Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 July 2016
706. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the impact the installation of solar panels on farms can have with regard to AEOS, the basic payment scheme and other farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22036/16]
View answerSupport under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is payable upon activation of an eligible hectare per payment entitlement. In general terms an eligible hectare is one that is used for an agricultural activity or, where the area is also used for a non-agricultural activity, is predominantly used for such activities. An area is predominantly used for agricultural activity if that activity can be exercised without being significantly hampered by the intensity, nature, duration and timing of the non-agricultural activity.
While cases involving solar panels will be examined on an individual basis, the European Commission has advised that the area covered by the solar panels will be deemed ineligible for the purposes of claiming BPS. Furthermore, in line with the Department’s current approach on land eligibility, where the area of a parcel covered by solar panels is 70% or greater of the overall parcel, that parcel will be wholly ineligible. If less than 70% is covered by solar panels and the agricultural activity is not hampered by the presence of the solar panels, the area not covered by solar panels may be eligible.
From an Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) perspective the area must initially be designated and subsequently must be available for agricultural purposes in the same way as is required for BPS. Participants in AEOS must continue to deliver the actions that they have included in their contract with the Department for the full duration of that contract. Anything that would affect the delivery of such actions in their entirety could have negative consequences for their AEOS payments, depending on the individual circumstances.
The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has informed me that before a final decision is taken on introducing a new support scheme - which may include support for solar PV - that Department will run a public consultation, which will give all interested parties an opportunity to participate in the development of the scheme. Details of the next public consultation will be advertised on their website www.dcenr.gov.ie. Before any such scheme could be introduced, it would have to secure Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission.
