Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this. I start by again reaffirming my commitment to our domestic tillage sector. It is dynamic, sustainable and world-class and I am committed to securing the long-term future of the sector. I want to see it grow in the years ahead and we understand the tillage sector's importance and how it is an integral component of our industry. We also know it makes a significant contribution to the overall agricultural output. Last year it was estimated at €1 billion in value at farm gate prices. We have also recognised the importance of the Food Vision 2030 strategy and in the climate action plan, where a target has been set to increase the area in tillage to 400,000 ha. That is an ambitious target but one we can achieve and that is well-founded, given that the sector is one of the most carbon-efficient sectors in Irish agriculture.

To help achieve this target, I recently established the Food Vision 2030 tillage group, which had its first meeting on 11 May. This group is bringing together all of the relevant stakeholders to set out a road map for the sustainable growth and development of the sector up to 2030. I am aware of the challenges facing the tillage sector, including access to land. Other issues relevant to the sector will be discussed in detail by the group as well. Once it has concluded its recommendations, and I have asked it to carry out that work urgently, I will fully consider them.

In recent years I have also been proactive in introducing a number of innovative measures to support the sector. Last year I introduced the tillage incentive scheme and that contributed to an increase in the area under tillage of 20,000 ha, or approximately a 6% increase on the year before. We paid out just under €10 million through that to over 3,500 farmers. That was paid at a rate of €400 per hectare for each new hectare of tillage and I am running that again this year at the same rate but with an additional €200 per hectare maintenance payment for anything that qualified for the €400 per hectare payment last year.

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