple. If farmers sign up to a commonage management plan, no penalties should be imposed on any farmers who are participating in a plan to bring the lands back into eligibility. The issue of eligibility on the hills cannot be solved overnight. It is not as though there are a few whin bushes in the corner of the field that one can take out once the bird-nesting season is over. The only thing that can solve the eligibility problem on the hills is grazing, and that is a long-term process. As long as they do what they are supposed to do in the plan, farmers who sign up to the commonage management plan should be protected and should be exempt from penalties for the period of the plan. If the adviser who goes out onto the ground subsequently comes up with a lower reference area than the Department has available to it at present, the new reference area should be taken and no retrospective penalties should be placed on the farmer in this regard.

The Department has laid down the procedure for these commonage management plans to be implemented but those of us on this side have one major issue in that the Department wants these commonage management plans completed by 3 July. That will not and cannot happen. We have the wherewithal to solve this problem. With some flexibility we can get more time to do these plans. The farmers can sign up to the plan and they know that as long as they do what the plan states they will not be penalised. The fear among farmers is that they will join a plan, do what the plan states but then a Department inspector comes out and states the land is not eligible, even though they are in a process of making it eligible. If we got clarity on that it would solve many of the problems and farmers could rest easy knowing they could join a plan and they will be protected.