Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2012
922. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his view on the need to extend the period of time for the cutting of rushes, to enable farmers to comply with rushes control criteria for their single farm payment, following their inability to access their land due to water logging and the inclement weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48319/12]
View answerIn order to be eligible to claim, in the context of the Single Payment Scheme, an applicant must ensure that all agricultural land claimed upon is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition.
Farmers can keep grassland in good agricultural and environmental condition by conducting an agricultural activity on it such as grazing, harvesting forage crops, or by topping. Grasslands continue to be eligible where it is evident that the stocking rate used by the applicant on the land is sufficient to keep rushes under control and avoid their proliferation. In such situations, there may not be a necessity to cut.
With the exception of certain designated lands, there are no restrictions on when a farmer may cut rushes. He/she is therefore free to cut rushes at any time throughout the year once conditions are suitable. In terms of the conduct of inspections, my Department makes appropriate allowances for the effect of prevailing weather conditions in individual cases.
