Michael Ring
Ceist:92 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his Department has agreed a deal with the EU that up to 700,000 ewe quota will be taken out of the system in the commonage areas. [30329/00]
Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.
The rural environmental protection scheme was revised in 1999 to include a new supplementary measure A – in the new scheme recently introduced, this is known as measure A. Under this measure, the EU Commission approved very substantial payments of up to £77 per acre to REPS participants farming eligible commonage lands. The agreement with the EU Commission under which this measure was introduced provides for a global approach to the problem of overgrazing on commonages.
As with all payments under REPS, the supplementary measure A payments are calculated to compensate farmers for income losses arising from the use of more environmentally friendly farming methods. The substantial SMA payments are based on estimated reductions of 400,000 ewe equivalents on commonage, and 320,000 in natural heritage areas and special areas of conservation where SMA is also payable.
The actual reduction in sheep numbers will be determined by detailed commonage framework plans which, under the terms of the agreement with the EU Commission, must be drawn up for all commonage land. These plans are being prepared under the supervision of my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. The main aim of these plans will be to set sustainable stocking levels, which will allow for the regeneration of damaged vegetation. My Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands have put an interim national commonage framework plan in place pending the completion of detailed framework plans for individual commonages. The interim plan required destocking from November-December 1998 equivalent to 30% of mountain ewes for flock holders not already in the REP scheme who use commonage in the six western counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Kerry, where the overgrazing issue was deemed to be most serious.
The preparation of detailed commonage framework plans for every commonage is at an advanced stage, and when these plans are implemented stocking rates will be set which will reflect the environmental needs of each commonage.
The agreement with the Commission provides for a global approach to the problem of overgrazing on commonages, of which supplementary measure A is one element. It also provides for a complementary national scheme, and I am informed that the EU Commission is currently considering proposals from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands for such a scheme. Following the introduction of the national scheme, it will be a condition of eligibility for my Department's compensatory allowance and premia schemes that farmers with commonage land are participating either in the national scheme or in REPS.