Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
1965. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a scheme to replace the AEOS scheme which finished 12 months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14534/21]
View answerThe Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) was the national agri-environment climate measure provided under the CAP Rural Development Plan 2007-2013. The duration of the contracts under AEOS was at least 5 years, with participants given the option, before the completion of their AEOS contract, to move into the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (‘GLAS’), which was the national agri-environment climate measure offered under the Rural Development Programme to end 2020. Some AEOS participants did not avail of this option.
It is proposed that a new agri-environment climate scheme will be included in Ireland’s new CAP Strategic Plan. While the relevant CAP Strategic Plan Regulation has yet to be finalised, my Department is currently working on designing this new agri-environment climate measure. The experience gained from GLAS and the locally-led projects funded by my Department is informing this process.
As outlined in the Programme for Government, some elements for this next scheme will be trialled in the transitional phase between the CAP programming periods. It is accordingly proposed that an agri-environmental pilot project for this purpose will shortly be made available and will be open to farmers who have not participated in GLAS and who are not currently in an agri-environment scheme. It is proposed to do this as a results-based project in order to align it with the principles of the next CAP.
