Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the sum of €22 million, we are seeking accommodation from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in that regard because those moneys are now expected in 2023. It relates to the withholding of funding under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund from the European Commission because of our failure to implement a points system, a legal obligation on us dating back more than ten years. We were subject to legal enforcement and a case was brought at European level by the Commission for our failure to do that. The Commission also stalled our funding under the EMFF.

We introduced a penalty points system, probably 18 months ago, so this is the unlocking of the funding which had been withheld. We had already spent it, as such, and we are recouping it. We have been engaging and assessing to see when it is likely to come. We expected it this year but now it looks like it will be the start of next year instead, so we are adjusting the Estimate to reflect that.

Regarding the tillage scheme, it is correct to say there is competition for land use, but it is very important to grow the area under tillage. It is something on which there was a particular focus this year. The €10 million we spent on the scheme was successful and resulted in an overall increase of 25,000 ha converted from grassland to tillage land. There were increases in crops of wheat, barley, oats, maize, oilseed rape, red clover and fodder beet. I will repeat that next year. We want to retain the gains we got this year so we are putting in a €200 per hectare maintenance payment on the land that qualified as additional in the past year.