Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

286. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the presence of any heather in a parcel of land makes it ineligible for inclusion as low input permanent pasture for the purposes of the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14534/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Farmers opting for any action under the GLAS scheme are required to respect the management requirements set out in the detailed GLAS specifications accompanying the Scheme, and any other instructions or clarifications issued by the Department. One of the main actions for grazing land under GLAS is ‘Low Input Permanent Pasture’, which is designed to preserve and enhance old permanent pasture-lands, and in this case heather cannot be present in the area selected for the delivery of this action. The Low Input Permanent Pasture specification is quite detailed in terms of a restriction in chemical Nitrogen application to 40 kg per hectare per annum; the selection of suitable pasture(s) which contain less than 30% ryegrass along with at least four other grass species that are dispersed throughout the parcel. The parcels must have been declared as forage for the last 8 years on the GLAS applicant’s Single Payment application. There are also other restrictions in terms of cutting hay/silage and specific topping dates. These conditions are aimed at ensuring suitable Low Input Permanent Pastures receive payment in GLAS based on income foregone and costs incurred in accordance with EU Regulation 1305/2013.

Heather is allowable on commonage lands within GLAS and also on lands in receipt of the Natura payment rate of €79/ha.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

287. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be permitted to transfer from the agri-environment options scheme 3 to the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14543/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is open to all Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) participants to apply for the GLAS Scheme and those with Priority Environmental Assets will receive priority access, as is the case for all applicants. Any application from an AEOS participant will be subject to the same assessment process as any other application, and it is not a given that any AEOS applicant will automatically be accepted into GLAS. Further details on the exact process by which successful AEOS applicants will convert to GLAS will become available once full EU approval is to hand.