Dáil debates

Thursday, 11 October 2018

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Sheepmeat Sector

11:10 am

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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10. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the financial support sheep farmers have received is measured. [41461/18]

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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This question relates to the way in which the financial support sheep farmers have received is measured.

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I am conscious of the important role that the sheep sector plays in the continued growth and development of our agrifood sector.  For example, in 2017 some 63,000 tonnes of sheep meat worth €311 million was exported, with diversification evident from our traditional primary markets of France and the UK. 

With this in mind, I have ensured that my Department has put in place a range of supports for the sheep sector in recent years across a number of schemes.  With regard to pillar 1 supports under the CAP, sheep farmers continue to benefit from the direct income support available under the basic payment scheme, BPS.  In addition, Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, contains a number of support schemes which offer direct financial benefit to Irish sheep farmers.  Sheep farmers continue to benefit from the areas of natural constraint, ANC, scheme and from GLAS in large numbers, as well as from capital investment support under the targeted agricultural modernisation schemes, TAMS.  The RDP also includes specific provision for sheep farmers within the knowledge transfer programme, which has helped to build on the existing knowledge base and skills set in the sector in a way which will help to ensure continued sustainable development in the sector. 

In addition to these measures, in December 2016, I announced a new sheep welfare scheme as an amendment to the RDP.  Under this scheme, farmers are required to choose from a menu of actions which aim to improve the overall welfare of their flock. These actions must be completed over a 12-month period and, in return, the farmer receives a payment of €10 per breeding ewe. 

This important support was introduced for a period of four scheme years, and I am glad that more than €18.4 million has issued to sheep farmers in respect of year one of the scheme.  A total of 85% of advance payments under year two of the scheme are due to commence in November of this year.

Taking the range of available schemes together, in excess of €617.5 million was paid in direct financial supports to sheep farmers in 2017.  The corresponding figure for 2016  was €601.6 million.

My Department has recently written to all farmers outlining to them the schedule of payments under various schemes in the coming months and I will continue to ensure that these vital supports are prioritised for farmers. For example, almost €195 million has already been paid out to farmers under the 2018 ANC scheme and 70% advance payments under the BPS are due to commence from October 16.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Furthermore, in acknowledging that the extension of electronic identification to all sheep represents a cost to keepers, I recently announced a once-off support measure of up to €100 per keeper to assist with this cost. This payment will be related to the first purchase of electronic tags between 1 October 2018 and 30 September 2019 with a cost of up to €3.6 million.

I am committed to ensuring that my Department continues to work to underpin the development of the sheep sector.

11:20 am

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for the information there.

Deputies Martin Kenny and Scanlon would be supportive on this. In the area that we represent where there is much hill-farming and sheep-farming, and which is also in a disadvantaged area, farmers tell me that they look forward to there being more benefits in addition to what the Minister outlined and, indeed, that these farmers would be looked after, particularly in disadvantaged areas. The Minister mentioned the funding that has been made available to the sheep farmers but many of them, certainly in my area, are concerned about the future. The Minister might elaborate on that.

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Deputy McLoughlin will be aware that last year we introduced an additional payment of €25 million under the ANC scheme, probably better known as the disadvantaged area scheme. In delivering that payment, we decided to target it at a rate of €13 million for the most severely handicapped which is the hill and mountain land to which the Deputy referred, €9 million for the intermediary level of disadvantage and €3 million for the lower level of disadvantage. That will now be enhanced by an additional €23 million that we have secured in this year's budget which, cumulatively, will bring us back to the €250 million position where ANC payments were prior to 2008 when they were cut by the then Fianna Fáil Government. We are back to that level of payment under the ANC scheme. While it is my intention to consult with farm organisations and stakeholders as to how that additional €23 million should be allocated, my own preferred course would be to repeat the direction of travel that we did last and focus the payment at those who have the highest level of disadvantage, and thereby build on the schemes that we have had in the area of sheep welfare, etc. This would deliver more to those farmers who are in a low income sector working in a most disadvantaged area and delivering significant public goods at the same time.

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I would place the emphasis on the disadvantaged areas. I represent a disadvantaged area, as do some of the Deputies here this morning, many of whom would be of the same opinion. Certainly, I welcome the addition funding €23 million in the budget that the Minister mentioned but it is vitally important that we support these farmers.

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Although it is often not acknowledged, I represent a constituency that has significant amounts of such land, from the west Muskerry area, in particular, the hills of Cúil Aodha, Ballyvourney and Ballingeary. I am aware of that hill sheep farmer component, the value of the products that they produce, and as I said, the public goods. That is why the ANC payments are recognised by me as a way of delivering direct financial support into that sector in a targeted way, and to deliver it according to the higher levels of disadvantage, as I said, is something that I would like to repeat in 2019 with the additional €23 million that we now have.

Question No. 11 replied to with Written Answers.