Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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501. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts he has made to draw down financial support from the EU crisis fund to alleviate the severe financial difficulties encountered by farmers here following the recent fodder shortage crisis. [30122/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU Solidarity Fund is not available as a source of assistance to farmers to alleviate difficulties which have arisen from the fodder situation. The EU Solidarity Fund is primarily confined to major disasters which have lasting repercussions on economic stability, living conditions and the natural environment. The EU Solidarity Fund only intervenes for non-insurable public emergency operations, such as repair of damaged public infrastructure, costs of rescue services, clean up operations etc. Unfortunately, a fodder crisis does not fall within the field of application of the Fund as laid down. It has been further clarified that compensation for private damage, including to businesses and farmers, is not eligible for Solidarity Fund assistance.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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502. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he intends to take in the time ahead to assist farmers impacted by the fodder crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30123/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is important that we do as much as we can over the next few months to ensure that Irish farmers are not faced with the same issues and difficulties next Winter as experienced earlier this year in sourcing adequate fodder for their animals. Accordingly, Teagasc’s Interagency Fodder Committee is currently monitoring the fodder situation while also examining and co-ordinating the next steps required to ensure that there is a strategic approach to fodder production and conservation to ensure continuity of supply.

I have also asked the Interagency Fodder Committee to report to the High Level Implementation Committee of Food Harvest 2020 which I chair, on the outlook for the rest of this year and also to detail the actions being taken to ensure adequate fodder is available for next Winter.

It is also important that farmers are maximising grass production and fodder conservation in the coming period and I have asked Teagasc to prioritise this policy in their advisory campaigns over the summer months. In this context, adjustments to the Nitrates regulations recently agreed with the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government will provide support to farmers to maximise grass growth and conservation into next Autumn.