Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 September 2013
91. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to allow the remaining applicants under agri-environment options scheme 3 join this scheme in 2014 in view of the delay in introducing the reformed Common Agriculture Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39533/13]
View answerPreparatory work for the next Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014 – 2020 is well underway. Under the current draft Rural Development Regulation, my Department must undertake an ex ante evaluation, a public consultation, a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) a needs assessment, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and an appropriate assessment (AA) in developing our Rural Development Programme. An independent evaluator has been contracted to prepare the ex ante evaluation report, SEA and AA and to advise on the SWOT analysis.
Based on the outcome of these processes, the drafting of a new programme is being advanced in my Department, and it is intended that further stakeholder consultation will form part of this.
Participants in AEOS whose contracts overlap with these new schemes will be given the opportunity to adjust their commitments for the remainder of the period of the contract to the legal framework of the next programming period. If such an adjustment is not acceptable to the participant he/she may withdraw from the scheme without any requirement for reimbursement of aid already received.
There are currently 49,000 farmers active in both REPS and AEOS and projected payments of more than €200 million will be made under these schemes this year. This represents a significant financial support to these farmers and one which is very important given the difficulties they face.
The Agri-Environment Options Scheme has had a very positive uptake, and despite fiscal constraints, I secured funding of €20 million per annum for AEOS 3 and 6,000 applicants received approvals in May this year. The maximum payment is €4,000 per annum, with a minimum 5 year contract. The Scheme was oversubscribed, with 9,703 applications received, therefore 3,703 could not be accommodated within the budget. 360 of these were invalid applications and 3,343 did not meet the selection criteria. The selection criteria gave priority access to farmers in designated areas and to farmers with smaller holdings who were previously in REPS.
Any extension to the scheme to allow access to the 3,343 unsuccessful applicants would have to be considered in the context of the wider budgetary situation. In view of the challenges we continue to face in terms of the public finances, and the requirement to balance competing needs both within the agricultural sector and in the economy as a whole, the Government will give these matters careful consideration in the context of the upcoming Estimates process.
