Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to the need to outline the steps that will be taken to protect the Galway sheep breed from extinction. I ask that breeders be admitted to the AEOS 3 scheme for this purpose. Galway sheep have been granted rare status due to the steady decline of flocks in recent years.

National statistics show that the percentage of Galway ewes relative to all lowland ewes decreased from 61% to 8% between 1975 and 1992, which is a remarkable change. The Galway Sheep Breeders Association has 70 members and, while not every member is active, most are endeavouring to preserve a unique part of our agricultural heritage. The major decline in the number of Galway sheep is a worry for those who are actively involved in the industry. We have worked hard as a country to retain a degree of breed development since the 18th century but if we are not careful this breed could be lost forever. Galway sheep have already been listed as a breed in danger of extinction and, as such, qualified for financial support under REPS. This was a great initiative in terms of encouraging sheep enthusiasts in various parts of the country to keep purebred Galway sheep and it led to an increase in the number of registered breeders and the size of the pedigree population of Galway sheep. At this juncture we need the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to support a similar facility to encourage breeding. We need to conserve this industry for cultural, scientific and agricultural reasons and on that basis I urge the Department to introduce a special scheme under AEOS 3 to ensure the continuity of the breed.