I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
Under the new Direct Payments regime which will come into effect in 2015, commonage land continues to be eligible for payment. However, there is a requirement that the farmer must be ‘active’ which, in the case of marginal type land such as mountain commonage, involves carrying out a ‘minimum activity’ which is to be defined by each Member State. The European Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts setting out the framework within which MS shall define the minimum activity. Discussions on delegated acts are continuing and I am not in a position to comment further on the nature of such ‘minimum activity’ until these acts are finalised.
It should also be noted that Member States have the option of excluding land where ‘grasses and other herbaceous forage’ is not predominant. If such land is considered eligible, Member States have the option to apply a reduction co-efficient to such land whereby the declared number of hectares would convert into a reduced number of eligible hectares. I intend to finalise Ireland’s position on these and other Direct Payment issues before the end of the year.