Written answers

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Agriculture Scheme Administration

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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236. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that certain considerations of importance to hill farmers (details supplied) are taken into account in the final submission of the new draft sheep scheme for approval by the European Union Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19948/16]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The new Programme for Government commits to the introduction of a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme with a budget of €25 million to be provided in Budget 2017. It is important to stress that any such scheme must meet certain specific criteria laid down by Rural Development Regulation.

As regards formulating the design of the scheme as well as its potential operation, my Department has met the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association as well as other farming organisations and has received the email referred to by the Deputy. Furthermore officials of my Department met last week with officials of the European Commission to discuss the proposed new scheme in the context of the specific requirements of the Rural Development Programme.

My officials are currently working on the details of the scheme in light of these consultations. It is clear that any scheme must meet the specific requirements of the Rural Development Regulations whereby farmers may only be compensated for any actions they undertake on the basis of costs incurred or income foregone. Furthermore, in any scheme where farmers must undertake actions, those actions must go beyond the normal standards of husbandry practice before they can be considered as an eligible cost incurred by a farmer.

It is important to state that I am very much cognisant of the need to ensure that a scheme takes into account the different production systems in the Irish sheep flock and recognises the different challenges facing both lowland flocks and hill flocks whilst at the same time it must be acceptable to the European Commission in the context of the requirements of the Rural Development Programme. The submissions of all farm organisations are important in this regard. It is my aim that this scheme will deliver tangible benefits to the sheep sector in terms of its impact to on- farm practices whilst maximising the number of participants.

This scheme, in addition to the existing supports available to sheep farmers under the BPS, GLAS, ANC and TAMS, will make a vital contribution to ensuring the continuing viability of the sheep sector in Ireland including those involved in farming hill sheep.

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