Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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508. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are supports or payment schemes available for a person (details supplied) who has oversupplied milk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21420/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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There have been a number of measures implemented to support dairy sector producers through market transition in the post milk quota period.  Central to these supports was the Super Levy Instalment Scheme, introduced in 2015, which allowed participants to spread their superlevy bill over three years interest free.  Ireland was one of the few EU member states to introduce this scheme for its dairy farmers in order to ease the burden of the superlevy bill for those who wished to avail of it.   I understand that the referenced individual is a participant in this scheme  and has availed of the opportunity to spread his repayments over three years.

It should be noted that there are no provisions under the regulation for the Super Levy Instalment Scheme for alterations to the terms of the agreement entered in to by participants. Additional exceptional aid measures for the sector included a one off co-funded support payment of €1,395 to dairy producers in 2015. In 2016 a Voluntary Supply Management Scheme formed part of the exceptional aid package from the EU Commission from which over €6.5m was paid to Irish dairy producers. I can confirm that the referenced individual received payments through both schemes. 

A further measure implemented by my Department under the 2016 EU exceptional aid package was the Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme.  This scheme was developed by my Department in co-operation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), making €150 million available to farmers at interest rates of 2.95%.  Distributed and administered through AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank, the Scheme provides farmers with a low cost, flexible source of working capital and will allow them to pay down more expensive forms of short-term debt, ensuring the ongoing financial sustainability of viable farming enterprises.

My Department continues to monitor the market situation for dairy and other sectors to ensure that the most appropriate supports are made available to producers.