Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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464. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when €13.7 million made available by the European Union due to the crisis in the dairy industry will be paid to dairy farmers; the basis on which it will be paid; the percentage of the fund that will be used to provide a top-up to young farmers; the number of farmers who will benefit; the number of these who will receive the young farmers top-up; the amount of the expected payment to each farmer over 40 years of age, and to each farmer under 40 years of age; the expected amount of any Exchequer top-up to the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38171/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The relevant EU legislative provisions providing for this direct aid payment came into force in the last fortnight and provide that Member States have the flexibility to distribute this aid through the most effective channels at their disposal. It is a clear requirement of the provisions regarding this aid that the funds need to be distributed on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria and also needs to ensure that farmers in the relevant sectors are the ultimate beneficiaries of the targeted aid. I have discussed these matters with representatives of the dairy sector, most recently at the dairy forum on 29 September. I took the opportunity to update stakeholders regarding progress to date and to seek their opinions regarding how best to distribute this aid. Any decision on distribution obviously had to await the adoption at EU level of the relevant legislative provisions. In addition my Department have also had discussions with representatives of the Irish pig sector. I am currently considering various options and intend to announce final decisions regarding the aid levels and mechanisms in the very near future.