Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends increasing the number of places on the agri-environment option scheme 3 scheme to cover all eligible applicants; when applicants will be notified as to whether they have been accepted into the scheme; when their contracts will commence and if farmers without land in designated areas will be accepted into the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6983/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Despite the challenging budgetary constraints facing my Department, last year I secured an additional €20 million annually to fund a new agri-environment scheme and on foot of this I announced the re-opening of the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS). I decided on a maximum payment of €4,000 per annum for individual applicants to allow for up to 6,000 new participants to be accepted into the scheme. I have no plans allocate additional funding to AEOS 3 in order to extend the number of available places in the Scheme.

Approximately 9,500 applications were received in my Department’s offices at Johnstown Castle by close of business on Friday December 7, the closing date for submission of applications under AEOS 3.

The initial processing of the applications has been completed and acknowledgement letters will shortly issue to all applicants. Following that the detailed actions listed in each application will be recorded and all applications will be ranked and selected according to the predetermined selection criteria. This process is expected to take several weeks. At that stage letters will issue to all applicants informing them of the outcome of the selection process and of their commencement date, if appropriate.

Based on the initial processing of applications I expect that approximately 2,000 farmers without designated land will be admitted to the scheme.

Applicants should note that they should not undertake any actions listed in their application until approved for participation in the scheme as actions undertaken or expense incurred prior to formal approval will not be eligible for reimbursement.