Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 November 2014
102. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the GLAS+ top-up payment will be automatically paid to GLAS participants whose land is designated SPA, SAC or NHA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42637/14]
View answerThe agri-environment scheme GLAS is one of the schemes included in Ireland’s draft Rural Development Programme which is currently being considered by the European Commission. The proposal is that applicants for GLAS with designated SAC and SPA lands, which form part of the Natura 2000 Network (but does not include NHA land), will get priority access to the Scheme under Tier 1. The proposed ‘top-up’ GLAS+ payment of up to €2,000 extra will be available to a limited number of farmers who commit to measures of exceptionally high environmental benefit. The initial targeting of this GLAS+ payment will be at farmers who have to undertake a number of mandatory actions under Tier 1. Where GLAS+ is approved, the payment will be made automatically.
