Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The commitment of the Government to the suckler cow sector, which underpins the beef industry, was never in question. We are the only member state that has a specifically focused initiative in our rural development programme for the suckler sector in the context of the beef data and genomics programme, which is delivering €300 million to the suckler cow sector. I have always said that in the context of supports it would have to be compatible with the objective of improving the genetic merit of the herd. That is compatible with our objectives in respect of climate change to make sure that the industry is as carbon efficient as possible. Much of that effort in terms of carbon efficiency leads to profitability for the farming sector also. The refrain the Deputy and I would have often heard at public meetings is that the cost of keeping a suckler cow for a 12-month period can be €700 to €800 and if she is quite an inefficient cow the cost could run over €1,000. The objective of the BDGP, and this scheme, is to accelerate a situation where the genetic merit of that herd delivers a smaller suckler cow, a bigger weanling, a cow that is in calf every year, that has an easy calving, that has sufficient milk to deliver a quality suckler cow and, in achieving all of those, improves profitability and drives down the carbon footprint. That is the direction of travel to which I have been committed from day one. I am glad that others now see the merit of going along the direction of a measure that is compatible with the BDGP rather than a coupled payment.

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