CHANGES to an award-winning scheme that has supported farmers to deliver million of euros worth of conservation measures in the Burren have been branded “an unholy mess”.
The Burren Programme incentivises those farming one of the most sensitive landscapes in the country, with payments to promote sustainable agricultural management.
Since its inception, the pioneering programme has supported more than 400 local farmers who have delivered at least €33 million worth of landscape and biodiversity improvements.
Despite its internationally-recognised achievements, the programme will change radically as of January 1, 2023. From the start of next year, farmers will have to transfer to the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, ACRES Burren Aran, which covers a territory from the Aran Islands to Loughrea in East Galway. It is feared the move will lead to a drop in payments to farmers and decrease incentives for conservation measures.
Burren IFA member, Michael Davoren has sought an urgent meeting with Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.
“This is an unholy mess and it’s simply unthinkable that something that is the toast of Europe and a template for countless other projects should be destroyed,” Mr Davoren told The Champion.
“The Minister himself agreed that the Burren Programme is an example of best practice. The Taoiseach has given commitments on biodiversity and the truth is that without the dedicated programme, the Burren will revert to a hazel forest in 20 years. We have been two decades keeping it at bay. It’s hard work, but it’s viable with funding.”
In an effort to keep the programme as it is, a letter was sent last month to the Agricultural Minister, but so far, no date for a meeting has been set. “In the Minister’s defence, he had the terrible tragedy of Creeslough in his constituency,” Mr Davoren said. “However, at this point in time, we would expect to hear from him.”
All of Clare’s Oireachtas members have been contacted and provided with a briefing document outlining how average payments could decrease from around €9,000 to €7,000.
Farmers’ proposed solution would be to treat the Burren landscape as an “exceptional circumstance” given “the unique extent and quality of the habitats and archaeology present”. They believe such a measure is allowable under the terms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), but they have to-date, been unable to make the case in-person to the Minister.
Dr Brendan Dunford, Manager of the Burren Programme, has withdrawn from the scheme, but ACRES Burren Aran will retain local offices. Despite his concerns, he urged farmers to apply for the scheme. “There is no other option and farmers should apply,” he told The Champion.
“Not all of the details are fully clear, but we anticipate there will be some winners and some losers in terms of payments. As well as that, we are very concerned about maintaining the positive environmental impact. The Burren Programme worked so well that the Department wanted to expand it. We had a good team of 330 farmers, now the new scheme will have 1,300 farmers. Growth is good but we don’t want to have scale if we’re going to lose integrity.”
Mr Dunford said the unanswered questions over the new scheme have put huge pressure on farm advisors and that details will not be clear for some weeks.
“The Burren Programme is unique in Ireland and Europe and shows that farmers can deliver for the environment if they are supported,” he added. “Farmers are a huge asset with it comes to the environment.”
A report published by the Department of Agriculture in 2020 listed the benefits of the Burren Programme, including the generation of €23 million in the local economy, and the support of round 20 local jobs each year. It also highlighted the removal of scrub on 328 farms over 23,000 hectares. At the time of going to print, the Department had not responded to a request for comment.