Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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318. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to reduce the administration costs of schemes under the new Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44398/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is continually looking at ways to ensure the most efficient delivery of the €1.6 billion of EU-funded scheme payments to applicants, in line with regulatory requirements.

Applications for the majority of the Department’s schemes are now online, resulting in improved efficiencies for farmers.

For example, online applicants for the Basic Payment Scheme applications can avail of preliminary checks. This allows online applicants to be advised of certain errors at an early stage and to correct any such issues without penalty.

The Department is also developing a new Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). This database underpins payments to farmers under area-based schemes.

The new LPIS gives farmers a more accurate representation of land parcel boundaries, and is based on the most up-to-date technologies and Ordnance Survey Ireland mapping standards.

The Department is also participating in EU projects dealing with the uptake of new technologies for the modernisation of CAP controls and interactions with farmers. For example, the introduction of Checks by Monitoring (CbM) for the Protein Aid Scheme in 2021 is the first step in the implementation of the Area Monitoring System (AMS), which will be compulsory in the new CAP. CbM is an automated and continuous process which will use satellite data along with other data sources to determine the agricultural activity on all land parcels declared by farmers under the Protein Aid Scheme in 2021.

The use of satellite data and technologies such as AgriSnap, DAFM’s geotagged photo app for Checks by Monitoring, will have significant benefits for farmers. For example, CbM facilitates prior notification of Protein Aid Scheme applicants of non-compliances concerning crop type, and provides the applicant with the opportunity to amend their claim accordingly, without penalty.

The development of all schemes under the new CAP will also take account of the one of the aims of the new CAP which is to reduce the administrative burden and ensure simplification in its implementation. The use of online applications and new technologies will allow the Department to meet these objectives, and to continue to improve on the delivery of essential payments to farmers.

I am committed to reducing bureaucracy for farmers and making schemes as easy to navigate as possible.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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319. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure a clear and enforceable definition of an active farmer is provided in the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44399/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In the Department’s recent public consultation on the Proposed Interventions in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, I sought opinions on a number of key definitions, including that of the Active Farmer.

While the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) is still under development, the draft CSP regulations outline that “Active Farmer” must be defined in such a way as to ensure that support is granted to farmers engaged in at least a minimum level of agricultural activity. Our current definition comprises a "negative list", excluding areas such as golf courses and airports.

The Department is examining the feedback from the public consultation and is considering the best approach to this issue, including in the context of whether a farmer in receipt of support is bearing the economic and agricultural risk for the activity on their declared land.