Dáil debates

Thursday, 26 May 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Agriculture Schemes

11:40 am

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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126. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targeted measures that will be included in the new agri-environment scheme under CAP to ensure that farmers are rewarded for results that help to tackle the biodiversity crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26937/22]

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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What targeted measures will be included in the new agri-environment scheme under CAP to ensure that farmers are rewarded for results that help to tackle the biodiversity crisis?

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this issue.

It is proposed, as part of Ireland’s draft CAP strategic plan which is currently with the European Commission for approval, that there will be two approaches within the new agri-environment scheme. As I outlined earlier, there will be standard or general agri-environment climate measures, AECM, involving a range of actions that individual farmers may undertake and a co-operative project approach, whereby farmers in defined high priority geographical areas will be able to work together. Under the latter approach, successful applicants will undertake bespoke farm, landscape and catchment measures and may also be able to select from the AECM general suite of actions. Farmers participating in this approach will have the assistance of a local co-operation project team which will assist with implementation of the scheme at local level and work with farmers to ensure the landscape and co-operative measures are undertaken in a way that contributes significantly to our environmental objectives.

The proposed new AECM will contain both results-based elements as well as prescription-based actions which are similar to the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS. The inclusion of results-based actions will assist in ensuring that farmers will be paid for the results they achieve. For the results-based actions, the environmental health or condition of the habitat is scored using a range of indicators to assess biodiversity, climate, water quality and soil aspects to estimate the environmental services provided. The higher the environmental health of a field, the higher its score and consequently the more the farmer will be rewarded for his or her time, effort and management of it.

The AECM general approach has been designed to enable all participating farm types to improve their biodiversity levels by ensuring the provision of winter food, nesting and chick rearing habitat for farmland birds, and resources for pollinators through a range of proposed actions.

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his response. I have consistently said that the upcoming agri-environment scheme is going to be one of the key measures in tackling biodiversity loss and turning that tide. The Minister gave a good outline of the scheme and its fundamentals are good, particularly the eight co-operation areas. It is so important that within those co-operation areas there are targeted schemes for bespoke measures that will specifically tackle declining populations of wading birds and farmland birds.

There are enormous opportunities with the so-called menu A measures for those farms that are not within the co-operation areas. Farmers, many of whom are GLAS participants, may be able to avail of the menu A measures, including tree and hedgerow planting, mixed species sward planting and so on. Where there is evidence of breeding wading species like red shank, snipe, curlew, dunlin, and so on, farmers should be able to avail of an extra payment for those targeted measures. That is key and will mean fantastic results for the farmer and for biodiversity.

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Co-operation and collaboration between farmers is needed to deliver the results we want and we now have a mechanism to enable that to happen. Over the last two or three decades, there has been a decline in biodiversity, not just in Ireland but across the world, and a biodiversity crisis has emerged. This is something we have to take really seriously and to reverse and this scheme is crucial to that. There are measures that can be taken, with farmers working together to support different bird species and habitats and it is crucial that we use this scheme to deliver on that. That is why we have increased the funding for this scheme by 50% relative to the previous one. We are now able to pay up to €10,000 for co-operative measures and up to €7,000 for the individual measures.

Again, I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this matter. It is important that we all work to get this right because it can deliver a really positive outcome.

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Minister that it is important to get this right. In terms of the eight co-operation areas and the menu B items, I have been studying the maps and there is some really exciting potential there. The one most relevant to me is the Cork Kerry co-operation area which takes in parts of Kerry and large parts of west Cork. Having studied the maps, however, a very obvious omission in that area is the Mizen peninsula. The Beara Peninsula is included, as is the Sheep's Head Peninsula which is right next to the Mizen Peninsula, but none of Mizen is included. As someone who knows the area extremely well from the point of view of biodiversity and breeding birds, I would argue that the exclusion of Mizen must be reviewed. There are some high-value biodiversity areas there and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, data tell us that. I think this was a desktop exercise that has led to the omission of Mizen Head. I ask that this be changed. It would only lead to the inclusion of between 50 and 100 additional farmers. I ask the Minister to review the west Cork and Kerry co-operation area.

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this point. If he provides further details and data on it, I will certainly have it considered and assessed.

The Department has worked with the National Parks and Wildlife Service using the available evidence, intelligence and data to identify the areas where co-operative projects would work and deliver results and where collaboration is needed. In those areas where it is needed, we must ensure it is applied and we work together. I will certainly ensure that any additional information is assessed. It is key that we use the environmental scheme to reduce emissions and support the environment, while seeking to reverse biodiversity decline and maintain our wildlife and bird life. We must bring farmers together at a landscape level to put in place measures to support that and deliver results. I am happy to engage further on that.