Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her question. With the indulgence of the House, I note at the outset that we do not have any questions at the top of the ranking on the list in respect of payments. That is a reflection of the hard work that the payments section has done in recent times to work through the new Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, and to pay out significant payments. Some 90% of the applicants for the new basic payment or basic income supplement scheme are being paid this week. I say that in the context that today is the last day in the Department for the assistant secretary in charge of the payments section, Mr. Paul Dillon. He has been a civil servant for 43 years and has given great service in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and other Departments throughout his career. He is a rock of sense, practicality and pragmatism. He works very hard and is a representation of what is great about our Civil Service. I wish him well on his final day. I know the House will join me in that sentiment. I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and Deputy Kerrane for their indulgence.

On the Deputy's question, my Department has worked on a continuous basis to access BAR funding. As a result of that approach, my Department has been the most successful across the Government in securing funds from what was a very restrictive set of eligibility conditions.

The BAR fund is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and his Department. My officials and I engage closely with that Department in analysing and assessing potential measures eligible to be funded from BAR to support of the agrifood sector. The fund was put in place by the EU to provide financial support to the most affected member states to counter the adverse impacts of Brexit. We have drawn down significant funding, particularly for fisheries, but also this year for the beef welfare scheme and the new genomics scheme, which deals with the genomic testing and sequencing of our national herd.

We have at all times been open to suggestions and have explored suggestions in respect of the BAR. It has been our objective to draw down funding in every way we could find that was eligible.

See this speech in context