Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1884. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the management of co-operation projects as part of the new CAP’s national agri-environmental climate measure has been tendered out; and if so, the body it has been tendered to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19913/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1885. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount that co-operation teams will be paid as part of the new CAP’s national agri-environmental climate measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19914/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1886. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of co-operation teams; the total number of individuals who require to be employed in the management of co-operation projects as part of the new CAP national agri-environmental climate measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19915/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1887. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the level of fees which will be incurred by farmers for co-operation teams services as part of the new CAP’s national agri-environmental climate measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19916/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1884 to 1887, inclusive, together.

Farmers in all areas of the country will be able to participate in the proposed new agri-environment climate measure (AECM) under the next CAP Strategic Plan (CSP). The new AECM Scheme will have a General stream and a Co-operation stream.  The Co-operation stream will be managed by new Co-operation Project Teams. 

The map for the Co-operation stream of the new AECM scheme identifies eight Co-operation Zones.  Farmers within these high priority geographical areas will be eligible to apply to join the AECM Co-operation stream.  

Farmers in each of the Co-operation zones will engage in the Scheme with the assistance of their local Co-operation Project team.  The Co-operation Project teams will not be charging farmers for their services.  However, the farmers will also still be engaging with their own Agricultural Advisors, for which they will incur a fee.  These farmers in turn will benefit from higher payment rates, up to a maximum €10,500 per year, should they participate and undertake the most environmentally ambitious actions. 

A tender process for the establishment and management of the Co-operation Project was launched at the end of January 2022 and the period for submission of bids has now finished.  The proposals received under the request for tenders are now being evaluated. As the whole tender process has not yet been finalised, the amount that the successful tenderers will be paid or the number of staff they will employ has not yet been determined.  The evaluation of the tenders is due to be completed shortly and I am looking forward to receiving details of the successful tenders when the evaluation is finalised.