Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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319. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of beef farmers who will receive payments under the 2014 beef data programme; the amount they will receive; the amount of this as a percentage of the total funding available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26158/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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320. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of beef farmers who will not receive payments under the 2014 beef data programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26159/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 319 and 320 together.

In excess of 36,000 applications were received to participate in the Beef Data Programme (BDP) 2014. The processing of applications under the BDP is at an advanced stage with 80% advance payments under the Programme amounting to €7.75 million issuing to the bank accounts of approximately 32,300 applicants in the coming days. Further advance payments will be made to those farmers, who become eligible for payment following the submission of the required data in compliance with the Terms and Conditions of the Programme. The balancing payment will be made to all eligible farmers later this year.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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321. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have applied for the 2015 beef data and genomics programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26160/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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325. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he expects that all of those who submit applications under the beef data and genomics programme 2015 will be paid by the middle of December 2015, as promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26164/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 325 together.

Almost 30,000 applications to participate in the BDGP were received in my Department by the June 5th closing date. To be eligible for payment in this first year of the Programme participants must provide the required survey data, genotype all of the specified animals and send test samples to the laboratory. Data can be provided when calves are five months old so it will be possible that all of these requirements can be met by herds, who had completed all of their 2015 calving by the end of June thereby facilitating payment in December. Further payments will continue to be made as herds meet all Programme requirements.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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322. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he accepts the concerns expressed by the Irish Farmers' Association that the 2015 beef data and genomics programme is over complicated; that the requirements are set too high; that it will impose excessive costs on farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26161/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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323. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is prepared to consider revising any of the regulations currently part of the beef data and genomics programme 2015, including the requirement that 50% of the breeding female animals have to be four or five star by 2020; if he will consider increasing the per-hectare payment for each cow on the first ten cows; if he will open the programme to all suckler farmers. [26162/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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324. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is prepared to review the unfair criteria in the terms and conditions on the six-year rule and payments clawbacks in the beef data and genomics programme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26163/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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326. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the help and advice available to beef farmers to fill in the application forms for the beef data and genomics programme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26165/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 to 324, inclusive, and 326 together.

The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) was launched on the 5 May and my Department received just under 30,000 applications by the extended closing date of 5 June. The Programme forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) and allocates funding of some €300 million over the next six years to suckler farmers in Ireland. The BDGP builds on the large strategic investment in data recording and genomics which has been made in recent years, and will ultimately bring about fundamental improvements to the entire sector by substantially improving the overall genetic quality of the national beef herd. While analysis of the applications is still ongoing, the initial figures suggest that the programme is fully subscribed.

The BDGP builds on the schemes operated by my Department in recent years and most of the actions will already be familiar to the majority of farmers entering the scheme, including the data recording elements and the genotyping requirements. Both my Department and the ICBF have published Questions and Answers documents to address queries being raised by farmers. Programme participants can contact my Department directly with any specific queries they may have regarding scheme conditions. In addition, they will also receive additional information specific to their herds in the coming weeks from ICBF which will provide a useful overview of the current euro star ratings of the animals on their herds.

Participants in the programme will receive a payment of €142.50 for each of the first eligible 6.66 hectares and €120 for each of the remaining hectares up to the maximum payable area. The maximum payable area is based on the number of calved suckler cows in each herd in 2014. The payment rates provide for a higher payment linked to the first 10 animals on each herd as I felt it was important to favour smaller herds through this programme. The payment rate of €142.50 is the maximum amount which could be provided based on the cost incurred and income foregone associated with the actions under the BDGP, as negotiated with the European Commission, and it would not be possible to arbitrarily increase the payment.

The replacement strategy is one of the main new elements of the BDGP over and above existing schemes for the suckler beef sector. The need for genetic improvement in the Irish suckler herd is widely acknowledged, and the adoption of genomic technology is a critically important tool in increasing production efficiency and farmer margins. The requirement for farmers to move towards using 4 and 5 star rated animals is essential to the Programme’s objectives of delivering cows that perform better in terms of fertility and milk traits. Furthermore, any adjustment to these provisions would require engagement with the Commission and would jeopardise the operation of the programme. In any event, I should note that many farmers are already well on the way to meeting the 4 and 5 star requirement. In addition, all participants will receive comprehensive training, and ongoing information and advice to assist them in introducing the required breeding strategy. These requirements will take time to introduce which is why there is a 5 year lead-in time included in the design of the Programme.

As regards the penalty system, it is important to note that it includes appropriate tolerances where minor non-compliances occur and no penalty will be applied in these cases. In more serious cases, however, a penalty will be applied. I am satisfied that the approach reflects a proportionate response consistent with the Regulations. The requirement to seek full refund of payment applies only in the event of permanent withdrawal from the scheme. As always in such cases, force majeure clauses have been included in the Terms and Conditions where withdrawal is caused by circumstances beyond the applicant’s control, such as illness or animal disease. My Department has also confirmed that where an applicant sells or leases his/her land, or transfers it by inheritance or gift, there will be no clawback of funds. Of course, where an applicant retains sufficient land to fulfil the requirements of the Programme (the maximum payable area), he or she is required to continue to meet its terms and conditions on an ongoing basis.

Almost 30,000 farmers have already successfully applied for the programme and there will be detailed engagement with these farmers in the coming years, starting with each farmer being provided with a BDGP Herd Status Report for their farm in the coming weeks. Comprehensive training courses will then be rolled out later this year. I can assure the Deputy that participants in the BDGP will receive information and guidance on an ongoing basis to assist them in meeting the requirements of the programme and ultimately improving the quality of their herds.