Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 November 2012
188. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason applicants under the agri-environment options scheme 3 cannot apply for funding to undertake different work within the same LIPIS parcel number. [51682/12]
View answerArea based actions in the Agri Environment Options Scheme namely, Species Rich Grassland, Traditional Hay Meadow, Wild Bird Cover, Green Cover Establishment from a Sown Crop and Minimum Tillage must be delivered on a full parcel as identified on the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). This is necessary to establish from databases the area on which the payment is calculated and avoids the need to physically measure areas declared for payment. The Establishment and Maintenance of Habitats, Arable Margins, Riparian Margins, Tree Planting and Hedgerow Planting cannot be allowed on the same parcel as an area based action. As the entire area of the parcel must be devoted to the area based action selected it is not possible to allow other actions which impact on the eligible area to be selected. However Hedge Coppicing, Hedge Laying, Traditional Stone Wall Maintenance and Installation of Water Trough Actions may be selected on parcels chosen for area based actions as these actions do not impact on the physical area of the parcel.
