Hill Farming Council Report November 2021

Comhairle na Tuaithe

• A pilot insurance policy for 2 Mountain Access Project areas has been launched by Comhairle na Tuaithe.
  • The policy commenced on August 13^th and it is initially a two-year pilot.
  • The Pilot Insurance policy covers 1) Ben Sleibhe, Co Galway and 2) MacGillycuddy Reeks, Co. Kerry.
• IFA is insisting that the insurance / indemnification be extended to include all walking access areas and that cover for all farmers is in place without further delay.  Farmer can’t be expected to carry the risk which is causing stress and anxiety.
• IFA continually raise management of dogs in the countryside with Comhairle na Tuaithe.
• IFA continues to participate in the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy which is currently being developed by Comhairle na Tuaithe in conjunction with the Department of Rural and Community Development. 

Walk Scheme

• Following IFA pressure, the Minister for Rural & Community Development, Heather Humphry’s has announced that 31 new trails have been added in 13 counties as part of an extension which was secured by IFA in the Budget.
• There are now 80 trails under the scheme, which is operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development in conjunction with the Local Development Companies and over 2,400 farmers and landowners
• This brings the total number of trails on the scheme to 80.
• Following calls from IFA, additional funding has been provided to Local Development Companies that deliver schemes locally, as well as for the salaries paid to Rural Recreation Officers. 
• 8 new Rural Recreation Officer posts have been created to further enhance our outdoor amenities, bringing the total number of RRO’s to 21. 
• Indicative areas for the new RRO positions include; 
  • North Kerry 
  • Louth 
  • Waterford 
  • The Islands 
  • West Cork (additional post given large number of existing participants on the scheme)
  • Remainder of Cork 
  • Limerick 
  • Cavan and surrounding areas

Additional Walking trails:

	County	LDC	Name	Est. Length of Trail (km)	Est. No. of Land holders
1	Cavan	Breffni Integrated	The Cavan Way	26	11
2	Cork	West Cork Development Co	Slí Gaeltacht Mhuscraí	50	16
3	Galway	Forum Connemara	Luibin Garumna/ Sli Chonamara	9	9
4	Galway	Forum Connemara	Luibin Maighros	5	7
5	Galway	Forum Connemara	Seanbothar	5	25
6	Kerry	NEWKD	Dingle Way	178	80
7	Kerry	NEWKD	North Kerry Way	48	10
8	Kerry	NEWKD	Glanageenty Loops (3 looped walks)	19.5	3
9	Kerry	South Kerry Dev P/ship	Bolus Loop/Skellig Way	13.6	4
10	Kerry	South Kerry Dev P/ship	Pound & Knockeenawaddra Loop	7	11
11	Kerry	South Kerry Dev P/ship	Caher Marsh	3.9	7
12	Kerry	South Kerry Dev P/ship	Emlagh Loop – Reenroe Cliff Walk	10	10
13	Kerry	South Kerry Dev P/ship	Keel Uphill Downhill Loop	13	7
14	Kilkenny	Kilkenny LDC	South Leinster Way	104	28
15	Kilkenny	Kilkenny LDC	Brandon Hill	19	9
16	Laois	Laois Partnership Company	Durrow Leafy Loop	23	3
17	Leitrim	Leitrim Integrated Dev Co	Arroo Trail	4.23	18
18	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Ballyhoura Way	89	17
19	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Slieveragh Loop	10	2
20	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Molanna Loop Walk	13	15
21	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Darragh Hills Loop	10	3
22	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Attychrann Loop	5	2
23	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Glounreagh Loop walk	6	2
24	Limerick	Ballyhoura Development	Paradise Hill	13	2
25	Louth	Louth Leader Partnership	Slieve Foy Loop (6 looped walks)	46	32
26	Roscommon	Roscommon Integrated Dev Co	Lung/Lough Gara Way	38.2	9
27	Sligo	Co. Sligo Leader Partnership	Aughris Head Trail	3.2	4
28	Sligo	Co. Sligo Leader Partnership	Lung Lough Gara Walk	30	9
29	Waterford	Waterford Leader Partnership	St. Declan’s Way	115	45
30	Waterford	Waterford Leader Partnership	Anne Valley Walk	5	13
31	Wicklow	County Wicklow Partnership	Wicklow Uplands Way	8.8	4
				930	417

Designated Land

• IFA again is insisting that there must be no new designations. 
• Payment rates need to reflect the restrictions imposed on farmers due to the designation.
• The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme opened for new applications in March and closed on Friday 09 April 2021. 
• 119 plans went through to the next stage to have schemes designed.
• IFA insists that the scheme should also be reopened to include all farmers who are farming on land which is designated
• Budget ’22 allocated €120 million to conserve and manage Ireland’s heritage.  Specific allocations are not outlined, nevertheless farmers will benefit through delivery of conservation projects under LIFE and other funding instruments. Also included is an expanded NPWS Farm Plan programme, bog restoration and conservation of protected peatlands, including raised bog compensation schemes
• IFA Hill Committee continues to participate in the Designated Areas Monitoring Committee. 

CAP     

• At a recent meeting with the Department IFA got clarification that GLAS 1,2 & 3 and EIP’s will be rolled over for 2022 and there would be no extra costs imposed on farmers including planning costs in commonage areas.
• The proposed new agri-environment scheme set to be the successor of GLAS is proposed to have two options under the scheme, a General option and a Co-operation Project option
• The Co-operation Project option will be available to farmers in eight defined high priority geographical areas, who opt to undertake standard measures, as well as bespoke farm, landscape and river catchment measures. Farmers participating in this option will have the assistance of a Local Cooperation Project Team, who will assist with implementation of the scheme at local level.  The general option will be open to farmers not in the eight co-operative areas above.
• IFA insist that the funding for the Local Project Team involved in the running of the co-operative option part of the scheme must not come from CAP and leakage of funds must not be allowed.  The minister will be judged on the percentage of money going to farmers.

Burning 

• IFA got a commitment from DAFM that if a farmer has evidence or a sworn affidavit that they did not burn the land the land themselves, penalties would be waved.
• DAFM claim the scarred area is still ineligible for payment 
• IFA insists that farmers whose land was burned but not by themselves in the spring on or after March 1st must not be penalised either with a penalty or have area classified as ineligible due to the burning when it is clearly eligible again before the BPS application date. 
• There are a number of reviews and appeals pending.  This will be monitored closely over the coming months.

Upcoming Events

Meeting with NPWS – November 2021

Comhairle na Tuithe meeting – November 25^th 2021