Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1457. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a payment to compensate sheep farmers in view of the market disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22303/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My officials and I have ongoing contact with all the key stakeholders across the agri-food sector since the start of the pandemic. My Department and I are working to ensure that business and services to farmers can continue, keeping food and other processing facilities operational, ensuring that payments and commercial activities that are necessary to protect farm incomes can continue.

It should be noted that, for the sheep sector, national average price and slaughter volumes this year are above 2019 levels.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1458. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase payments under the sheep welfare scheme due to the market disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the difficulties that will arise due to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22304/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The details of the Sheep Welfare Scheme, including the payment rates for participants, were approved by the European Commission in 2016. The payment rates are based on the agreed costings underlying the actions to be undertaken in the scheme, and an increase in payments would thus require changes to the actions currently being undertaken by farmers. Any such changes to the details of the scheme would require the agreement of the European Commission via the formal Rural Development Programme amendment process. My Department is currently exploring options for the development of schemes for the transition period in advance of the introduction of the new CAP programming period.

While there is no doubt that the overall environment facing sheep farmers this year is challenging, it should be noted that sheep prices and slaughter volumes in 2020 are ahead of 2019 levels.