Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date in the roll-out of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41413/15]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There is a general interest in GLAS. Will the Minister provide an update on the progress of the roll-out of the scheme? In particular, will he outline the average payment amount approved for farmers who have been accepted into the scheme?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The 27,000 applications submitted in the first tranche of GLAS were very much in line with the projections I made when launching the scheme. This substantial response provides us with an important signal of the ongoing importance farmers place on the sustainable management of their resources. In October, some 24,500 approval letters began issuing to farmers confirming their acceptance into the scheme. A further 2,000 cases have required some further investigation. As a result of this review, these applicants will be informed shortly whether they have been accepted into tranche 1 of the scheme. To date, 400 applicants have not met the minimum criteria for acceptance into tranche 1 of the scheme.

In terms of payments associated with tranche 1, my Department will be issuing before the end of this year 85% of the 2015 part-year payments for all those applications approved with a 1 October 2015 commencement date.

In addition, I launched a second tranche of GLAS in October 2015. The closing date for the submission of applications under this tranche is 7 December. The level of interest in tranche 2 has matched the experience of tranche 1. So far more than 10,000 applications have already been registered on the online GLAS tranche 2 application system. With a further two weeks to go before the closing date, it is clear the uptake in this tranche of the scheme will be significant and likely to match, or even possibly exceed, expectations.

This level of uptake in the scheme is a clear demonstration of the commitment of farmers to protecting, conserving and enhancing the environment while developing their farm businesses in a sustainable manner. The range and extent of actions and prescriptions that farmers have committed to under GLAS will deliver substantial environmental benefits in the years ahead. These actions will improve and maintain our water quality and will encourage biodiversity and the maintenance of valuable habitats while also promoting climate change mitigation. Several important targets set out for GLAS over the entire rural development programme period have already been achieved under tranche 1, such as the planting of hedgerows.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

My vision for the development of agriculture is founded on the guiding principle that future development must be delivered and achieved in a sustainable manner, economically, socially and environmentally. GLAS is a practical demonstration of the Government’s commitment to supporting and following through on this principle. The scheme is part of a comprehensive suite of measures that are targeted at enabling, encouraging and supporting farmers in further developing their farm enterprises and managing their resources in a sustainable manner, while at the same time delivering important public goods for the whole of society now and into the future.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I keep tabling parliamentary questions on this issue but I do not seem to get an answer. Of the 24,830 applications approved, what will be the average payment per farmer? Many people are anxious to find this out.

What progress has been made to date with the commonage plans that are an integral part of GLAS? Will the Minister once again confirm that farmers will be paid by Christmas for commonages, irrespective of whether there is a plan in place for them?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There has been much discussion and debate around the commonage issue to ensure that GLAS accommodates the complexity of putting in a collective commonage plan in place. We gave more time for that to be finalised. As long as farmers have signed up to the finalisation and preparation of that plan, then they will be paid.

If the Deputy had asked about the average payment in the form of a question, I would probably have the exact answer.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I have tabled a few questions over the past several weeks.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We have not even finalised the exact number yet.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister could give me a figure for the 24,830 applications.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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With respect, that was not the question the Deputy asked. I have given the answer to the question he asked.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I put it as a supplementary question.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As I said before, the expectation, and what we are budgeting for, is that the average payment will be quite close to the maximum payment of €5,000. Obviously, it will be less than that, but it is not going to be significantly less. As soon as we have that average figure, which is only a matter of weeks, I will make it available. There is no hidden agenda. It depends on how many people apply for it.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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We are able to read figures given authoritatively by the Department to the Irish Farmers’ Journal. However, Deputies who table a parliamentary question - who one would think would get priority in the dissemination of information - do not seem to be able to get the same information. I find that quite extraordinary.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I do not have the figures because we have not yet finalised them.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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How can indications of the figure be given to the Irish Farmers’ Journal?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Farmers’ Journaldeduced its own figures. It cannot have an average figure because I have not signed off on every application.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, but the Minister has signed off on 24,830 applications already, and he could give some indication as to the average payment. There seems to be some reason, however, why the Minister is reluctant to give information.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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The scheme has not yet been finalised.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister give an update as to the number of expressions of interest for tranche 2? Will he confirm whether advisers can submit applications on the computer system and, if so, how many applications have been received?

If fewer than 13,000 applications have been received by 7 December, will the Minister leave the scheme open until 13,000 have been received? Alternatively, if more than 13,000 applications are received, will he let all of those applications, as along as they are valid, through the process and allow those applicants join GLAS?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I answered some of those questions in the reply I gave. First, I said that so far 10,000 applications have been registered.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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They are expressions of interest-----

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No. They have already been registered on the online application process for tranche 2.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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But I am talking about applications. There is a difference.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No. The way in the which the system works is that people register online, and then they put up further details on the system as they get them, which turns a registration into a formal application. That is how it works. We expect to get 10,000 or so applications; in fact, we will get more than that number under GLAS tranche 2, which is great. There were some concerns when GLAS was originally designed about the numbers who would apply, but now we certainly will not be short of applications. We will try to accommodate up to 40,000 applications between GLAS tranche 1 and tranche 2. I think we will be pretty close to that figure. Obviously, if we exceed that number, we must be sure we can budget for the number of people applying, but I think we have got the numbers about right. We are way ahead of where we said we would be. We said we would probably take in between 25,000 and 30,000 applicants under tranche 1 and up to 35,000 applicants in tranche 2, and now we are saying that we will take up to 40,000 applicants. Therefore, we are way ahead of where we said we would be, which is good, because we want to get to the figure of 50,000 as soon as we can, although obviously that has to be staggered in terms of the budget that is available.