Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cattle slaughtered here that qualify for the quality premium scheme; the percentage this represents of the overall number of cattle here in each of the years 2014 to 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14590/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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A Quality Payment System (QPS) related to the beef grid was agreed between Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) in 2009. The payment is based on the classification of the carcass in which a price differential is set between certain classification grades.

My understanding is that any additional bonus payments and the conditions attached to qualification for such payments are determined by processors and their retail customers. There are a number of conditions which pertain to such payments and may include age limits and restrictions on the number of movements allowed. These are commercial arrangements, and my Department has no role in their establishment, or in collection or analysis of the payments which are made.