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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 5

Written Answers. - Arable Aid Scheme.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

22 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the limitations attached to the new derogation to allow for grazing on set-aside land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9292/01]

In the context of the present foot and mouth disease controls involving restrictions on the movement of animals, the European Commission has agreed a derogation to the EU regulation which sets down the requirements for set-aside land under the arable aid scheme.

The derogation provides that up to 30 April 2001 producers who have set land aside for the purposes of the 2001 arable aid scheme may, in justified cases and subject to certain conditions, use that set-aside land for the grazing of their own animals. Of course the safeguards and restrictions on movement of animals put in place by my Department in relation to the foot and mouth disease will apply. I have advised farmers to contact their local district veterinary office in any case of doubt.
Approval to avail of this temporary measure can be obtained from my Department by making a written application to the area aid unit setting out the specific reasons that would justify the grazing of set-aside land in the period concerned. The producer must give an undertaking that only his-her animals will be allowed to graze the set-aside land and that those animals will be removed from the set-aside land no later than the 30 April deadline.
I have also announced arrangements to permit tillage farmers within the ten kilometre surveillance-exclusion zones in County Louth who are participants in the arable area aid system to put up to 100% of their land into set-aside this year.
This derogation from the voluntary set-aside limit of 30%, which applies to the rest of the country, is being permitted to facilitate farmers who are unable to sow their crops because of movement restrictions on machinery and inputs within the zones arising from the foot and mouth situation. It will ensure that farmers who cannot claim area aid on sown areas will instead be able to receive payments for land which is left fallow and thus will not lose out.
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