Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
1366. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and percentage of measures in the rural development programme 2014 to 2020 that contain climate reducing measures. [38476/17]
View answerThe methodology for the calculation of support by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for climate change objectives is set down by Article 2 and Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 215/2014.
Based on the European Commission's methodology, Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 will provide support of €3.4 billion for climate change objectives.
The €3.4 billion figure is based on the following:
- 40% of the financial allocation to Priority 3(b) supporting farm risk prevention and management under measures 1, 2 and 16 of Ireland's 2014-2020 RDP.
- 100% of the financial allocation to Priority 4 restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture under measures 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 16 of Ireland's 2014-2020 RDP.
- 100% of the financial allocation to Priority 5 promoting resource efficient and supporting the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy under measures 1, 2, 4, 10 and 16 of Ireland's 2014-2020 RDP.
- 40% of the financial allocation to Priority 6(b) fostering local development in rural areas under measure 19 of Ireland's 2014-2020 RDP.
- Examples of schemes within the RDP which have a specific climate focus include the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the GLAS agri-environment scheme. Both of these schemes combined have a budget of approximately €1.5bn over the lifetime of the RDP and will provide measurable climate related benefits for Ireland and Irish agriculture.
