Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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549. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding allocated to the protein aid scheme for 2018; the level of payment per hectare that will be available to persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9504/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Protein Aid Scheme was introduced as a coupled support in 2015 as part of the implementation of the reformed CAP package in Ireland. This support is allocated from the overall CAP Pillar 1 financial ceiling available to Ireland. Since 2015, €3m has been allocated annually to this scheme. My Department has notified the EU Commission of its intention to allocate €3m for this scheme again in 2018.

Each year, the rate of support payable per hectare is determined by the number of eligible hectares declared in that year. Therefore the rate for 2018 can not be confirmed until all applications are received and processed. In 2017 the rate was fixed at €215 per hectare.