Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are no plans at the moment to introduce such a scheme. We have two reports: the food vision dairy group report, which has proposed a voluntary reduction scheme for dairy farmers that had significant support among a number of stakeholders on the group. Some of the farm organisations reserved their position on that. We have another proposal from the beef and sheep group on which there are various views. Most of the farm organisations and the meat processors have not been in favour of any voluntary reduction in the suckler sector. I am considering both reports.

I have backed suckler beef farming and will continue to do so. That is why I put in place a new scheme from January next year that will pay €150 per cow for the first ten. It will improve the efficiency of the herd as well as reducing emissions and costs through improved genetics. I, as Minister, and we, as a Government, will continue to ensure that farm incomes are central for beef suckler farmers while in the process, try to reduce our emissions. I am considering both reports in the context of what we can do for our overall climate action plan targets. I will work closely with the sector to ensure incomes and the impact of any proposal is fully considered. Ultimately in anything we do, we need to see farm incomes increase in the process.

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