Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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1536. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the reference year for the sheep welfare scheme could be changed from 2016 to the census from 2020 to allow young farmers to qualify with young ewes and expanded flocks in view of the fact that the €25 million allocation to the scheme in 2016 had a significant amount unspent and the scheme is now capped at €17.5 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33433/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Sheep Welfare Scheme was launched in December 2016, for a period of four years. The scheme reflected the commitment of the Government to the sheep sector in Ireland and was introduced as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme, having been agreed with the European Commission.

The current budget allocated to the scheme reflects the rate of payment of €10 per eligible ewe, which is based on the agreed costings underlying the actions to be undertaken in the scheme, and the number of eligible ewes held by participants in the scheme.

The details of the scheme, including the reference years and the rate of payment were agreed with the European Commission. Any such changes to the detail of the scheme, would require the agreement of the European Commission via the formal Rural Development Programme amendment process. However, the maintenance of a baseline set in the years preceding the implementation of the scheme was a prerequisite for obtaining Commission approval for the Scheme. There is an agreed exception to this requirement, whereby reference numbers may be altered in line with requirements arising from GLAS Commonage Management Plans.

The Scheme terms and conditions and the Rural Development Programme do also allow for the acceptance of new applicants from new entrants to sheep farming each year.