Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the up-to-date position in relation to payments under the dairy efficiency scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12572/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Article 68(1) of Council Regulation (EC) 73/2009 makes provision for the use of unused Single Payment Scheme funds to address specific disadvantages affecting farmers; in recognition of dairying being an economically vulnerable type of farming, it was decided that €18 million of these unused funds would be used to support a three-year Dairy Efficiency Programme. The Programme encourages efficiency gains on dairy farms through an expansion in the level of participation in discussion groups. A total of up to €6 million per annum was made available to eligible participants for each of the three years of the Programme, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Payments in respect of the first year of the Programme commenced recently and, to date, have issued to 5,556 participants and are worth a total of €5,462,925. Further payments will issue as individual remaining cases are confirmed eligible. The rate of €975.00 per head is subject to modulation deductions, as the funding for the Programme is from the unused Single Payment funds.