Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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146. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons likely to qualify for the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme+; the funding allocated for this particular scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6500/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The detailed consideration of Ireland’s Draft Rural Development Programme (RDP) by the EU Commission is now at an advanced stage and the new Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) is a key component of that programme. I intend to open GLAS as soon as agreement is reached with the EU Commission.

GLAS+ provides for a ‘top-up’ of up to €2,000 per annum, and will initially be targeted at farmers who have to undertake a high number of mandatory actions. I have allocated a total of €1,450m to the GLAS Scheme, including GLAS+, over the course of the RDP period. It is anticipated that some 25,000-30,000 will be approved for entry to GLAS this year, and some of these will undoubtedly qualify for GLAS+. Until applications have been submitted and assessed, it is not possible to say how many applicants will qualify for GLAS+.