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Basic Payment Scheme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Questions (683)

Matt Carthy

Question:

683. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farm lands with designations such as special area of conservation, special protected area, natural heritage area will be eligible for the basic payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7911/20]

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Written answers

EU Regulations governing the Basic Payment Scheme require that for agricultural land to be deemed eligible for payment, it must be subject to an agricultural activity. Ineligible features, e.g. scrub, rock, etc., are not eligible and must be deducted from the area being declared for payment. Furthermore, land that is abandoned, i.e. no agriculture activity taking place, is not considered as eligible land. Lands designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protected Areas (SPA) or Natural Heritage Areas can be considered as eligible land for payment purposes subject to the land meeting these conditions.

There is further provision under Article 32 of Regulation 1307/2013, which provides that where lands designated as SAC or SPA develop ineligible features as a result of the requirements of such designation, the land may be considered eligible for payment, subject to additional conditions, i.e. the land must have been claimed and deemed eligible for payment under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme and any increase in the area of ineligible features must be directly linked to the management requirements of such designation. SAC or SPA land that is abandoned cannot be considered as eligible for payment under this provision. Also, rock which is a hard feature can never be eligible for payment in these parcels.

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