Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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475. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the farm environmental survey pilot 2022 is completed; if so, if he will provide an update on any findings, including challenges found within the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50854/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Farm Environmental Study (FES) pilot programme was designed to generate a database of baseline habitat and biodiversity data at farm level.

The Department is engaging with the service provider, the Agricultural Consultant's Association, that was awarded the contract to deliver this pilot programme.

Delivery of the programme is behind schedule and as result it will not be possible to complete surveying under the programme this autumn. It is anticipated the remaining survey work will be carried over to next year to ensure the farm surveys are carried out during the optimum survey period from a biodiversity and habitat assessment perspective. After the Programme concludes, the overall survey results will be made available in the latter part of 2023.

In the coming weeks, my officials will write to those approved applicants that will not be surveyed until next year. They will be informed that surveying on their farms will take place next year if they wish to remain part of this pilot programme.