Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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1095. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is considering derogation from the three-crop rule for 2018 due to the late planting season ruling out certain crop choices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15882/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The difficult and prolonged winter of 2017, and very late and wet spring, has caused great difficulties for both livestock and tillage farmers in Ireland.

Tillage farmers in receipt of the greening payment are required to comply with the obligations that exist under the Crop Diversification and Ecological Focus Area measures. Under Crop Diversification farmers with greater than 30 hectares of arable land are required to have three crops with the main crop not exceeding 75% and the two main crops not exceeding 95%. Those with between 10 and 30 hectares are required to have two crops with the main crop not exceeding 75%.

As a consequence of the extreme weather I have made a very robust case to the EU Commission for an exemption from the Crop Diversification obligations in 2018.

Officials from my Department are now in discussion with the EU Commission on how this proposed derogation would operate in practice for 2018.