Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1696. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is trying to pull CAP, single farm payments, and so on, from farmers that own bogland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19186/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that my Department has no such plans.

Earlier this year, I announced the planned introduction of the GAEC 2 standard. GAEC 2 is a baseline requirement under the CAP regulations for the protection of carbon rich soils. It is legally required to be put in place for 2025 as part of the conditionality requirements for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) payment scheme. The proposed implementation ensures that farmers will remain eligible for their CAP payments, and that existing farming practices may continue.

There is no ban on farming on these carbon rich soils. Ploughing and reseeding of grassland is allowed, and maintenance/repair of existing drains may continue. New drains are also possible (subject to existing planning laws), and there is no change to the legal requirements for these. Farmers already must apply for planning permission for new drains on these soils.

In short, the current practices that are taking place on this land in compliance with the existing national legislation may continue. Farm bodies have been engaged and inputting into the proposed implementation since 2023, and individual farmers will be notified by my Department if they have lands that will be subject to the proposed new standard in the coming weeks.

The proposed standard is subject to final approval by the European Commission.