David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 64: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the new initiatives he plans to put in place to support the sheep sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43545/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department already provides significant support to the sheep sector through the Single Farm Payment, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and REPS. In addition, this year Bord Bia will spend up to €1 million on the promotion of sheep and lamb at home and abroad, and Teagasc has allocated almost €1.5 million for sheep research.

Earlier this year, I made a decision to assign €7 million from this year's Single Farm Payment National Reserve to hill sheep farmers, in the form of an Uplands Sheep Payment Scheme. Last week I announced that payments under this scheme will commence in early December – payments in the region of €5 million will be made by the end of the year, with the remainder being paid in early 2010. This Scheme should benefit some 13,000 hill sheep farmers.

I also took the needs of the sheep sector into account in deciding how to use unspent CAP funds for the next three years. Of the €25 million or so available annually from next year, I have decided to allocate €18 million per year to sheep farmers, under a new Grassland Scheme. Also, under the proposed amendments to the Rural Development Programme Ireland 2007 -2013, an indicative figure of €8 million has been allocated for sheep fencing and mobile handling facilities to assist sheep farmers in reducing labour input. A decision from the EU Commission on the amended programme is expected in mid December 2009.

All of these supports complement the work being undertaken by my Department, its state agencies and the industry, on foot of the recommendations of the Sheep Industry Development Strategy Group – "the Malone Report". This report provides a clear blueprint for the development of a more profitable sheep sector in Ireland and covers production, processing and marketing. While most of the recommendations in the Malone Report fall to be implemented by the industry itself, my Department is playing its part by providing assistance for areas such as breeding and quality assurance. In addition, the support being provided for processing facilities under the beef and sheepmeat capital investment fund underlines the Government's commitment to the sector.

I am confident that every effort is being made to support this sector and that it will benefit considerably from all of the initiatives just outlined.