Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2019
519. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount paid to farmers under the green low-carbon, agri-environment scheme, GLAS, for low-emission slurry spreading by farm agricultural contractors at the rate of €1.20 per cubic metre spread since the start of the GLAS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27641/19]
View answer520. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount paid to farmers under the green low-carbon, agri-environment scheme, GLAS, for low-emission slurry spreading by farm agricultural contractors by month at the rate of €1.20 per cubic metre spread since the start of the GLAS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27642/19]
View answer521. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the maximum payment to farmers for low-emission slurry spreading by farm agricultural contractors at the rate of €1.20 per cubic metre spread since the start of the GLAS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27643/19]
View answer522. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a register of farm agricultural contractors is maintained that provides the low-emission slurry spreading service to green low-carbon, agri-environment scheme, GLAS, participants; if so, the criteria used in establishing the credentials of a low-emission slurry spreading farm agricultural contractor, such as VAT registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27644/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 519, 520, 521 and 522 together.
The Department does not keep a register of contractors who provide this service to individual GLAS applicants and it is open to the farmer as to whether to carry out the action themselves or employ a contractor to do so. GLAS participants who have selected the Low Emission Slurry Spreading action as part of their 5-year GLAS contract are required to provide documentary evidence to confirm the spreading method used and volumes spread on the holding on an annual basis. For example, a calculation of slurry produced, imported and spread and/or a receipt from the contractor where a contractor has been used to supply the service.
For a farmer to qualify for payment, a minimum of 50 cubic metres of slurry must be spread on the holding each year of the 5-year GLAS contract. All slurry must be spread in compliance with Statutory Instrument 31 of 2014 (the Nitrates Regulation). The amount paid to each applicant will vary depending on the amount of slurry spread.
The table below shows total GLAS payments in respect of the Low Emission Slurry Spreading action per scheme year irrespective of whether this action was carried out by a contractor or by the GLAS participant themselves.
|
- |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
Total |
€1,117,504.13 |
€2,093,148.00 |
€2,209,435.85 |
