merrion street

Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has today (Tuesday 25^th September, 2012) welcomed the announcement by his Cabinet colleague Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that €20 million has been allocated to a re-opened Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS).

The Agri-Environmental Options Scheme (AEOS,) is a targeted agri-environment scheme and is part-funded by the EU under the Rural Development Programme, 2007-2013. The scheme specifically targets the three challenges of halting biodiversity loss, contributing to the improvement of water quality and combating climate change.

In welcoming this announcement, Minister Deenihan said:

"Sustainable management plans are very important for the protection of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Minister Coveney has confirmed that, as in past years, farmers with commonage land in designated areas will be prioritised for the new AEOS scheme.

"Farmers are key players in preserving the best of our country - in landscape, biodiversity and heritage terms. AEOS can play a very important role in supporting farmers to look after biodiversity and the environment, and I welcome the new scheme."

A maximum payment of €4,000 per annum will apply to individual applicants under the re-opened scheme. Full details of the new scheme, including the terms and conditions and application forms will be available in the next few days at the Department's website at