Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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518. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers in commonages will have to get a least 50% of the active farmers in a commonage to join the new GLAS scheme in order to be eligible to join the scheme or if it will be sufficient for a farmer joining GLAS to get 50% of the active farmers to consent to the proposed action by the joining farmer; if the nature of this consent is sufficient; if farmers with commonage, joining the GLAS scheme, will have mandatory tasks to be carried out on commonages; the nature of these tasks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25774/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since I first proposed the 80% participation level on Commonages to qualify under Tier One of GLAS, I have further reviewed the position and I announced on 13 May 2014 that I was building in a second-tier access to the Scheme where a minimum of just 50%participation could be secured. I believe this will significantly ease the burden of securing agreements, while at the same time providing a critical mass for management of the commonage which can be expanded upon in future years. The public consultation period has just closed and details of the GLAS Scheme, including Commonage requirements, will now be finalised. It is clear, however, that arrangements for Commonages must be based on collective agreements amongst active farmers if the environmental objectives, for which payment is being advanced, are to be achieved.