The first of the Department of Agriculture's public information meetings on the new stocking regime for commonages will take place tonight.

The meetings will be held in the Kenmare Bay Hotel, Kenmare, Co Kerry and the Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo at 8pm.

Commonage farmers are being urged to attend the meetings which will provide information on future requirements under the Basic Payment Scheme under Pillar I and the GLAS scheme under Pillar II of the CAP.

Ahead of tonight's meetings, the IFA have called on the Department of Agriculture to apply the maximum flexibility in commonage areas so that all active farmers can qualify for the Single Farm Payment, Disadvantaged Areas payments and the new GLAS scheme.

IFA Hill Chairman Pat Dunne called for the minimum stocking level of 0.1 lu/ha to be applied in a flexible way. Where farmers have to increase their numbers, he said they must be given a long lead-in time to achieve this. He added that consideration must be given for commonages which currently meet good environmental conditions and should not have to take on more onerous conditions in order to qualify for payment.

The IFA Hill Chairman also said that the Department should show flexibility where the commonage shareholding of the farmer is below a certain size as it may be impractical for them to meet the conditions that could be imposed.

GLAS

In relation to GLAS and the commitment made by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney last July, the IFA will demand at the meetings that the Commonage Implementation Body, chaired by Joe Healy, address the situation when the 50% management agreement cannot be achieved. The IFA say this is important to ensure that active farmers qualify for the GLAS up to a maximum payment of €5,000 and the GLAS+ of an additional €2,000 to give a total maximum of €7,000.

Dunne also restated his call on Minister Coveney to get the GLAS scheme up and running as soon as possible, with the necessary flexibilities. “No barriers must be put in the way of effective implementation of GLAS and early approval from the EU Commission is now urgently required."

Further Department meetings will take place throughtout the country:

  • Peacockes Hotel, Maam Cross, Co Galway on 1 October
  • The Glendalough Hotel, Glendalough, Co Wicklow and Nesbitt Arms Hotel, Ardara, Co Donegal on 2 October
  • Four Seasons Hotel, Carlingford, Co Louth and Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway, Co Cork on 7 October
  • Clonmel Park Hotel, Clonmel, Co Tipperary on 8 October
  • All meetings will take place at 8pm.

    The IFA will meet with the Department of Agriculture over the coming weeks to discuss any outstanding issues to be resolved following the meetings.