Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 April 2015
286. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the presence of any heather in a parcel of land makes it ineligible for inclusion as low input permanent pasture for the purposes of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14534/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFarmers opting for any action under the GLAS scheme are required to respect the management requirements set out in the detailed GLAS specifications accompanying the Scheme, and any other instructions or clarifications issued by the Department. One of the main actions for grazing land under GLAS is ‘Low Input Permanent Pasture’, which is designed to preserve and enhance old permanent pasture-lands, and in this case heather cannot be present in the area selected for the delivery of this action. The Low Input Permanent Pasture specification is quite detailed in terms of a restriction in chemical Nitrogen application to 40 kg per hectare per annum; the selection of suitable pasture(s) which contain less than 30% ryegrass along with at least four other grass species that are dispersed throughout the parcel. The parcels must have been declared as forage for the last 8 years on the GLAS applicant’s Single Payment application. There are also other restrictions in terms of cutting hay/silage and specific topping dates. These conditions are aimed at ensuring suitable Low Input Permanent Pastures receive payment in GLAS based on income foregone and costs incurred in accordance with EU Regulation 1305/2013.
Heather is allowable on commonage lands within GLAS and also on lands in receipt of the Natura payment rate of €79/ha.
