Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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242. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify whether farmers will be able to cut turf on commonage lands they own if participating in the ACRES scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22237/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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ACRES is the €1.5bn Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme and is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. Participants in ACRES commit to undertake, under their ACRES contract, certain actions for a period of five years.

As the Deputy may be aware, there are two approaches within the Scheme:

• ACRES Co-operation Project (CP), which applies in eight mapped zones, that are areas of high nature value, hold significant carbon stores and are home to some of the most pristine waters in the country, and

• ACRES General, for all other farmers not falling within CP Zones.

Commonage falls within both approaches and is a mandatory action for all ACRES participants with commonage land.  Applicants with Commonage received priority entry into ACRES General under Tier 1 to incentivise farmers to help ensure that habitats on such lands are maintained or restored to good condition through appropriate management practices.

There is a set payment per hectare, under ACRES, for commonages of 10 hectares or less with a requirement for the submission for a Commonage Farm Plan prepared by certain advisors.  As there is a results-based payment associated with commonages of greater than 10 hectares, the application includes a commitment to have the commonage scored by an approved commonage assessor by a certain deadline. A payment will then be paid to that shareholder based on the score awarded.

I am currently reflecting on the issue raised by the Deputy, having regard to the environmental ambition of the scheme and the rights of commonage shareholders.