Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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554. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers can be penalised under the single farm payment in 2014 and 2015 for not keeping commonages in good agricultural and environmental condition; if this is caused by the arbitrary and out of date stocking limits being imposed on farmers of commonage, in the absence of revised commonage framework plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32519/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Commonage lands form an important part of the farming enterprises of many farmers, in addition to being crucial from the point of view of bio-diversity, wildlife, amenities and tourism. However, there is a growing risk of land abandonment on commonages as under-grazing becomes more of a problem. Farming of commonages is a complex matter, with issues about the legal right to claim, in addition to regular disputes about the grazing of the commonages. In the case of the treatment of commonage lands under the 2014 Direct Payment Schemes, the situation remains unchanged. Any eligibility inspections undertaken by my Department under the Direct Payment Schemes, which involve applicants, who declared commonage lands, will include an assessment of the declared commonages. The assessment will establish the area eligible for payment in the commonage.

With a view to having a system to meet the requirements of the Basic Payment Scheme, which will be implemented in 2015, my Department will be writing to all commonage claimants in the coming weeks setting out the minimum and maximum stocking density for the commonage as assessed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in conjunction with my Department.

The claimants will have the right, if they consider that the figures provided would not meet the requirements of their commonage, to submit an assessment by a professional planner providing alternative figures.

The extent of this task should not be underestimated and m y stated intention is that this will be only achieved by working with the farmers concerned and all other stakeholders. In order to assist this process , I established the Commonage Implementation Committee last week with Mr. Joe Healy appointed as Chairman. The Implementation Committee will have a role under Pillar 1 Schemes in examining cases where there may be disagreement over minimum-maximum figures for individual commonages and for individual claimants. It will also have a role under Pillar 2 measures where there may be difficulty in getting  the minimum 50% of active shareholders signed up to a GLAS Commonage Plan.