Ms Louise Byrne:

There are very targeted supports already in place for the tillage sector. The straw incorporation measure, SIM, and protein aid scheme have been mentioned. Already this year, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, paid out €32.4 million in supports for the tillage and horticulture sector. The budget negotiations are ongoing and we have to await the outcome.

We have a Food Vision tillage report that clearly sets out an ambition to grow the sector to 400,000 ha by 2030. Within that there is an ask from the stakeholders in the sector for supports to be provided directly to the tillage sector. Obviously, the Department is bound by the budgetary allocations we receive. Within the CAP strategic plan, the money is locked in for the SIM and protein aid scheme. It is our intention that any supports we get - if we get them - will be targeted. We are trying to support the tillage sector on the back of what has been a difficult year given the downward pressure on prices. That has been on the back of a few very difficult years as well. Our intention is to support the tillage sector and we feel we have done that. For instance, another support this year is the farming for water European Innovation Partnership, EIP. We all have a commitment to improve water quality but within that scheme, there are some very targeted supports for tillage farmers to grow catch crops. There has been a significant expression of interest from growers for that measure. There are specific supports for the tillage sector. The Government, in the programme for Government, is committed to supporting and growing the tillage sector.