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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 3

Written Answers. - Agri-Environment Programme.

Seamus Kirk

Question:

189 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, following the recent restrictions on grazing density on commonages, compensatory payments will be made in County Louth as are available in the six western seaboard counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26279/00]

The position is that under the terms of an amendment to Ireland's agri-environment programme which provides for the conservation of natural heritage areas including commonages, sheep numbers on commonages may not be increased. In this context, individual detailed commonage framework plans for all commonages are in the process of being drawn up by my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. It is expected that the vast bulk of these commonage framework plans will be finalised and implemented during 2001-early 2002. When these plans are implemented, farmers with commonage land who wish to avail of the ewe premium scheme, suckler cow premium scheme or disadvantaged areas' compensatory allowance will have to join the rural environment protection scheme – REPS – or a national scheme to be operated by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. Individual argi-environment plans drawn up under REPS or the national scheme will have to take account of the destocking levels, if any, contained in the relevant commonage framework plan.

Farmers with commonage land in the six western counties who were not participating in REPS were required, under the terms of a national interim commonage framework plan, to reduce ewe numbers by 30% in 1998. The farmers in question were compensated under a scheme operated by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands for loss of income arising from the reduction in stock numbers. No such reduction in stock numbers is currently being applied to farmers with commonage land outside of the six western counties and the question of compensation for destocking does not therefore arise. The farmers in question may however opt to join the new REPs scheme which will be open for applications from next week and under which compensation under measure A is available for conservation of natural heritage areas including commonages.

Question No. 190 taken with Question No. 183.

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