Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture, Claire Kerrane has called for a “definite decision” to be made on the proposal for buffer zones around areas where turf cutting is permitted in commonage areas.
The deputy said that “concerns” have been raised over the introduction of the buffer zones having impacts on scores under the agri-climate rural environment scheme (ACRES) and possibly reduced ACRES payments.
In a parliamentary question, Deputy Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue for work to be completed as quickly as possible.
“Farmers need to be clear that on commonages where turf is being cut, a buffer zone will not exist,” Deputy Kerrane said.
Buffer zones
Minister McConalogue said that during the scoring of the commonage areas, he was “conscious” that turf cutting activity could potentially have a “disproportionate impact” on commonage scores.
The initial intention was that everything would be scored within the one commonage, and the turbary would be within that commonage as well.
A protocol was then developed for the cooperation project teams to ensure turbary and non-turbary areas were assessed separately.
Minister McConalogue said that after the implementation, the protocol was settled on and then the cooperation teams scored that based on the 100m buffer, or less than that where there are natural breaks.
“This 100m buffer is not applied where there is distinct ideological divide between active turbary and the adjacent commonage, such as a watercourse,” the minister said.
Deputy Kerrane said: “The minister must be clear on this when he has completed the work as quickly as possible because it will affect scores and it will affect payments if the 100m buffer zone around these areas goes ahead.”
Minister McConalogue said that the issue of the buffer was brought to his attention for the first time by some farm representative organisations in the last 10 days.
He said that he is awaiting a report from officials to receive the likely impacts the buffer could have on payments.
“Now that it has been brought to my attention, I am looking at it to fully assess it. I am very conscious of the issue,” Minister McConalogue said.