Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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51. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any assessment has been carried out into the effect of land abandonment in Ireland; the amount of land now not been actively used or farmed; the possible negative impact it could have on the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55632/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2022, my Department completed a detailed study of abandoned lands that were declared as farmed as part of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).Of the close to 1.2 million parcels declared as part of BPS only a very small number of parcels (<100) were found to be fully abandoned, with no farming activity taking place in the parcel. Based on these figures, it would be fair to say that instances of land abandonment are very low, almost negligible.

The abandonment of land even at very low instances has important consequences.

Many habitats in the Irish landscape require management in some form to thrive, such as meadows. Land abandonment, however small, can lead to the loss of diverse habitats and the loss of supporting habitats for flora and fauna. This is particularly significant for those species with specific lifecycle needs. Land abandonment can result in a decline in species diversity and loss of landscape diversity leading to disruption in natural processes.

Lands that are abandoned can be prone to soil sedimentation leading to impacts on water quality, the spread of invasive species and the loss of important sites for migratory species.

For my Department, it is important to recognise and support high nature value farming and extensive farmers and to ensure their vital roles as land managers is economically and socially sustainable in order to support their ongoing work to maintain environmental sustainability.