Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2015
109. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person in receipt of a single payment will continue to qualify for the payment if the person rents out land for green energy purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41927/15]
View answerPayments under the Basic Payment Scheme may only be made where the Department is satisfied that the applicant is a farmer engaged in an agricultural activity during the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme year.
Section 1.7 of the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme Terms and Conditions covering land eligibility stipulates that in order to be eligible for payment each land parcel must have an agricultural activity carried out on it. If there is no activity on all or part of a parcel, such area is ineligible for payment. It also defines agricultural activity as meaning the production, rearing or growing of agricultural products including harvesting, milking, breeding animals and keeping animals for farming purposes, or maintaining the land in good agricultural and environmental condition as established under Article 94 of Regulation (EC) No 1306/2013.
Land used for green energy purposes, including solar panels, must comply with these requirements in order to be eligible for payment under the Basic Payment Scheme. Department Officials must be satisfied that an agricultural activity is being carried out on the parcel and that adequate deductions have been made for ineligible areas. With regard to solar panels, officials in my Department will raise the specific issue with the Commission prior to providing more detailed clarification to farmers on the eligibility or otherwise of such land.
