Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 September 2013
176. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that of the 13,000 farmers coming out of REP scheme 4, 3,000 farmers failed to get into the new agri-environment option scheme, the new proposals he has to cater for these farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40108/13]
View answerThe Agri-Environment Options Scheme has had a very positive uptake, which is why I was more than happy to open AEOS 3 in 2012, despite fiscal constraints. I secured funding of €20 million per annum for the Scheme 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.
