Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That €1.5 billion commitment is over the ten years until 2030. I note the Deputy's support for the €79 million which we brought forward in the budget as new funding for environmental schemes. I also note that the Sinn Féin did not have any such funding commitment in its pre-budget submission so I am sure the Deputy is particularly glad to see we have delivered €79 million in additional funding.

I know that farmers who were availing of the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, and finished out their scheme were, therefore, blocked from being able to join GLAS because that scheme was closed. Deputy Ó Cuív has raised that matter on a number of occasions. That is a category of farmer that needs to be catered for and it is my intention that those who were previously in a scheme and wish to be in one again will be catered for in the new pilot.

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