The European Commission has issued Ireland with a letter of comfort in relation to the Rural Development Programme, which means a number of schemes can now open. The news was confirmed today (Monday, 20/04/2015) by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney.
“The receipt of the letter of comfort is the culmination of an intense period of consultation between officials in my Department and the EU Commission in relation to the content of our RDP,” he said.
Formal adoption of RDPs in Europe will be delayed until after the Multi-Annual Financial Framework is amended at EU level, so the EU Commission agreed to issue letters of comfort to allow countries to roll of funding.
The schemes funded by the RDP include the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS), the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS), the Beef Genomics Scheme and the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC), as well as LEADER.
“The roll out of these schemes will underpin increased competitiveness and growth in rural Ireland and the agri-food sector over the period to 2020,” said Minister Coveney.
(Source – Irish Farmers Journal – 20/04/2015)
Donegal looks set to benefit considerable under the €4 billion Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The phased roll out of the scheme is expected to begin shortly. Among the schemes supported are the new Agri-environment and climate scheme (GLAS) which is the successor to the previous REPS and AEOS schemes, and a range of other environmental schemes; Support Scheme for Areas of Natural Constraint (formerly Disadvantaged Areas); Support for a range of on farm capital investments; Support for a range of knowledge transfer measures ; Support for the beef sector via the Beef Data and Genomics Programme; Support for projects delivered via the LEADER mechanism (operated by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government).