Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have had many discussions with farmers concerned about this and certain issues have been raised. Farmers told me they cannot all work with the same planner because they have different planners and would like to be able to apply using their own planners. That is acceptable as long as they comply with a commonage GLAS plan implemented by a planner. If other planners are involved, that is fine as long as they ensure farmers farm in a manner consistent with the GLAS plan.

Ultimately, the aim of this is to ensure the commonage is farmed in a manner consistent with the GLAS plan. Farmers can buy in to this as they wish and use whatever advisers and planners they wish. However, it may be the case that one farmer wishes to sign up to GLAS but does not qualify because other farmers on the commonage do not wish to do so. That farmer can consult the commonage implementation committee and it will be proactive in trying to bring in sufficient numbers to ensure a credible solution to the problem. A commonage implies collective farming so the committee will insist that at least half the commonage is consistent with the commonage GLAS plan. Otherwise it would have no credibility.

In my view, the implementation group will provide practical responses to ensure people who wish to join GLAS can do so. Most of the farmers who had concerns are reasonably happy with the compromise.

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