Marian Harkin
Question:3 Ms Harkin asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the information required for submission to the framework plan appeals board; and when a decision on applications will be made known to applicants. [4150/03]
Ceisteanna – Questions. Priority Questions. - Commonage Framework Plans.
The arrangements for appealing the destocking recommendations under the commonage framework plans will be operated jointly by my Department and Dúchas, the heritage service of the Department of the Environment and Local Government. The basis of the appeals process will be a scientific reassessment of the original framework plans by other planning teams to be chosen by the farmers making the appeal. A contribution of up to €1,300 will be available towards the cost of each reassessment.
An appeal must have the support of at least 20% of the commonage shareholders covered by the plan in question who claimed area aid in 2002, although a simple majority of shareholders may overrule a request for an appeal. Each reassessment will be considered by the two Departments and, if it is not acceptable to them, it will be referred to an appeals board chaired by Mr. Gerry Scully, chief sheep adviser with Teagasc. Farming organisations and environmental groups are being invited to nominate representatives to the appeals board.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I am sure he is aware that a large number of sheep farmers are concerned about this. I appreciate the Minister has given me some information but what about all the farmers who still do not know what information is required? For example, do they need to specify the number of shares on the commonage? Do they need to send their herd numbers? Some farmers do not even know to where to send their applications. I know this because they have contacted me.
This is a complicated issue. I can think of one case in the Ox Mountains involving four townlands, 1,500 acres, 35 shareholders and a destocking rate of 74%. In some cases, as the Minister is aware, farmers are being penalised for damage which they did not cause but which was caused by their neighbours etc. As the Minister said, to lodge an appeal, 20% of the shareholders must agree. In the case of 35 shareholders—
The purpose of Question Time is to elicit information from the Minister.
I will do that. I refer to the difficulties for farmers. There are no guidelines or application forms. In the two weeks remaining, what proposals has the Department to let farmers know how to go about this rather than just telling them where to send their applications?
The Minister will be aware that as a result of destocking, many farmers will, effectively, no longer have a future in sheep farming. What proposals has he, particularly in the area of rural development, to allow those who will soon be former sheep farmers to remain living in rural areas and to earn a living there?
I have extended by two weeks the deadline by which farmers can appeal against plans that are already published. Notice of appeal against these plans should be sent to the Department of Agriculture and Food by Friday, 14 March. For plans that have not yet been published, the deadline for appeals will be three months from the date of publication. My Department has arranged to publish full details of the appeals process next week and will provide farmers with the necessary application forms.
As the Deputy is aware, arrangements and compensatory payments in relation to overgrazing of western hillsides, in particular, were agreed by the Department, Dúchas and the farming organisations in 1998. That deal secured a generous REPS payment of up to €242 per hectare to farmers with commonage. Everything possible is being done to help farmers in those areas. We want to reduce the amount of overgrazing and damage being done to the hillsides while at the same time have a reasonable return for farmers in those areas. That is why increased REPS payments were put in place. I hope that with the mechanism in place and the ultimate appeal to Mr. Gerry Scully's appeals group, there will be an amicable and reasonable outcome to this problem.
I am pleased to hear the Minister say there will be a scientific reassessment of the original plan by planners. In that context, is there any possibility that farmers could be dealt with as individuals rather than as originally proposed in the framework plan?
That is not possible because part of the 1998 agreement was that there would need to be a minimum of 20% of those involved in the commonage.
Question No. 4 lapsed.