Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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437. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget allocation and actual expenditure on the imported fodder transport scheme in 2013; the number of persons who participated in the scheme, by county, in tabular form; the operation of the scheme and the maximum grant aid permitted per person; if state aid rules apply to this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48914/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Imported Fodder Transport Scheme 2013 was implemented to reduce the cost to farmers of imported forage (hay, silage, haylage). The aid was targeted at the cost of transport into the country, thus reducing the cost to farmers of a bale of hay by approximately one third.

In view of the prevailing circumstances the quickest and most effective method of ensuring the supply of fodder to those in need was to implement the scheme through the co-operatives, marts and other approved agencies. This served to ensure necessary supplies to the individual farmers and primary producers who were the actual beneficiaries of the scheme.

The scheme was initially designed to cover fodder imports from 15 April 2013 to 3 May 2013 but in view of the continuing demand the scheme was extended to the end of May 2013. The scheme was initially funded at €2 million but this was subsequently increased to €2.8 million.

A total of 76 agencies participated in the scheme which involved their facilitating the import and supply of fodder to farmers who had applied for the scheme and then advising the Department of amount and value of fodder supplied to these farmers. The Department then reimbursed transport costs to the agencies which in turn passed these funds to the individual claimants.

Payments under the scheme were subject to state aid de minimis rules. A total of €2,554,372 issued to 16,120 beneficiaries under the scheme. The county breakdown of these payments is outlined in the table.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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438. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget allocation and actual expenditure on the scheme of assistance for persons who suffered fodder losses as a result of the severe flooding in 2016; the operation of the scheme and the maximum grant aid permitted per person; if state aid rules apply to this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48915/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The 2016 Fodder Aid Scheme was implemented in January 2016 in response to damage to fodder supplies arising from the period of protracted flooding in December, 2015 and January, 2016. The aim of the scheme was to compensate farmers in approved cases for the direct replacement cost in instances where genuine damage to silage, hay, concentrates or straw has been caused by the flooding.

The scheme opened on 7 January 2016 with a closing date of 22 January 2016. A total of 391 applications were received under the scheme of which 330 were paid a total of €660,619. All payments were subject to state aid de minimis rules.