Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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372. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there was any penalty or claw back of moneys, grant or scheme payments to farmers who were in AEOS who decided to convert a part of their farm to forestry during the duration of their AEOS plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35156/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Terms and Conditions of the AEOS 1 Scheme stated that where all or part of an undertaking was not continued for a minimum period of five years, all or part of the aid paid in respect of the undertaking would be re-imbursed. The re-imbursement of aid already paid was not required in respect of lands afforested under Council Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005. However, where land was afforested during the AEOS recording year a proportionate reimbursement would apply for the part of the AEOS year that had not been completed.

The Terms and Conditions of the AEOS 2 and AEOS 3 Schemes stated that where all or part of an action was not continued for the duration of contract, all or part of the aid paid in respect of the action would be reimbursed. The re-imbursement of aid was not required in respect of lands afforested under Council Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005. There was no similar regulatory provision available in respect of the subsequent agri-environment, climate measure (GLAS).

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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373. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the policy analysis or reasoning for the introduction of FEPS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35157/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1994, it has been compulsory for each EU member state to have Agri-Environment Schemes. These are the primary mechanisms through which farmers are financially rewarded for farming in an environmentally friendly manner above that required for the Basic Premium Schemes, aiming at maintaining and protecting biodiversity within the farmed landscape.

Irish Agri-Environment Schemes evolved over the years from the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS 1-4) to the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) and currently the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment (GLAS) Scheme. REPS was a whole farm scheme which paid farmers an area-based payment for carrying out environmental actions in accordance with a plan specific to their farm. Successor schemes, such as the current GLAS are not whole farm schemes. Successful applicants must choose appropriate options, some of which are area-based.

The Forestry Environment Protection (Afforestation) Scheme (FEPS) was set up to encourage farmers to combine the establishment of high nature value woodland with their participation in REPS which was in operation at the time. FEPS was entirely exchequer funded and participating farmers were eligible to receive an annual premium for a period of five years, in addition to the regular forestry premiums that were available under the Afforestation Scheme, provided they were approved under the REPS Scheme.

Forestry plantations established under this Scheme had to meet full silvicultural standards for the production of a commercial crop of timber while making an enhanced contribution to the environment. A minimum area of 8ha needed to be planted by a participating farmer under the Scheme.

The Scheme aimed at encouraging farmers to establish and maintain high nature-value forestry through measures such as increasing biodiversity, protecting water quality, supporting habitats for wildlife, and increasing woodland cover.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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374. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 27 May 2021, the number of LPIS and the associated area of these LPIS that had linear and point actions for GLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35158/21]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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375. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 27 May 2021, if LPIS in GLAS that had linear and point actions detailed are effectively sterilised from afforestation even though there are only linear and point actions associated with the parcel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35159/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together.

All GLAS actions have specific requirements as outlined in the scheme specifications. This means that some parcels containing GLAS actions may be available for other uses, depending on the action in question. Indeed, some actions only take place on part of parcels which can allow the remainder of the parcel open to other uses.

Due to their nature, linear and point actions do not take up an entire parcel, therefore the entire parcel is not in use for GLAS.

The GLAS terms and conditions clearly state that GLAS is not a whole-farm scheme and opportunities continue to exist for afforestation and for other Forestry Schemes on parcels which are not in GLAS. GLAS applicants and their advisers were advised to look at the opportunities afforded by these schemes when planning for GLAS.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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376. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 27 May 2021, the expected or planned for number of applicants to his Department in new agri-environmental schemes under both pillar 1 and pillar 2 funding in the next CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35160/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and associated regulations have been the subject of intensive negotiations between the European Parliament and the Presidency and Commission, and latterly the Council of Ministers.

With reference to agri-environmental schemes, the draft CAP Strategic Plan currently makes provision for a range of agri-environmental measures including eco-schemes under Pillar I and agri-environment climate measures under Pillar 2. As it is proposed that both the eco-scheme and the agri-environment climate measures will be voluntary, the eventual level of application will depend on a number of factors such as the options offered, whether appropriate to or suitable for a farmer’s land and/or farming system, ease of implementation, and the associated payment rates.

At a national level, the numbers for approval into the scheme will be determined by the overall budgetary allocation to Ireland under the Common Agricultural Policy and the number and duration of interventions, and associated budgetary requirements, to be funded from that allocation.

The Department is continuing to develop the CAP Strategic Plan in consultation with stakeholders through the CAP Consultative Committee and other forums. Details of the discussions to date in the CAP Consultative Committee are available on the website www.gov.ie/en/collection/ab894-cap-post-2020-consultative-committee/.

Consideration is currently being given to the range of measures that will be supported under the new CAP Strategic Plan, and stakeholders will be further consulted on this shortly. Following the consultation the draft plan will then be subject to strategic environmental assessment and ex-ante evaluation and a further public consultation process before submission to the Commission by the deadline of 1st January 2022.

Ultimately, I want as many farmers in these schemes as possible.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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377. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a machine (details supplied) will be included as a matter of priority under the current tillage machinery scheme under the TAMS II grant-aid scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35164/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) has been very successful to date with in excess of 52,000 applications submitted and to date, 40,921 approvals issued under the suite of seven measures available. Expenditure has reached in excess of €282 million, with over €29 million spent to date in 2021.

There are a large number of investment items available under the scheme and new investment items may be considered under the CAP Strategic Plan for the post-2023 period, within the EU regulatory provisions for that period.