Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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695. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a reply, as promised in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 226 of 9 February 2017, will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11558/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The previous parliamentary question from the Deputy had sought costings on the approximate additional annual increase in funding needed for the Beef Data and Genomics Programme if compensation were to be fixed at €200 for the first 10 animals, first 20 animals and first 30 animals in each participating herd (and the balance at the current rate of €80). This data has now been compiled by my Department and is set out in the table.

At current participation rates of 24,500 herds, the additional cost in each of the above scenarios is set out in the following table.

It must be remembered of course that compensation is only payable on the basis of costs incurred or income foregone.  It would therefore not be possible to increase the level of funding without requiring farmers to undertake additional actions which would increase the burden on the farmer, necessitate an amendment to Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and require additional national funding to be made available. In addition the above figures only cover existing participating herds and do not cover any new entrants to a revised scheme.