Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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372. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if land (details supplied) will be deemed uphill land and be exempt from individual fencing if a landowner is applying for a premium on a single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60026/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine annually publishes the Helpsheet/Terms and Conditions for the EU Basic Payment Scheme (BPS)/Greening Payment and other Area Based Schemes.

This document along with the Guide to Land Eligibility, sets out the conditions for land to be eligible for payment. Each applicant is responsible, in conjunction with their farm advisor, to ensure the lands are eligible for payment prior to submission for payment.

The first consideration for eligibility of hill lands is that the land must be an agricultural area - capable of growing herbaceous vegetation i.e. grasses, rushes, heather etc. The lands must also have an agricultural activity which can be grazing livestock or carrying out maintenance activities on the lands. Therefore, in terms of fencing there is no specific requirement that all lands must be fenced, but the applicant must be in a position to demonstrate that they are in control of the lands and are carrying out an agricultural activity on the lands.