Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1159. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to fund the national reserve in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19367/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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EU Regulations governing the National Reserve provide that funding for the replenishment of the Reserve may be obtained by means of surrender of entitlements that remain unused by farmers for two consecutive years and by claw-back derived following the transfer of entitlements without land, which applies to the sale of entitlements without land in Ireland. The Regulations also provide for the application of a linear cut to the value of all farmers’ entitlements to replenish the National Reserve. A linear cut to the value of all Basic Payment Scheme entitlements has provided a fund of just over €5 million for the National Reserve in 2017.

Decisions in relation to the National Reserve in 2018 will be made once the position on potential funding at the end of 2017 has been established. Consultation between Department officials and the Direct Payments Advisory Committee comprising members of the main farming organisations, agricultural education and farm advisory bodies takes place annually as part of the decision making process for the National Reserve.