Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 March 2015
284. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria used by his Department's inspectors in determining under-utilisation when carrying out inspections under the land parcel identification system and land eligibility inspections on sites with Natura 2000 designations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10438/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraApplicants under the Direct Payment Schemes and other area based schemes are obliged to carry out an agricultural activity on the land declared for aid. The governing EU regulations define an agricultural activity as the production, rearing or growing of agricultural products, including harvesting, milking, breeding animals, and keeping animals for farming purposes and maintaining an agricultural area in a state which makes it suitable for grazing or cultivation. An applicant is free to choose an activity that best suits their farming enterprise and if s/he so wishes can choose to just top the land
Where an officially approved environmental management plan under the Birds or Habitats Directives requires certain management practices to be conducted on agricultural areas, such management practices will take precedence in determining the level of agricultural activity to be conducted on agricultural areas declared for payment.
