Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1680. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is technically possible to introduce a suckler cow scheme under the animal welfare measure or submeasure in the rural development programme. [28451/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Supports for the suckler sector, or indeed any other sector, have to be considered in the overall context of Ireland’s current Rural Development Programme (RDP),  taking into account our existing budgetary commitments under the programme.

It may be  technically possible to provide assistance to the suckler cow sector under the animal welfare measure in the Rural Development Regulation. Any such assistance could only be funded on a costs incurred and income foregone basis, would have to be funded from within the Rural Development Programme envelope. It would also require a significant amendment to that Programme and be subject to the approval of the European Commission.  

The Rural Development Programme already provides significant support for the Suckler sector.  Through Pillar II of the CAP some €300 million of funding over a six year period has been targeted at the Irish suckler herd through the Bovine Data Genomics Programme (BDGP). In response to significant demand, earlier this year I reopened the BDGP programme for new entrants. This clearly reflects the success of this programme which targets improving both the environmental footprint and also the profitability of the suckler herd through improving the genetic merit in participating herds. The effects of improving the genetic merit of the suckler herds are cumulative and permanent. It is my belief that this type of scheme which sees the application of leading scientific technology applied in a practical manner at farm level is the most appropriate means of providing support to the suckler sector.

While BDGP is the main support, there are a range of further supports provided to suckler farmers under the RDP such as Knowledge Transfer Groups, GLAS, TAMS and supports to ANCs.