The Department of Agriculture is seeking applications from advisers to prepare a commonage management plan (CMP) for 300 commonages under the Green Low-carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS).

There are 225 commonages where no initial assignment was made and for which expressions of interest are now invited to the Department.

There are a further 75 commonages where more than one adviser expressed interest and the person assigned is no longer in a position to complete the commonage management plan and for which expressions of interest are now also invited.

Applications must be submitted on the GLAS Commonage Authorisation Form and will be accepted up to and including 11 August 2017 from interested commonage advisers currently approved by the Department.

When the time for submission of applications has elapsed, the Department may proceed to appoint commonage advisers directly to any commonage(s) for which no GLAS authorisation form has been submitted.

No CMPs have been submitted for any farmers in GLAS to date.

In 2016, it emerged that the 75 commonages mentioned above no longer had a planner assigned as the Teagasc/FRS planners appointed had left the position, leaving these commonages in limbo.

Flexibility

In response to the call for advisers, Colm O’Donnell, national president of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmer Association (INHFA), wants flexibility for farmers and advisers to submit commonage management plans.

The deadline for submission of the plans is 31 October 2017.

“We’re calling for flexibility, that planners and farmers have to be given an extension to the end of 2018, to comply with the plan.”

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Farming on a hill on the periphery of Europe