Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2021
595. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the four flagship eco schemes announced as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy have been discussed by the CAP consultative committee; the way in which the forestry or afforestation component has been included in new eco or environmental schemes in the next CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34428/21]
View answerIn October 2020, the European Commission published an illustrative list of examples of Eco-Schemes as announced in the Farm to Fork Strategy. This list was not presented to the CAP Consultative Committee as a stand alone item. However, it fed into discussions at Eco-Scheme and Green Architecture Workshops for Consultative Committee members on 19th November and 10th December 2020.
Based on the draft CAP Regulations, an overview of Ireland's proposed Eco-Scheme framework was presented to the CAP Consultative Committee for their consideration on 20th May 2021.
Negotiations between the Commission, European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, aimed at reaching a final agreement on the new CAP Regulations, are still ongoing. The final shape of the new legislative framework will only be clear when this process concludes.
I will continue to examine all options presented during the negotiations, with the objective of achieving the best possible outcome for Irish agriculture. The development of measures, including possible actions on tree planting under the Eco-Scheme and other environmental schemes, is still an ongoing process.
