Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I take Deputy Ó Cuív's point. It has always been a challenge to get smaller herds into the suckler schemes. That was the experience with the previous scheme as well. This scheme is much more attractive in terms of pay rates. Last time around, somebody with fewer than nine or ten cows would have received €90 per cow. The payment this time around is €150. That is a big increase in the funding we are giving to farmers who would have fewer than ten cows. If people look at the detail relating to the previous scheme, they will find that the percentage take-up among those with had fewer than ten cows was much smaller. Much of that is related to the fact that the payment in respect of a smaller number of animals would always be lower than that for a higher number of animals. In addition, there is a much higher likelihood that there will be off-farm income involved. A farmer with 20 or 30 cows and 60 or 70 sheep would be very dependent. A a small proportion of such farmers would have off-farm incomes and would definitely not be leaving the €150 per cow behind. We are seeking to make the scheme as strong as possible by increasing the payment from €90 to €150 per cow. The scheme is open to everyone but, certainly, it is harder to get those with fewer than ten animals to apply.

See this speech in context