Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to open the agri-environment options scheme in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7718/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I announced the opening of the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) for 2011 on Wednesday 6 April. The closing date for the receipt of applications is 16 May 2011 and I have made available €25m per year to fund the scheme. The maximum annual payment to any farmer is €4,000. Scheme documentation is available on my department's web site and printed documentation will be available shortly.

While the contract for successful applicants will be for a 5 year period, the terms and conditions and payment rates for the new participants in the scheme will apply until the end of 2013. At that stage, participants will have the option of either terminating the contract without penalty or of opting to join whatever scheme may be introduced in the new EU Financial Perspective programming period.

As with last year, farmers with commonage land or designated Special Areas of Conservation or Special Protection Areas will have to follow a 'Sustainable Management Plan' prepared by a planner and will be given priority access to the scheme. Applicants other than those requiring a sustainable management plan are not required to engage a planner to complete their application form. These applicants will be accepted into the scheme based on the pre-determined selection criteria set out in the scheme Terms and Conditions.