More than 430,000ha of eligible commonages were declared last year under area-based schemes with approximately 80% of this area being claimed, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.

According to Minister Martin Heydon the unclaimed area is "typically due to dormant shareholders and farmers not carrying out an agricultural activity on particular commonages".

In response to a parliamentary question tabled by Labour's Dublin Fingal West TD, Robert O'Donoghue, on the "scale of commonage dormancy in Ireland", Minister Heydon outlined that if none of the applicants on a commonage carry out agricultural activities, "then the whole commonage becomes ineligible for payment in the year in question".

The minister stated: "Each year farmers through the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes application are required to declare all lands that they farm, including commonages.

"They are also required to declare the specific agricultural activity that they are carrying out on those land."

Commonage in general refers to land where grazing lands are jointly owned or towhich grazing rights are attached.

While Minister Heydon acknowledged that the predominant activity is livestock grazing farmers may also choose to maintain the lands in other ways, for example habitat restoration, if that is what is required on the commonages.

He also told the Dublin Fingal West TD, that the continuing management of commonages by farmers "is critical to ensure that these habitats are managed and maintained".

Minister Heydon said: "In addition to BISS, result-based payments under the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) reward farmers based on the quality of the habitat on the commonage.

"It is of critical importance that farmers continue to be supported to farm commonages and I will continue to engage with farmers on these lands to ensure that the most appropriate supports are in place to make sure that these lands are not abandoned."