Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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544. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the GLAS scheme, the position regarding dormant shares of commonage. [31115/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I submitted the draft Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which includes proposals for the new GLAS Scheme, to the European Commission on 3 July 2014 for approval. The approval process will take a number of months and implementing procedures will be developed in tandem with the ongoing negotiations with the Commission.

I am aware that there are many issues concerning the management of commonages, including the question of dormant shares, and in response to this on 9 July 2014 I appointed Mr. Joe Healy as Chairman of the newly established Commonage Implementation Committee. I am confident that this Committee will make a positive contribution in the development of sustainable management practices on commonages.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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545. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the GLAS scheme, the payment to be made for commonage. [31116/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I submitted the draft Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which includes proposals for the new GLAS Scheme, to the European Commission on 3July 2014 for approval. The proposed payment rate on commonage land is €120 per hectare, subject to an overall GLAS payment ceiling of €5,000 per farmer or €7,000 if the farmer is eligible for GLAS+.