Vol. 567 No. 3
5 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the terms and provisions of the package agreed with farm organisations as part of the social partnership agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13975/03]
The agriculture element of the social partnership agreement entitled Sustaining Progress is valued in excess of €300 million, and could be greater depending on the take-up on the agri-environment schemes, over the three year life of the programme. The document sets out agreed objectives with regard to agriculture, negotiating positions with regard to CAP reform and the WTO and commitments on the development of the beef, dairy and food sectors. There are significant provisions concerning the implementation of the nitrates directive and improvements to the REP, farm waste management and dairy hygiene schemes. There are reviews of the special areas of conservation and forestry schemes. The animal health provisions seek to reduce levels of TB, brucellosis and BSE.
In terms of adapting agriculture to change, there is provision for a review of the 2010 report, full stamp duty relief and stock relief for young farmers, and an initiative to reduce the burden of land annuities. The Government will examine with the EU Commission the possibility of extending the disadvantaged areas classification to the whole BMW region. There is an objective to build on progress already made with regard to customer service, simplification and the use of computer technology. A comprehensive review procedure is also included in the document.
The rates for REPS are to be increased, subject to EU Commission agreement, with a view to increasing participation from 37,000 farmers at present to 55,000 farmers by the end of 2005.
Additional InformationOn this basis, the proposed new rates would be: €200 for the first 20 hectares; €175 for the next 20 hectares; and €70 for the next 15 hectares, that is, cumulative, up to a maximum of 55 hectares per holding. This would in effect mean that a REPS farmer with a holding of 20 hectares would receive €4,000 per annum; a holding of 40 hectares would receive €7,500 per annum; and a holding of 55 hectares would receive €8,550 per annum.
The farm waste management scheme ceiling has increased to 450 income units and the investment ceiling to €75,000. The investment ceiling for the dairy hygiene scheme shall be increased to €50,000. The Government will also set up an independent appeals committee to deal with appeals put forward by farmers regarding destocking percentages on commonage framework plans.
I thank the Minister for his detailed reply to that question. Have all the farming organisations now committed to the partnership agreement and, if so, are they happy with the provisions in place there? Will the Minister comment on the special areas of conservation because of the interaction between Dúchas and the Minister's Department?
After a sustained period of deliberations and negotiations the farming pillar agreed to join the partnership. I am sure they are happy about that, as I am. It is a good way to do business and each of the farming organisations and their representative bodies have signed up. It is a very valuable agreement, in particular with the mid-term review negotiations and the world trade talk negotiations coming up where it is important to have a degree of domestic unity. That is why it is important that the talks conclude. The specifics of the agreement are contained in the Sustaining Progress document, particularly on the special areas of conservation and their commonage framework. We have agreement on how to deal with that and we have an appeals body now that the partnership has been agreed. The farming representatives have their nominees on that body under the chairmanship of Dr. Gerry Scully from the west. I hope that we will be able to make progress in that area.
I would like to emphasise the point regarding the SACs that, at least in some parts of the country, there are concerns about their implications for such people. There is a need for serious interaction between Dúchas, the farming organisations and the Department to ensure that those people are reassured regarding the implications of SACs for them.
I thank Deputy Upton for referring to that matter. We all enjoy and support the richness and diversity of the Irish rural landscape, and long may that continue. At the same time, we want traditional commercial farming to take place. Farmers are entitled to the liberty to farm, and there must be interaction between farming representatives, the Department of Agriculture and Food, Dúchas and the Department of the Environment and Local Government to ensure that we can go forward in harmony, protecting our natural environment in rural areas and pursuing commercial farming at the same time.
