Written answers
Tuesday, 9 April 2024
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture Supports
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1029. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a series of matters in relation to the 2023 BISS online system will be examined and rectified (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14968/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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All Eco-Scheme Space for Nature estimates were subject to review by farmers and/or their FAS advisors when making their 2023 submission to confirm that features mapped represented an accurate assessment of what features were present on the ground. My Department did make it clear to farmers and FAS advisors that all space for nature estimates provided on the 2023 Eco-Scheme application were subject to digitising and validation by my Department.
My department did issue a communication to farmers and Advisors via the Farm Advisory Service email address on 11 May 2023 to notify that there was an issue with how parcels with scrub exclusions were having their space for nature calculated. The Eco-scheme section sent a follow on communication to impacted FAS Advisors on 12 May 2023 outlining what action they needed to take with a phone call being made to impacted farmers.
If the FAS Advisor and/or farmer have specific herdnumbers, they should provide them to my Departments Eco-scheme section.
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