Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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742. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a single farm payment will continue to be drawn on land that is developed for solar energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24141/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Support under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is payable upon activation of an eligible hectare per payment entitlement. In general terms an eligible hectare is one that is used for an agricultural activity or, where the area is also used for a non-agricultural activity, is predominantly used for such activities. An area is predominantly used for agricultural activity if that activity can be exercised without being significantly hampered by the intensity, nature, duration and timing of the non-agricultural activity.

While cases involving solar panels will be examined on an individual basis, the European Commission has advised that the area covered by the solar panels will be deemed ineligible for the purposes of claiming BPS. Furthermore, in line with the Department’s current approach on land eligibility, where the area of a parcel covered by solar panels is 70% or greater of the overall parcel, that parcel will be wholly ineligible. If less than 70% is covered by solar panels and the agricultural activity is not hampered by the presence of the solar panels, the area not covered by solar panels may be eligible.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has informed me that before a final decision is taken on introducing a new support scheme - which may include support for solar PV - that Department will run a public consultation, which will give all interested parties an opportunity to participate in the development of the scheme.  Details of the next public consultation will be advertised on their website www.dcenr.gov.ie. Before any such scheme could be introduced, it would have to secure Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission.