Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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353. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position on the deduction of payments for landowners who voluntarily give a portion of their land for use as a community greenway or cycleway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37504/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the Basic Payment Scheme, my Department pays out some €1.2bn annually to farmers based on the entitlements that they hold in respect of eligible land they declare in their scheme applications.  In general, there are two key principles in relation to the eligibility of land. 

Firstly, the land in question must be available to the applicant for a period from either the start of the year until a date after 31st May, or from a date before 31st May until the end of the year.  With regard to the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme and agri-environmental schemes such as GLAS, the applicant must farm the land for the full year. 

Secondly, the land must be agricultural in nature and be maintained in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation without preparatory action going beyond usual agricultural methods and machineries. There must also be evidence of an agricultural activity on the land. All requirements must be satisfied for the land to be eligible for payment. 

At present, greenways or cycleways are deemed to be ineligible features and thus do not qualify for payment under the Basic Payment Scheme.  Further detail in relation to the eligibility of land is contained in “A Guide to Land Eligibility – Direct Payment Schemes” which is available on my Department’s website.