Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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40. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department is taking to protect and restore native hedgerows given the biodiversity crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10863/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Hedgerows are a valuable resource on Irish farms, contributing to both our biodiversity and climate ambitions. There is an estimated 689,000 kms of hedgerows in the country.

My Department recognises the value of these hedgerows through rewarding farmers under the ECO-scheme element of the new Common Agriculture Programme (CAP) Strategic Plan where farmers will be paid in respect of ‘space for nature’ with a significant focus on farm hedgerows. The new CAP also provides additional protection for hedges, where a farmer is in receipt of Direct Payment supports. For direct payments recipients, it is now a mandatory requirement that a length equivalent to twice that removed is planted in advance of any removal.

Under the recent Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) scheme, 7, 247 participants planted over 1,100 km of new hedgerows since the scheme began in 2015. Other actions in GLAS included traditional maintenance of hedgerows which improve their value as a habitat for biodiversity. These voluntary measures of hedgerow planting and traditional maintenance are also available in the new ACRES scheme.

In addition, the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations require screening, and if necessary consent, prior to removal of a hedgerow where the length of hedgerow to be removed exceeds 500 metres or where the field size following removal of the hedgerow will be greater than 5 hectares. If the proposed removal would breach either of these thresholds the farmer is required to submit a screening application to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The Department has also committed to a review of the EIA (Agriculture) Regulations and will commence a consultation on this process with all stakeholders in the new future.