Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the "Report on Review of Commonage Lands and Framework Management Plans" of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, of which I am a member. The committee Chairman, Deputy Andrew Doyle, has been inadvertently delayed but will be with us shortly.

The report represents a timely review, following on the draft guidelines sent by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht on the management of commonage lands, and look at the future use of commonage lands. Let us be honest as so much time has passed since - it is easy to forget that the draft plans and the particularly prescriptive method to find solutions caused consternation and concern around the country. The work of the committee involved bringing in the relevant stakeholders, holding a series of meetings and teasing out from where each side was coming, their concerns, the net objectives and whether the committee could make recommendations to get to the end goal in as collaborative a way as possible. The committee held seven hearings, taking submissions from numerous stakeholders. One aim was to have a clear definition of "commonage" because we quickly realised it was a loose term. It is used to describe where lands are either owned or farmed, or even both, by more than one farmer or stakeholder.

One of the main issues we identified was related to optimum stocking rates. The Minister has outlined how undergrazing is a considerable problem. Originally, overgrazing was a significant issue. Previous Government policies to tackle that issue had a knock-on impact and went too far, leading to undergrazing; it was about trying to find a workable balance.

Other issues included the effects on dormancy in preparing a management plan; collective arrangements and co-ownership, the possible impact of imposing collective responsibility, as opposed to a co-operative approach; the rules pertaining to burning to allow for responsible burning as part of a commonage-upland vegetation management plan; and output driven models as an approach to achieving the objectives of commonage framework plans. We are glad that we have made so much progress and delighted that the Department has taken these issues on board.

I acknowledge all of the delegates who gave of their time to submit detailed submissions, come before the committee and give us their valuable insight to designing pragmatic proposals for a workable policy. That is what we are working towards.

It is worth looking at the recommendations of the committee to see how many of them have since been adopted and led to a much more pragmatic approach being dopted. The first recommendation was "that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine treat the improvement of commonages as a priority in order to remedy environmental damage sustained due to earlier policies, as a means to counter falling farm incomes in deprived areas, and as a measure to promote rural economic and social development". This takes cognisance of and allows for the importance of the 4,500 commonages around the country.

The committee recommended that we identify and assess the effects of dormancy and changing farming methods, with specific reference, for example, to the supplementary feeding of ewes and hoggets, on patterns of under and overgrazing. As I stated, we sought clarity on use of the term "commonage" for the purposes of grants and payments.

The committee noted the compulsory de-stocking requirement which was not a requirement of the good agricultural and environmental conditions, GAECs, for the purposes of single farm payments and that compensation above this amount had to be paid to farmers if the Department wished to impose these de-stocking requirements on them. This matter was highlighted.

We recommended that the management of commonages be promoted through output-driven schemes that took careful account of the insights and requirements of those who owned or managed commonages and to avoid unnecessarily prescriptive approaches - to avoid the one-size-fits-all approach. There is that level of flexibility.

I will focus somewhat on recommendation No. 7, which states: "Commends to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine the approaches adopted by the BurrenLIFE Project". Representatives of the project gave the committee a detailed and interesting account of its work. I am delighted that the Minister is with us today to enable me to have the opportunity to highlight how impressive is the work of the BurrenLIFE Project. The recommendation continued:

This is an output-driven scheme that has provided considerable environmental, agricultural, social and economic benefits in a way that appears to be efficient and effective. Such schemes will encourage the management of the commonages along co-operative lines so as to reduce the problems caused by dormancy or disagreement among shareholders, and promote the involvement of younger farmers and other young unemployed people.

What I would be looking for is the roll-out of output-driven schemes, over and beyond the BurrenLIFE project. There is considerable potential in this regard. In my area of Kildare South there is one of the most recognisable commonages in the country - the 5,000 acres that make up the Curragh plains. It is an outwash plain of historical and environmental significance to the country.

It is also a 5,000 acre expanse one hour from Dublin that is a phenomenal resource. I passionately feel that we do not use it nearly enough for tourism and recreation.

Examining the model of an output-driven scheme that was achieved in the Burren, it is different to some extent, but there are lessons to be learned from that positive scheme. Those lessons can be used in places such as the Curragh. In that way we can adopt a collaborative approach with the relevant stakeholders, including sheep farmers, to address their concerns. In addition, we must look at the challenges involved in properly maintaining the Curragh and managing it better than heretofore. There are various stakeholders on the Curragh, including the Department of Defence, which is the lead State body with responsibility for the Curragh plains. In that regard, it is positive that our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine also holds the defence portfolio. It provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to bring various State Departments together in order to work on this matter collaboratively. I have discussed this with the Minister previously and I know he shares my vision and passion for trying to bring about improved circumstances on the Curragh.

As well as having responsibility for the sheep industry, the Minister also deals with the equine sector. The Curragh racecourse is well-known, but there are many stable yards based there too. That situation brings challenges with it in addition to huge potential, particularly for tourism.

Salisbury Plain in England has similarities with the Curragh, including a military base. We could examine that location and try to learn from it. Issues affecting the Curragh include over-grazing, illegal encampments and illegal dumping, but these can be improved through better management. Sheep farmers face challenges including the need for extra sheep grids on the Curragh to ensure the animals do not wander off the plains. Stray sheep can cause problems for both local residents and those passing through.

It should be recognised that the Curragh is hugely beneficial for our country and could be used an awful lot more. It will involve our working together as stakeholders to face those challenges and see how we can deal with them pragmatically, as was done in the Burren. I look forward to working with the Minister and the relevant Departments in order to bring that about.

Recognition is due to the various Ministers who contributed to this report, as well as their departmental officials. They took on board the work that went into the report, which is having a big impact. This report played an integral role in the progression from the draft guidelines to the final version. It has left us facing a much better environment concerning commonages, with a clear plan for the future. I commend the report to the House.

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