Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Oct 1995

Vol. 456 No. 7

Written Answers. - Land Proposals.

Austin Deasy

Question:

43 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the renewed concern of landowners regarding the introduction of the IBA system for cereal growers; and if he will be insisting that this scheme goes ahead in spite of the fears of the landowners concerned. [14571/95]

Michael McDowell

Question:

46 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the proposals, if any, he has for eligible land and base areas under the EU set-aside regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14580/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 46 together. EU legislation provides the option for member states to change from a system of Regional (or National) Base Area to an Individual Base Area system. Under the latter system IBAs would be allocated to farmers who produced eligible arable crops or who had land in set-aside during the base years 1989, 1990 and 1991.

The introduction of an IBA system could not be undertaken without suitable amendments to the rules in particular to cater for those who were out of production in the base years or who commenced production in the meantime. These matters have already been brought to the attention of the EU Commission and my Department will shortly be discussing with them possible changes in the EU regulations.

I have raised with the EU Commission the difficulties which cereal producers in this country experience as a result of the declining availability of eligible land and the Commission will look at this in the context of the study of the arable system due to be carried out at the end of the year. In the meantime I have introduced changes to the eligible land rule, to apply from 1995-96, under which a farmer will be able to transfer eligibility from eligible land to ineligible land within a holding.

I should add that it is not my intention to introduce the IBA system unless the rules in regard to eligible land are relaxed or abandoned and there is a real risk of an overshoot of the national base area which would trigger penalties for producers under the existing National Base Area system.