Kevin O'Keeffe
Question:383. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reintroduce the agri-environment options scheme and Natura scheme in the near future. [38317/18]
View answerTuesday, 25 September 2018
Questions (383)
Written answers
There are no plans to reintroduce the Agri-Environment Options and Natura Schemes (AEOS) at present. The subsequent agri-environment scheme the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) opened in three tranches commencing in 2015. It was open to AEOS participants to apply to join GLAS, such applicants were required to exit their existing AEOS contract before a GLAS contract could commence. GLAS is now fully subscribed with the target of 50,000 participants met well ahead of target. There are no plans to re-open this scheme to new applications.
Agri-environment policy is included in the CAP reform negotiations currently under way and any future schemes will be dependent on the outcome of these negotiations.