Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Jan, 2022 to 30 Apr, 2022
Specific Details
Agri-Environment Scheme
Intended results
To get a commitment from the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine that farmers will not experience a cut in payment in the new environment scheme when compared to GLAS and EIPs due to an imposed payment ceiling.
For the proposed new Agri-environment scheme, farmers who are farming land which is designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protected Areas (SPA) and Natural Heritage Area (NHA), and/or commonages must have priority access to all schemes and must be paid at a higher rate.
In relation to the Co-operation option of the new scheme, IFA has grave concerns that the design of the Co-operative option of the scheme could lead to leakage of CAP funds to third parties for administrative costs. Funds for administration costs must be found outside of CAP funds. IFA has been told this co-operative option aims to replace GLAS and the current EIPs.
The proposal is to have an upper payment limit of €10,000 on this co-operative option, which will inflict a major cut in payment on some farmers in comparison with what they have received through GLAS and EIPs combined. This is totally unacceptable and counterproductive.
Currently, some farmers participating in GLAS/GLAS+ and an EIP are being paid well in excess of €10,000 when both scheme and capital expenditure payments are taken into account.
To ensure all farmers who apply to the scheme are accepted in the first year-accepting farmers on a tranche basis will lead to a gap between completing GLAS and commencement of AECM
To increase numbers allowed into the scheme- The scheme is currently designed to support 50,000 farmers which is not sufficient to meet likely demand
To organise a meeting with members from DAFM to discuss and provide clarity on details surrounding the proposed new AECM
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Michael Biggins IFA Rural Development Chair, Denis Griffin IFA Senior Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Brendan Gleeson
Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Patrick Donohoe
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Pippa Hackett
Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Martin Heydon
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Jack O'Donnell
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Colm Hayes
Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)