Gerry Reynolds
Question:202 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in the drawing up and completion of a framework document in relation to commonage land. [24859/98]
Written Answers - Commonage Division.
As there are around 8,000 commonages in the country it will take some time before framework plans will be available for all commonages. In the meantime, as I announced recently, interim arrangements have been agreed between my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands to put a national commonage framework plan in place pending the completion of individual commonage framework plans. This means that the farmers concerned who are already in REPS or who join the scheme on the basis of the national framework plan, can avail of the higher rates of compensation of £80 per acre for the first 100 acres with additional payments for the next 200 acres.