In Ireland commonage covers approximately 440,000 ha of land and is a major component of the farm area of many farms in the uplands. These areas deliver significant benefits not only for the livestock farmers who live there but they also important for access, tourism, wildlife, water supply ad a host of other public goods.
Ireland's Draft Rural Development Programme (RDP) provides the possibility to support and enhance the delivery of these public goods through targeted support measures. But many farmers see the proposed approach to implementing the RDP as as a barrier to participation rather than facilitating positive management of commonage.This is further compounded by eligibility issues on commonages for CAP support under Pillar I. Currently there is no clear guidance on eligibility rules for commonages and there is a danger that narrow interpretation of eligibility rules may lead to loss rather than enhancement of biodiversity and associated public goods.
A recent report takes six case study areas in counties Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Donegal, Kerry and Wicklow, covering many of the wide variety of circumstances found across the country (management practices, degree of actual use by active farmers, amount of dormant shares belonging to inactive shareholders, etc.) and draws out some key issues which policymakers might address to ensure the measures can be implemented effectively.
For more information go the the European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism website.
