Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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95. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is possible to enter a long-term lease on lands currently in an agri-environment options scheme without the lessee being penalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40764/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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AEOS is a voluntary Scheme where participants elect to carry out specific environmental commitments and in order for a verifiable benefit to be achieved the governing regulations require that those commitments must be delivered for a minimum of five years. Accordingly in cases where an AEOS commitment is delivered on leased land that land must be held for the duration of the AEOS contract. In order to protect the integrity of the Scheme and to comply with the governing regulations the Department has no option but to recover monies where commitments are not delivered for the full term of the contract, and in certain cases to apply penalties in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme.