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Agriculture Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Ceisteanna (1204, 1205, 1206, 1207, 1208)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

1204. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 569 of 6 July 2021, if his Department can publish metrics (details supplied) for the REAP scheme in an effort to move towards a comprehensive evaluation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52535/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

1205. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 569 of 6 July 2021, if the monitoring and evaluation process report form referred to is complete; if such form or report contains metrics on afforestation by REAP applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52536/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

1206. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 569 of 6 July 2021, if the effects of GLAS on afforestation levels was taken into account when his Department decided that any parcels in REAP may not be converted to forestry during the term of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52537/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

1207. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 569 of 6 July 2021, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that farmer participation in afforestation dropped from 852 to 100 farmers during the term of GLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52538/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

1208. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the conditionality that any parcels in environmental schemes such as REAP and its successor may not be converted to forestry during the term of the contract is an EU requirement or a Government requirement; if this requirement can be ameliorated in new environment or eco schemes in the next CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52539/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1204 to 1208, inclusive, together.

The Department has commenced the monitoring and evaluation stage of REAP. This process will involve an analysis of field data, feedback from both participants and advisors and site-visits by the Department. The information collected will be used to inform the design and implementation of future agri-environment projects and schemes. The monitoring and evaluation aspect of REAP will run over the full term of the project. The details and findings from this process will be made available as part of the final project report.

Parcels selected for REAP may not be converted to forestry during the term of the contract. Nevertheless REAP is not a whole-farm project and opportunities continue to exist for afforestation and other Forestry Schemes on parcels which are not in REAP.

The Department actively promotes afforestation as a land use and the current Forestry Programme 2014-2020, extended to the end of 2022, consists of measures including Native Woodland Establishment, Agro-Forestry and Forestry for Fibre to encourage the planting of forests by landowners with a focus on afforestation of private lands. The Forestry Programme 2014 -2020 is 100% exchequer funded and represents State investment in the forestry sector of some €482m over its lifetime.

The draft regulation on the next Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) is currently being finalised and has still to be formally agreed. It is expected that commitments entered into as part of an agri-environment climate (AECM) measure shall be undertaken for the full contractual period in order to fulfil the contractual commitment. However, unlike the AECM, Eco schemes will operate on an annual basis, providing flexibility for farmers with regards to land use.

A county breakdown of currently active REAP contracts is attached.

County

Number of plans submitted

% of plan per County

Low Input Grassland Fields

Mixed Species Ley Fields

Total Fields

CAVAN

203

5.42%

723

2

725

CLARE

255

6.80%

986

1

987

CORK

177

4.72%

685

11

696

LIMERICK

133

3.55%

378

7

385

KILDARE

13

0.35%

38

1

39

OFFALY

65

1.73%

160

5

165

LAOIS

50

1.33%

129

2

131

MAYO

504

13.45%

1713

17

1730

SLIGO

156

4.16%

390

5

395

KILKENNY

40

1.07%

102

2

104

DONEGAL

240

6.40%

662

17

679

MEATH

58

1.55%

138

1

139

WATERFORD

12

0.32%

41

5

46

TIPPERARY

138

3.68%

419

6

425

WESTMEATH

115

3.07%

264

0

264

DUBLIN

2

0.05%

4

0

4

KERRY

178

4.75%

699

9

708

MONAGHAN

105

2.80%

342

2

344

LOUTH

11

0.29%

32

1

33

LEITRIM

152

4.06%

477

0

477

WICKLOW

61

1.63%

148

6

154

WEXFORD

19

0.51%

37

1

38

CARLOW

37

0.99%

97

1

98

GALWAY

602

16.06%

2074

30

2104

ROSCOMMON

275

7.34%

875

3

878

LONGFORD

147

3.92%

347

0

347

TOTAL

3748

100.00%

11960

135

12095

Question No. 1205 answered with Question No. 1204.
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