Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

54. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise on measures to assist farmers with the difficulties they are facing as a result of weather conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18245/24]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I appreciate that a good chunk of time was taken up yesterday with statements on what the Minister has done to support and assist farmers given the very difficult weather conditions of the past few months. I want to ask specifically about the €100 per hectare payment that he announced for the tillage and horticulture sectors. When will we have more detail on this? Could he advise us on how he came up with the figure of €100 and whom it was agreed with? Who did the Minister hold discussions with to arrive at the figure?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Deputy for the question. We had a three-hour session here yesterday discussing this very topic. Over the past several weeks, we have all been very conscious of how challenging spring has been for farmers in all sectors, including dry stock, dairy, and tillage farmers. The Government has been very conscious of this and has worked to respond to farmers as challenges have emerged. Thankfully, in the past week we have seen the weather lift and there has been much activity. Animals are being let out onto the ground and we are seeing significant work being done to get crops into the ground.

As the Deputy knows, I have worked closely with the national fodder and feed security committee, which is under the chairmanship of Mike Magan, and have worked with all stakeholders to monitor the situation. We have put in place a pause on inspections up to 22 April to relieve pressure on farmers. Teagasc, through Frank O’Mara, Stan Lalor and their team, was providing support at local level to ensure farmers who were short could source fodder from those who, thankfully, had some to spare. Thankfully, the assessment of the national fodder committee shows there has been enough fodder across the country.

Most recently, following on from the transport subsidy I put in place was the commitment I gave at the recent Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis to deliver €100 per hectare to all farmers who plant seeds in the soil for harvesting in 2024. That is at a level I feel I will be able to work to identify and secure. The objective is to set a level that will give confidence to farmers that as they go out into the fields, particularly this week, the Government will respond by delivering the support. More risk is associated with yields due to crops having to be harvested later. The funding will have to be identified and secured. It is not funding that was in my most recent budget and there are no plans for a mini-budget, but I, as Minister, have given the commitment to farmers that I will deliver on the funding and work over the months ahead to secure it. It was important that farmers got the commitment in advance of being able to get into the fields to give them the confidence to go ahead with planting.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Those in both the tillage and horticulture sectors will be wondering when they will get the funding. This is really important. While those in the sectors are beginning to plant and sow seeds now and will continue to do so in the coming weeks, they will need to know when the financial support will be available to them.

I am sure the Minister has heard the critique from the grain growers and the IFA of the €100. Did the Minister engage with the sector when coming up with the figure of €100? I appreciate there are limitations and that the Minister now has to go to the Department of public expenditure to seek the funding, but what are really important are the publication of the details of the scheme, engagement with the sector and information on when the €100 per hectare will be made available. I am sure the Minister is anxious to get it out to farmers, but if any certainty can be given to them when they are planning what they are going to sow, it will be helpful. They are under financial pressure. When can they expect to see the payment?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have given the commitment to secure and deliver the funding. Although I have not yet received the funds, it was really important, given the pressure the sector was under, to provide clarity on what support would be forthcoming from the Government. I have been engaging on an ongoing basis this very long spring with all farm representative organisations, and also those in the tillage sector. I was very aware of the growing pressure on the sector and the need for intervention in advance of the planting to give confidence. Over the months ahead, I will have to identify the funding. It was really important before seeds were put in the soil, and to ensure we would see crops sown, for me, as Minister, to give additional confidence to farmers regarding what would be available to them.

At the end of the harvest last year, after the really difficult autumn, we intervened to provide support. I secured in last year’s budget compensation of €1,000 per hectare for unharvested crops and €50 per hectare for all tillage crops in light of the difficult year and harvest. I have now moved to commit to €100 per hectare for all in the tillage sector. It will be for all field-grown crops, apart from the protein crops, which will have a separate and much larger payment, as in previous years.