Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1034. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 483 of 9 May 2023, to provide an update on his Departments work in conjunction with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre to identify the relevant lands and to identify the appropriate means of protecting these carbon-rich soils, specifically as it relates to the prohibition or restriction of agricultural practices such as ploughing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14995/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has ongoing communication and interaction with the European Commission in relation to GAEC2 – Protecting Peatland and Wetlands.

Our collaboration with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre has come to a conclusion with the publication of the technical report. This report (Technical report on methods and tools in support of the creation of an “IACS carbon theme") can be viewed in full on the JRC website - wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/GUIDANCEANDTOOLSFORCAP/Climate+Action

The report looks at some of the technical options for integrating data on peat soils with the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), which is the mapping system used to support area-based payments to farmers. Findings from this report will help to formulate my Departments proposals for the protection of carbon-rich soils.

As previously stated, the GAEC 2 provisions will be subject to the agreement and approval of the European Commission, and Ireland's CSP will be amended when this process is completed.