Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Deering and Deputy Peter Burke.

I am pleased to speak to the House on this important issue on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed. The Government is very much aware of the importance of the suckler sector to Ireland's rural economy and the wider agri-food industry. In addition to its contribution to Irish beef exports of €2.4 billion last year, it helps to support farm income for around 70,000 farm households directly. Indirectly, it supports jobs in the meat processing sector, co-ops, feed merchants, agri-contractors and other local businesses. The Government strongly supports a vibrant and productive national suckler herd.

The beef data and genomic programme, BDGP, is the main support specifically targeted at the suckler sector and provides Irish beef farmers with some €300 million in funding over the current rural development programme period. So far under this programme, approximately €125 million has been paid out to farmers and the Government will continue to support the programme through the lifetime of the current rural development programme. This scheme, in addition to providing targeted support to Irish suckler farmers, is an important component of our national efforts to reducing the carbon footprint of our agricultural output. The BDGP was approved following extensive negotiations with the European Commission for this innovative programme. Supports under the programme are paid on the basis of costs incurred and income foregone by suckler farmers.

In addition to the BDGP, the Government provides a range of other supports which are available to suckler farmers, including GLAS and TAMS in addition to the basic payment scheme and disadvantaged area payments. The Government has argued and will continue to argue for as strong a CAP budget as is possible post-2020. The Government is particularly aware of the potential future threat of Brexit and any Mercosur trade deal to the national suckler herd. The Government is committed to working to ensure that Ireland's interests are strongly articulated during negotiations on Brexit. We will continue to work with like-minded member states to protect the interests of the EU beef sector in the context of EU discussions on a trade deal with Mercosur countries. The Government fully acknowledges the important contribution of the suckler herd to Ireland's beef exports which in 2017 amounted to €2.4 billion. Additionally, the beef produced by our pasture-based suckler farmers gives us a unique marketing advantage throughout the world. Ireland continues to increase its footprint in international markets, which in 2017 accounted for 6% of total beef exports compared to 3% in 2016.

Since he took office the Minister, Deputy Creed, has made increasing the levels of live exports a priority. The number of live animals exported in 2017 increased by 30% compared to 2016. I know the Minister sees a vibrant live export trade as an important source of income for suckler farmers and will continue his efforts in this area in 2018. The Government's view is that any future supports to the suckler herd should be designed to ensure that the national suckler herd is developed in a sustainable and efficient manner in line with the food wise strategy for the sustainable development of the agri-food sector as a whole.

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