Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 June 2013
9. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received for the agri-environment options scheme 3 programme, and the number approved, broken down on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29362/13]
View answerI take the opportunity, at the outset, to again emphasise both my own and the Government’s commitment to the agri-environment schemes as operated by my Department. These schemes put environmentally friendly farming at the forefront and recognise the vital role farmers play in delivering public goods and in protecting the environment and the natural heritage for the benefit of society as a whole. This commitment is evident in the fact that more than €750 million was spent by my Department on agri-environment schemes in 2010, 2011 and 2012 alone and also in the fact that, despite the financial pressures facing my Department, I provided for a further €200 million in funding in 2013 for expenditure under the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, and the agri-environment options scheme, which is commonly known as AEOS. I also decided to make €20 million available annually to reopen AEOS to new entrants in 2012. A total of 9,703 applications were received by my Department under the reopened scheme and 6,000 have now been approved to participate in the scheme.
The approval of applicants was determined by the level of funding available and on the basis of certain priority selection criteria as set out in the published scheme documentation. Applicants within a targeted area of the Boora region of County Offaly who select wild bird cover option B - grey partridge - will get first access; applicants with eligible Natura land are the next to get access; applicants with at least half a hectare of utilisable agricultural non-Natura commonage land are next; and these are followed by farm partnerships, those with previous participation in REPS, those with farms of a particular size based on the utilisable agricultural area, favouring smaller holdings, and farms located in less favoured areas.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
All approved applicants have been accepted with a commencement date of 1 May 2013. The new contracts will run for a period of five years and eight months, which will extend their duration beyond the expiry of the current programme period of 31 December 2013. Participants in the scheme will be offered the opportunity to adjust their commitments for the remainder of the period of their contract to the legal framework of the new programme period. The policy framework that will apply in the next period is under discussion at EU level. If such an adjustment is not acceptable to the participant, he or she may withdraw from the schemes without any requirement for reimbursement of aid already received.
A total of 4,483 applicants selecting grey partridge, Natura and commonage actions were approved for the scheme and the remaining 1,517 applicants selected had all previously participated in REPS and had a reference area of 22.06 ha. or less on their 2012 single payment scheme application. The table sets out the number of persons in each county who were recently approved to participate in the agri-environment options scheme.
Approvals to participate in AEOS, May 2013
|
County |
Total |
|
Carlow |
25 |
|
Cavan |
139 |
|
Clare |
357 |
|
Cork |
317 |
|
Donegal |
1061 |
|
Dublin |
5 |
|
Galway |
1007 |
|
Kerry |
619 |
|
Kildare |
16 |
|
Kilkenny |
31 |
|
Laois |
26 |
|
Leitrim |
279 |
|
Limerick |
116 |
|
Longford |
42 |
|
Louth |
23 |
|
Mayo |
997 |
|
Meath |
32 |
|
Monaghan |
68 |
|
Offaly |
68 |
|
Roscommon |
275 |
|
Sligo |
220 |
|
Tipperary |
92 |
|
Waterford |
54 |
|
Westmeath |
58 |
|
Wexford |
27 |
|
Wicklow |
46 |
|
Total |
6000 |
Considering the expenditure on the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, and the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, one can see that the expenditure for 2010 - the last full year we were in Government - was €321 million, and it fell to €275 million in 2011, €253 million in 2012 and an estimated €200 million this year. Based on the Minister of State's estimates, it will only be €171 million next year.
My question is quite simple. It would cost approximately €10 million to approve the remaining valid applications under the AEOS. This year saw an unprecedented crisis in farming, so farmers need every bit of support they can get, particularly in maintaining good environmental practice. As there would be no cost implications this year because payment would not be made until next year, will the Minister of State consider allowing the remaining 3,000 farmers into the AEOS?
I accept this has been a very difficult year, with farmers encountering many difficulties, particularly in March, April and well into May. Problems arose because the weather did not improve and dealing with the consequences was difficult for many people, which I accept and understand. The Deputy referred to the funding of AEOS. My understanding is that when this Government came to power, despite the fact that the previous Government had made commitments, there was no funding for the AEOS and the incoming Government could not implement it. Through negotiations within the budget, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, found the money for the scheme. I am amazed that the Deputy is asking for more funding in that respect. It is difficult to get funding at any stage so I wonder where the Deputy would get it.
Will the Minister of State confirm that in 2011 there was an underspend of €200 million in the Estimate of the Department?
I would have to check that as I have just come to the Department. I remind the Deputy that the funding was not available for the AEOS. I do not know how the Deputy is able to perform addition when he is not in Government but could not do so when he was part of the Government. Where would the Deputy get the funding?
I will explain. In its first year, the Government underspent by €200 million. If it had made the AEOS payments in 2011, there would have been a knock-on effect in every other year. The previous Government is irrelevant to the process, as this Government had the money but gave it back to the Exchequer. Even if the Government allowed the remaining 3,000 applicants into the scheme, the total cost would be approximately €10 million and the budget for AEOS next year would be €20 million less than this year and more than €100 million less than in 2010. Will the Government allow the remaining 3,000 applicants into the AEOS?
I assure the Deputy that if money can be made available for schemes, it will be made available. We must verify that funding is available, and I will check it out for the Deputy.
That would be very welcome.
