Thomas P. Broughan
Ceist:54 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the steps, if any, being taken to deal with the problem of overgrazing and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19131/99]
Written Answers. - Commonage Framework Plans.
My Department, in co-operation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has agreed a system for preparing commonage framework plans and for training suitably qualified persons to complete these, and plans are under preparation at present.
Both Departments will shortly approve plans, which will set out appropriate grazing levels for over 40,000 ha. of land. The stocking levels set out in these plans will be put into effect by farmers at the earliest opportunity, taking into account that individual farmers will have to be informed of the impact of the plans on their farms. In the interim the national framework plan requiring a 30 per cent reduction in commonages will continue to apply. I anticipate that plans will be available for all commonages during 2000.
In addition the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has introduced cross-compliance in respect of headage and ewe premia in these areas and farmers quota rights will be frozen in accordance with the national framework plan or the individual commonage framework plan, as appropriate.
In anticipation of this my Department encouraged farmers to commence reductions in 1998 by introducing a once-off payment to farmers who reduced stock levels in winter; this led to a reduction of over 140,000 head in these areas last winter.
The objective of the commonage framework plans is to ensure that a sustainable level of sheep and lamb production is maintained, in the overgrazed commonages in the future and that damaged vegetation will recover. Compensation through the REPS scheme or an alternative scheme organised by my Department will be paid where farmers have to destock.