Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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502. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the application process will commence for GLAS 2015; the closing date for this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34675/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I announced details of the new GLAS (Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme) on the 14 th of January 2014 as part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme. GLAS will provide significant funding to farmers who undertake environmental actions in line with national and EU environmental objectives. It will contribute to the overall public good and will build on the success of previous agri-environment schemes. The Scheme is currently with the European Commission for approval, as part of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020. Once such approval is granted, my Department will move to open the Scheme for applications. I would hope to be able to do so before the end of the year, but this is entirely dependent on approval be ing secured in time from the EU, as is the closing date for the Scheme. I will announce final decisions in this regard when EU approval is received.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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503. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of places that will be available to enable farmers to participate in GLAS 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34676/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am hoping to provide for 25,000 – 30,000 pl aces in the first tranche ofGLAS in 2015 , subject to available budgets .