Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2023, the herdowner through his FAS Adviser selected AP 1 - Space for Nature Enhanced. My Department through the Farm Advisory Service email address issued a communication on 11 May 2023 notifying FAS Advisers that there was an issue with how some LPIS parcels with scrub exclusions were having their space for nature calculated and advising that impacted FAS Advisors would receive further follow up correspondence, which they did the next day, 12 May 2023. In many cases action was taken including either selecting another agricultural practice in Eco-schemes or drawing in more features that had not been marked on the submitted applications for agricultural practice 1 - Space for Nature. For some, no action was taken.

In that context, my officials have been engaging with impacted FAS Advisors in recent weeks and a further correspondence was issued by my Department on 22 March 2024 to approximately 300 herds (including the herd provided by the Deputy) advising that as these herds met the agricultural practice 2 measure (extensive livestock production - enhanced based on 2022 stocking rate), the Department could change the option selected from AP 1 enhanced to AP 2 enhanced on receipt of an email from the FAS Advisor. In the case of the herd provided, that confirmation was received from the FAS Advisor on 22 March 2024 and the Eco-scheme payment is currently being processed.