Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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472. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be no 15% balancing payments for GLAS issuing until all management plans are completed for all participants in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21353/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The requirement to prepare a Commonage Management Plan (CMP) is an essential component of the GLAS scheme. A complete CMP is required for each commonage over 10 hectares. The facility to submit CMP's has been available since October of last year and completed CMPs continue to be submitted on an ongoing basis.

In addition the Farm Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) is one of the four core management requirements of the scheme. The terms and conditions set out the requirements regarding the submission of NMPs including the requirement for all GLAS III participants to submit an NMP by 31 March 2018.

The Department has regularly highlighted the importance of these requirements with regard to potential impact on GLAS payments. Where an NMP or a CMP is outstanding a balancing payment cannot issue for the case concerned until these requirements have been met.