Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
1484. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeframe for the introduction of new farm schemes such as the rollover of GLAS and extension of TAMS; the options available to farmers that have exited schemes such as AEOS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32301/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs CAP negotiations are ongoing, my Department is pressing for the earliest adoption of EU regulations to facilitate the operation of schemes in the period between the current CAP and the CAP Strategic Plan post-2020. Our intention is to rollover the existing schemes from the current RDP and the Government made provision for this in the Budget with an allocation of €879m for agri-environment schemes for next year. This is to ensure that scheme participants have certainty on their scheme participation next year during the transitional phase.
This budget funding allows for the roll-over of GLAS, BDGP and sheep welfare subject to the agreement of the European Commission. I also intend to have tranches of TAMS next year with the details to be finalised in due course.
My Department’s 2021 Budget estimate also includes provision of €79 million in new funding for a range of agri-environment initiatives. This includes the development of a pilot scheme to examine the implementation of results based environmental actions from farmers who are not currently in GLAS, and a number of pilot environmental actions that will be available to farmers on a broader basis.
I expect these pilot actions to inform the development of a major new environmental scheme for agriculture following on from GLAS.
