Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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35. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the GAEC 2 proposal in the new CAP; if he will guarantee that this land continues to be viewed as eligible agricultural land under CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26495/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) are standards for the maintenance of land and they form part of the standards that all farmers in receipt of CAP Payments are obliged to comply with.

Under the next CAP, a new GAEC will be introduced for the protection of wetland and peatland (proposed GAEC 2). The main objective of proposed GAEC 2 is the "protection of carbon-rich soils" to avoid degradation of existing peatland and wetland areas.

Both the European Council and the Parliament have proposed changes to the Commission’s original proposed wording for GAEC 2. Trilogue discussions on the matter still ongoing.

In designing GAEC 2 requirements, Member States have to take account of local needs, conditions and the specificities of the local/regional agricultural environment. Ireland’s requirements for GAEC 2 are still being considered, in consultation with stakeholders. Notwithstanding this, I want to be very clear that GAEC 2 land will retain its potential to be considered eligible agricultural area.

This is important not only from a farming perspective, but also from the point of view of leaving space to facilitate and reward additional voluntary practices on these soils through either annual eco-schemes or multi-annual agri-environmental and climate measures under the new CAP. In some cases, continued appropriate farming of these lands will also be important from a biodiversity perspective.