Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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447. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set down the number of farmers that joined the first, second and third tranche of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme who are eligible for GLAS+ payments; the estimated average payment that will be due to each eligible farmer for GLAS+ payments; when these payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40878/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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To qualify for GLAS Plus applicants must have more than one Priority Environmental Asset (PEA), unless the PEA is a farmland bird which alone confers eligibility for GLAS Plus. The annual cost of addressing these PEAs must exceed €5,000 up to a maximum of €7,000.

GLAS+ payments in respect of the 2015 scheme part-year payment began to issue this week. A total of €495,210 has issued to some 1,400 participants who received an average GLAS+ payment of €355. The 2015 average GLAS+ payment is not indicative of the average 2016 payment as not all PEAs were payable in 2015 and the 2015 payment is only in respect of three months October to December 2015.

The 2016 prepayment validation checks are currently under way for GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 applicants and once fully completed, figures regarding the 2016 average GLAS+ payments and the numbers in receipt of GLAS + will become available.