Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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613. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any special or EU funding avenues are available to island communities for vital services or facilities such as capital funding [3739/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme REPS farmers who farm on off-shore islands received an additional 15% on top of their REPS payment to take account of the increased costs of carrying out the agri-environment undertakings associated with the REPS scheme. Similarly under the TAMS scheme the reference costings were increased by 33% for off-shore island farmers who qualified for grant aid under the sheep fencing and handling equipment scheme, the dairy equipment scheme and the rainwater harvesting scheme.

In terms of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 my Department is actively exploring mechanisms to support island farming. Decisions on the Programme will be made following the consultation process with stakeholders which is currently underway. Following this process, formal proposals will be submitted to the European Commission.