Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
933. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to initiate a specific payment for farmers who have land in SPA and SAC outside the normal payment schemes that are available that is, similar to the top up payment that Islands got a number of years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48091/23]
View answerNatura lands (SAC and SPA) are incredibly diverse and important agricultural lands within the State. A number of supports are already in place within specific Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) schemes for these lands.
Specifically in ACRES CP, farmers will receive payment according to the score i.e. quality of their designated land and this is supported by a suite of non-productive investments which can be targeted to try and improve the quality of habitats.
In the case of ACRES general; if an applicant has at least 0.5 ha of grassland within the Natura (SAC/SPA) mapped area in 2021, he/she may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the ACRES General approach. To be considered for priority access, one of the actions a. or b. below must be selected on an area intersecting the Natura mapped area.
A. Low Input Grassland
B. Extensively Grazed Pasture
Alternatively if an applicant has at least 0.5 ha of tillage land within Natura (SAC/SPA) mapped area in 2021, he/she may be eligible for Tier 1 priority entry to the ACRES General approach. To be considered for priority access, one of the actions a. b. or c. below must be selected on an area intersecting the Natura mapped area.
A. Unharvested cereal headlands
B. Winter bird food
C. Environmental management of arable fallow
The CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) is currently coming to the end of its first year of implementation and this sets out the focus of the main funding streams for the next number of years.
Outside of the supports outlined above under ACRES there are no plans to introduce any specific payments for Natura lands.
