Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1584. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a scheme to assist sheep farmers particularly those working on hills and commonages throughout the west of Ireland; if he has liaised with the European Union regarding this matter; the timeframe by which this proposed scheme could be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25920/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government commits to the introduction of a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme with a budget of some €25 million to be provided in Budget 2017. Any such scheme must meet certain specific criteria laid down by Rural Development Regulation. 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 and sustainability of the sheep sector in Ireland.

As regards the specifics of the scheme design and operation, my Department has engaged in extensive consultation with farm organisations and industry stakeholders, and met 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 working on the details of the scheme in light of the consultation with the farming organisations and with the European Commission. Any scheme must meet the exacting requirements of the Rural Development Regulations in terms of only compensating farmers for actions undertaken on the basis of costs incurred or income foregone. Additionally, in any scheme where farmers must undertake actions, those actions must exceed the normal standards of husbandry practice before they can be considered as an eligible cost incurred by a farmer.

I wish to stress that whilst any scheme must be acceptable to the European Commission in the context of the requirements of the Rural Development Programme, I am also anxious that such a scheme takes into account the different production systems in the Irish national sheep flock and recognises the different challenges facing both lowland flocks and hill flocks. It is my intention that this scheme’s design will maximise the number of participants and deliver tangible benefits to the sheep sector in terms of its impact to on- farm practices.