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Agriculture Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

Ceisteanna (964)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

964. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the development of a successor scheme to GLAS as part of the 2021-2027 rural development programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5911/21]

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Freagraí scríofa

Negotiations regarding the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the associated draft regulations are still ongoing. While significant progress has been made, there are decisions on a number of key issues still to be made, particularly in relation to the proposed CAP Strategic Plan.  The proposed new Green Architecture which encompasses enhanced conditionality, eco-schemes and agri-environment climate measures needs to be considered in this regard.

The Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) was the national agri-environment climate measure under the Rural Development Programme to end 2020. To ensure that environmental benefits achieved to date are maintained and that farmers continue to receive support, the majority of GLAS contracts due to expire at end 2020 will be extended for a further year. As regards its successor scheme, it is proposed that a new agri-environment climate scheme will be included in Ireland’s new CAP Strategic Plan. As outlined in the Programme for Government, some elements will be piloted in the transitional phase between the CAP programming periods.

While the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation has yet to be finalised, my Department is currently working on designing the new agri-environment climate measure.  The experience gained from GLAS and the locally-led projects funded by my Department is informing this process.

I also recently announced the opening of public consultation on the development of a pilot project to test the feasibility of the results-based model in an agri-environment context and the possibilities for upscaling as part of the next national scheme. 

Question No. 965 answered with Question No. 946.
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