Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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470. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reintroduce the suckler cow scheme in view of the fact that during the past 12 months there has been a 20% reduction in the suckler cow herd due to the fodder crisis and adverse weather conditions in 2012 and early 2013; if he will include this programme of support scheme at an early date in budget 2014 to ensure that suckler farmers, who are in the low income sector, can consolidate and enhance their herd numbers and thereby maintain the competitiveness and high reputation of Irish beef and live exports. [39772/13]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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476. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current strength of the beef herd with particular reference to the need to ensure the availability of sufficient calf production to meet the current and future market requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39833/13]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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477. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the strength of the single suckler herd has fluctuated year on year since 1999; if any particular measures are required to increase the strength of the herd currently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39834/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 470, 476 and 477 together.

Data on the national herd is published twice yearly by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and categorises cows as either dairy or non-dairy cows with the latter kept for beef production. The mid-year statistical trend for beef cows in the period from 1999 to 2012 is presented in the table below.

Source: CSO June Livestock Survey

The results for June 2012 show a 2.3% increase in the numerical strength of the herd relative to 2011 as high cattle prices encouraged beef producers to restock their herds. The data from my Department’s Animal Identification and Movement system, which is also used to provide data to the CSO, indicates that, as of mid September 2013, suckler cow numbers were 1.107 million or 3.6% down on the previous year. There is also evidence of a 9% reduction in the number of calves born to suckler cows in the year to July 2013 compared to the same period in the previous year, although this comes against the background of increases in such calvings in both 2011 and 2012.

Against this background, the available evidence does not suggest that there has been a drop of 20% in the size of the suckler cow herd. Patterns emerge over several years and it would be premature to draw definitive conclusions solely on the basis of the evidence available for 2013. Despite the drop recorded this year, the size of the suckler herd has remained consistently strong at over one million head, allowing valuable export markets to be developed from the quality beef produced from this herd. While registrations are subject to cyclical fluctuations, the composition of the national herd, however, is constantly reviewed by my Department so that the necessary structural supports are in place to enable the industry to meet future market requirements.

Notwithstanding the ongoing consolidation of the public finances, my Department and the agencies under its remit continue to provide an array of financial and infrastructural supports to underpin production in the beef sector. These include initiatives such as the Beef Technology Adoption Programme (BTAP), which is designed to equip beef farmers with the knowledge to improve output and efficiency at farm level. To date, some €5 million has been paid to almost 5,500 farmers in respect of the 2012 BTAP.

Other financial supports include residual payments under the Suckler Cow Scheme, of which approximately €8.4m has been disbursed to date in 2013, and the establishment of the Beef Data Programme (BDP) for which a sum of €10 million has been allocated in respect of 2013-born animals. The BDP retains essential elements from the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme and will assist farmers in improving the genetic quality of their livestock and will maintain a data flow to ICBF that will generate further advances in cattle breeding and, ultimately, in producer profitability. In addition, my Department provides funding to support the work of ICBF in delivering sustainable genetic gain in the national herd. On the advisory side, Teagasc provides a best practice model for suckler farmers through its participation in an expanded BETTER Beef Farm Programme.

I am committed to the development of a strong and sustainable suckler cow sector. In the context of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, a challenging budgetary situation and ongoing discussions on a new Rural Development Programme, I will give careful consideration to various policy options that will reward productivity and quality in beef production with a view to enhancing the future competitiveness of Irish beef and live exports.