Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 May 2024
135. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) was not included in the Shannon Callows scheme even though they are within the Shannon SPA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23215/24]
View answerFollowing exceptional flooding in the Shannon Callows during summer 2023, on 7 November 2023, I announced the launch of the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme. The aim of the scheme is to support farmers who have lost fodder due to flooding in the region during summer 2023. I have allocated funding of approximately €800,000 which will allow for a payment rate of up to €325 per hectare. This is for LPIS parcels in the Shannon Callows Special Area of Conservation (SAC) impacted as determined by my Department's Earth Observation team, utilising the Area Monitoring System, and which were claimed by farmers on their 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application.
My officials have examined the relevant records and have confirmed that, although the herd owner has LPIS parcel(s) within the Shannon Callows SAC declared on their 2023 BISS application as forage, they have not met the minimum requirement of flooding on at least 6 of the 30 occurrences i.e. 20% minimum flooding identified over the time period.
The herd owner has recently submitted a request to have this decision reviewed. That process is currently taking place and advice on the outcome of that review will issue to the herd owner upon completion.
