Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The suckler welfare scheme is funded fully by the Exchequer. The continuation of the scheme and the level of funding to be provided are budgetary matters which will be decided in the context of the forthcoming 2010 budget and the Estimates provision for the Department. The scheme was introduced in January 2008 and has more than 50,000 farmer participants. It covers approximately 85% of the country's suckler herd. It is expected that payments in 2008 and 2009 will amount to almost €64 million in respect of the 2008 scheme year. Due to the high level of participation in year one, the rate of payment in respect of the 2009 scheme year, that is calves born in 2009, was reduced from €80 to €40 per head. This announcement was made in the context of the allocation of the funding available in the 2009 budget. However, farmers have shown they remain committed to the scheme, which has been successful in meeting its objectives of improving welfare and husbandry standards, building knowledge of herd health and improving the breed quality of the suckler herd.

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