Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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487. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers accepted into the new agri-environment option 3 scheme who were over the number of hectares allowed for qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42097/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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6,000 applicants were admitted to the AEOS 3 Scheme having been selected using pre determined criteria. Of these 4,483 applicants selecting Grey Partridge, Natura and Commonage actions were approved into the scheme. Farm size was not a qualifying criteria for applicants in this category. The remaining 1,517 applicants selected had all previously participated in REPS and had a reference area of 22.06 ha or less on their 2012 Single Payment Scheme application.