Mr. Joe Condon:

In response to Deputy Carthy's question regarding the agri-environment schemes and protection on commonages, there are advances in precision farming technology such as virtual fencing. This has the potential to be a game changer in rethinking an issue such as organic status on commonage lands. There are some research projects up and running at the moment and three upland locations are testing this technology. Basically, extending this research into an organic European innovation partnership, EIP, would be the next step on commonage land. For anyone who would wish to visit any of these farms to see the technology in practice, it is well worth seeing. I believe there is a difficulty at the moment for commonage farmers to achieve organic status but I think this type of technology will be a game changer and from that, one will get the protection onto one's watercourses directly from a move towards organic on those areas. I hope that answers the question.