Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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58. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will include a rolling reference year for young farmers and commonage farmers in the proposed sheep scheme to assist young farmers who are trying to build up their flock and also commonage farmers who may have to adjust their flock numbers due to new commonage framework plans. [21285/16]

Michael 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. This provision in the programme for Government demonstrates a clear commitment of the Government to the sheep sector in Ireland which builds on the existing range of supports to sheep farmers provided by my Department which include the Basic Payment Scheme, GLAS, TAMS and the ANC scheme.

In terms of the details of the scheme my Department is currently working on these in light of both consultations with the farming organisations and discussions with the European Commission.

The Scheme is being proposed as an animal welfare scheme and as such will utilise Article 33 of the Rural Development Regulation. The scheme will require applicants to engage in actions to improve animal welfare conditions in applicant flocks.

Efforts in relation to the design of the scheme are currently concentrated on ensuring that any actions that participants will have to undertake will be acceptable to the European Commission across a range of criteria. These criteria include a requirement that eligible actions are above and beyond standard animal husbandry practices and are verifiable and controllable.

In relation to including a rolling reference year for young farmers and commonage farmers, I am prepared to consider cases where the application of a specific reference period would unfairly disadvantage particular farmers.

However, these are issues that will be considered in the context of the final terms and conditions of the scheme. Any such flexibility must not breach the general principle that the aid cannot provide an incentive to expand flocks, must comply with the provisions of the Rural Development Regulations, and must not have an undue impact on the funding available to other farmers under the scheme.