Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1378. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to change the four movement rule for cattle in view of the fact it is no longer required for animal health protection reasons, particularly due to the negative effect the rule can have on the price of cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34907/19]

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, including include age limits and restrictions on the number of movements allowed. These are commercial arrangements and my Department has no role in their establishment, nor in collection or analysis of the payments which are made.

At the recent Beef Stakeholder talks it was agreed that an in-depth review of market and customer criteria, in relation to the four in-spec bonus criteria will be carried out, in response to farmer stakeholder concerns. Full details of the conclusions from these talks are available on my Department's web-site: .

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1379. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to ensure that the board of an organisation (details supplied) is more representative of the suckler cow breeder in view of the role of the organisation in the determining of star ratings under the beef data and genomics programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34908/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation Society Ltd is registered with the Companies Registration Office in Dublin under Registration Number 4914R, through the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, 1893 to 1978. The ICBF has registered offices at Highfield House, Shinagh, Bandon, Co Cork.

The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) is a not for profit co-operative established by shareholders to improve cattle breeding in Ireland. A full list of the current ICBF shareholders can be found at the following link .

The ICBF board includes representatives of farm bodies, breed societies, AI and Milk Recording Organisations, and my Department.

The management of ICBF is the responsibility of its Board, which is broadly representative of all sectors of the Irish livestock industry. Matters pertaining to corporate governance at the ICBF are determined by their own procedures and also in accordance with the rules of the Companies Registration Office. Under the relevant regulations, as Minister for Agriculture, I may make one appointment to the board at any given time. However, neither I nor my Department have any role in determining the overall composition of the board of ICBF.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1380. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to place a limit on the maximum payout per farmer in EU temporary exceptional adjustment aid; his further plans to front load the payment on the first ten cows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34909/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Payment rates and limits under the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) are as follows:

Bovine animals aged over 12 months presented to a slaughtering establishment in the period 24 September 2018 to 12 May 2019 inclusive at a rate of €100 per animal subject to a maximum of 100 such animals per eligible herd; and/or Beef breed female animals with progeny born in the year 2018, which were sired by a beef breed bull, at a rate of €40 per animal subject to a maximum of 40 such animals per eligible herd.

These and all details relating to Beef Exceptional Aid Measure are set out in the Terms and conditions published on my Department's website: .