Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The scheme has been a success on a number of levels. We had seen sheep numbers reduce year on year and were getting to a stage where the perception was developing that a farmer could not make money from sheep farming. We had to put a scheme in place to help farmers to make more money from responsible sheep production and that was the origin of the sheep grassland scheme which was a three year scheme. This was to be the last year of the scheme. We believe it makes sense to continue it but to divert some of the money towards a discussion group model that we know has worked well for other sectors in order that, as well as supporting the income of sheep farmers and the quality of production, we can help upskill them to ensure they are maximising the potential of their holdings and the returns they obtain. That is what discussion groups do.

Although farmers have seen this move as a cut to the sheep grassland scheme, they should instead look at it in the round and realise that while there is a slight reduction in financial support for the scheme, there is a new opportunity for them to sign up to participate in a sheep discussion group through which they will be paid €1,000 a year to attend meetings and participate in discussions that will help them to run a more effective lamb and sheep production business. That is a good use of the money.

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