Commonage Framework Plans

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2015

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Ceisteanna (98)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

98. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 305 of 10 February 2013, his plans to ensure that individual farmers in commonages do not put too much stock on the commonage, to the detriment of other shareholders’ interests, in the case where no farmer in a commonage participates in green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, and in the absence of commonage framework plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7383/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I am confident that the majority of farmers who are farming commonage land in land in Ireland will participate in the GLAS Scheme (the Green Low-Carbon Agri-environment Scheme) and will operate under the Management Plan drawn up for each commonage. Under the Cross Compliance requirements, farmers must ensure that land is maintained in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition. Where my Department finds breaches of these Cross Compliance requirements, penalties will be applied under the Basic Payment Scheme and other Direct Aid Schemes. The number of animals and the level of grazing is a matter for individual shareholders on the commonage.