Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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271. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the use of any 2015 funding allocated but unused for the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme to be redirected to farmers through the disadvantaged areas scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3796/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I expect 25,000 – 30,000 farmers to be approved into the GLAS scheme in 2015 and the estimated expenditure for the year is €20 million. Given the level of interest in the scheme I believe this estimate is realistic and that it will be fully utilised. I expect payments to commence in the last quarter of the year.

As a general rule, where allocated funding is unused under any Vote subhead its re-allocation would be considered in line with public financial procedures. However, as I said above, I do not believe that will be the case for GLAS.