Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Calleary for his question. Hill farming is a very important sector in the Deputy's constituency, as it is in mine. The sheep welfare scheme has been in place for the past while and was continued in 2020, 2021 and again for 2022. In addition, some of the key payments that are very important for hill farmers, such as the areas of natural constraint, ANC, payment, have been maintained for this year, as have environmental schemes.

The Deputy's question relates to the next CAP programme which was announced just yesterday. Overall, it provides for a 50% increase in the national co-financing based on the previous CAP. For this seven-year period, we will see €2.9 billion of national co-financing compared with €1.9 billion in the previous CAP. This is a demonstration of the significant commitment of this Government to supporting farm families. Included in that is support for sheep farmers.

In the proposals, to start in 2023, we will see an increase in the sheep welfare scheme, which will be available at €12 per ewe. Support will also be provided through the ANC payment, which has been available until now, and the young farmer schemes.

What will be particularly significant for sheep farmers will be the significant support available under the new environmental scheme, for which 50% extra funding will be provided. The new scheme will succeed the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, and the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, which preceded the AEOS. There will be the potential for some farmers to avail of landscape options and earn up to a maximum of €10,000, with an average of €7,500, and for other farmers to earn up to a maximum €7,000, with an average payment of €5,000. That will strongly support our hill sheep sector.

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