Rose Conway-Walsh challenges GAEC 2 peat classification impact

I listened carefully to your answer to my colleague Martin Kinney earlier on, and the principal issue still stands of the categorisation of the land parcels. The measure aims to protect peat, but the classification of all parcels of land with more than 50% peat soils being subject to GAEC will severely disadvantage farmers across Mayo and across the western seaboard. I heard you denying that, Minister, but 100,000 hectares of mineral soils are being wrongly classified. And the EU Commission officials, whom the INHFA met with last week, have confirmed that this type of classification is not legally required. So I'm asking you and your department to find a solution to this major issue. The EU Commission have said it could be redlined and managed differently. Now, I'm asking you, can you put in an amendment to address these well-founded concerns? And will you commit that your department will put in an appeals process that farmers can appeal as well? I can't do this in a minute. Let me start taking grave exception to the phrase Deputy Conway-Walsh Hughes of severely disadvantaged farmers in Mayo or anywhere in relation to GAEC 2. That is not the case. Day-to-day farming agricultural activity will continue on this. In relation to the basic point raised by Deputy Connolly initially, and follow on by Deputy Kenny's point that, you know, we could split the parcel out. I've dealt with the INHFA. They've proposed alternative wording in a footnote. They've asked me to try and include. I've included that in a proposal to the Commission. So I am working with them. It is not the case. The Commission require us to put it in. They then audited afterwards. And if we're wrong, if we can't control it, then there comes a disallowance. We could be in breach up to the value of 100 million euro fine recurring on the single farm payment if we get this wrong. So we have to have a small controllable area. The alternative to Deputy Connolly to have a 50% peat is to have a 100% peat in the land parcel. That would bring in 880,000 hectares of mineral soils. So I'm striking the balance right here while also saying that farmers' activity will not change. Their day-to-day activity can continue. This isn't the designation. Like some people outside of this house are scaremongering about. I want to reassure farmers of that their day-to-day activity will still continue. We want to work with you on this, but I think you have to understand that there's a legacy of mistrust. I come from severely designated areas where people now cannot get planning permission. And it's getting worse. I'm telling you, it's getting worse than the planning permission refusals over these days because something is an NHA or an SAC or whatever. And we are actively depopulating areas of Mayo, certainly areas around Caratighe, around the Mullet Peninsula and all of that. So I don't want the same thing to happen. Deputy Kenny? No, I'm fine. If the Minister can just clarify that it can be split on application. Oh, yeah. Split, yeah. So, look, Deputy Connolly, it's no wonder farmers are concerned. They're very concerned. Deputy Connolly, you can only raise those concerns. I can only answer back. And for numerous occasions in this house, in media, in front of farming organisations, public meetings and private meetings, to reassure farmers this is not designation. When words like designation are used, when references to planning are used, as was used earlier as well, that sets farmers' fear. The only people that will know that a land parcel is gate 2 is the farmer and the Department of Agriculture. Local planning authority will have no idea of that. They have no access to that map. They won't know that. This does not impact planning. I can't be any clearer in terms of those reassurances. Yes, Deputy Kenny, you can change your parcel, look to split it. You do need a natural boundary. You can do it as part of the business. It's not a part. You don't need an appeal to do it. But you do need a natural boundary, a hedge, a ditch, a river course, whatever it goes through. And back to Deputy Connolly, your point around the smaller farmers. The impact of smaller farmers. Conditionality is applicable to all farmers, regardless of size. However, those with farms that are less than 10 hectares in total area are already exempted from controls and penalties of conditionality. And finally, on the point of an appeals mechanism, there will be an appeals mechanism through my department which farmers can avail. Thank you, Minister. And we move now to Deputy Malcolm Byrne. Thank you.