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Rural Environment Protection Scheme Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2013

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Questions (909)

Clare Daly

Question:

909. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for his decision that there will be no roll-over of REP scheme and no new agri-environment option scheme entrants in 2014, the only country in Europe to take this gap year, undermining farmers engaged in sustainable farming and placing huge pressure on rural communities and wildlife, despite the funding being available. [46452/13]

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Written answers

The REPS and AEOS Schemes are based on a 5 year commitment and payments to participating REPS and AEOS farmers will continue post 2014 until the expiry of their individual contracts. While there are no plans to extend the current REPS 4 Scheme or to commence new AEOS contracts in 2014 I am pleased to say that some €184 million will be paid to farmers in REPS and AEOS in 2014.

The revised CAP 2014 – 2020 gives priority to agri-environment schemes and requires that the new Rural Development Plan must include an agri-environment scheme. The process for the introduction of new schemes is well underway. Under the current draft Rural Development Regulation, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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.

An initial consultation process was launched in 2012, and written submissions were received from over 80 stakeholders. These submissions have been analysed by my Department and have fed into the development of the SWOT and needs analyses. A second consultation was held in July, where stakeholders attended a full day workshop on the draft SWOT and needs analyses. Based on the outcome of these processes, the drafting of the new programme is being advanced in the Department, and it is intended that further stakeholder consultation will form part of this.

Question No. 910 withdrawn.
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