Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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582. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that he will not impose any impositions or proposals to ban ploughing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45413/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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From 2023 Ireland's new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) will come into effect. There are minimum standards that farmers must meet under Conditionality, which is part of the legislative requirements and minimum standards of the new CAP.

Conditionality includes the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards. One of them, known as GAEC 2, deals with the protection of carbon rich soils, and this requires protection of wetland and peatland to be implemented within each Member State. Ireland has indicated that this standard will apply from 2024.

Large quantities of carbon are stored in peatlands and wetlands, and certain agricultural practices (e.g. ploughing) may have a negative impact on such soils with regard to carbon storage. The minimum standards established for management under this GAEC will be aimed at minimising carbon loss from such soils.

Production of high-quality grass is without doubt an integral part of Irish agriculture and reseeding has a role to play in that. However, it is important to note that while protection of carbon rich soils may include restrictions on ploughing, it does not preclude less invasive methods of reseeding being carried out.

Ireland is now working in conjunction with the technical experts in the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to identify the relevant lands.

At this point no final decision has been taken on what the appropriate minimum standards will be. Updates to the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), for this GAEC standard, will be discussed with the relevant stakeholders once more information is available. No decision has been made.