Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Berry's question is quite a topical one. It is one that is coming up quite a bit at the moment and getting a lot of discussion as well. He is right that it was covered in the Irish Farmers' Journallast week and it has been raised at many of the meetings I have been having with farm organisations in recent weeks too.

I want to be clear that no decision has been taken by the Government to proceed with such a scheme. There has been no such Government decision, and no Exchequer funding provision is currently in place for such a scheme either. I have repeatedly stated that no farmer will be forced to reduce livestock numbers as part of the climate action plan process. I want to be very clear in saying the same thing here again this morning.

I established the Food Vision beef and sheep group, as well as the Food Vision dairy group last year to advance the actions for the beef and sheep and also the dairy sectors identified in the Food Vision 2030 strategy, as well as taking into account requirements for the sector to contribute to achieving the targets set for agriculture emissions in the climate action plan.

The first priority for both groups was to chart a pathway to achieving the legally binding target of a 25% reduction by 2030. Both the beef and sheep as well as the dairy groups submitted reports to me at the end of last year, which have been published. Those reports identified the measures that could contribute to reducing emissions. Since the reports were published, I have stated that owing to the serious concern expressed by the farming organisations on the proposals for voluntary reduction schemes, which would have provided a payment for those who were in position to reduce their herd or exit beef farming entirely, that such schemes in relation to the beef and suckler sector are off the table. Farming organisations said they were not in favour of it, and they were adamant on that. I want to work in partnership with farmers. I said: "Fair enough. It is off the table. That will not happen."

A key recommendation in relation to the Food Vision dairy group was to explore and take forward a voluntary reduction scheme for the dairy herd. In contrast to the beef and sheep sector, the Food Vision dairy group containing the farm organisations recommended that we should explore the capacity for such a scheme to play a role. At the moment, I am engaging and consulting further with the Food Vision dairy group as to what that might look like before I make any further decision on it.

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