Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the costs of a new suckler cow welfare scheme for 2013 based on the same rates of payment that currently operate but limiting the number of cows that a farmer can get paid on to 40 and 30 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48253/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme is a five-year Scheme for beef animals born during the period, which commenced on 1 January 2008 and will end on 31 December 2012. The primary objectives of the Scheme was to improve welfare standards in the sector and to assist in the establishment of a breeding database from which suckler farmers could identify the best breeding stock for their particular requirements.

The tabular statement below illustrates the number of participants in the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme in a range of herd sizes.

It can be seen from the table that the majority of the Suckler farmers are small holdings with herds of less than 20 animals. Limiting the size of herd to farmers with less than 40 animals would still see the majority of farmers (more than 31,000) remaining within the scheme.

Any decision in relation to the future of the Scheme will be considered during the forthcoming budgetary process.