Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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479. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the mechanism farmers should avail of to change their reference years in relation to the sheep welfare scheme if they have increased their stocking levels but are currently paid on historical stocking rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42665/20]

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. 

Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, applicants were assigned a reference number based on the average of the number of eligible breeding ewes returned on their 2014 and 2015 sheep census returns.  This number formed the reference number for payment for the duration of the scheme and, as outlined in the terms and conditions, would not increase 

The details of the scheme, including the applicable reference years, 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 European Commission approval for the Scheme.  It is thus not intended to change the reference year as the Sheep Welfare Scheme is extended in the transitionary period. There is, however, an agreed exception to this requirement, whereby reference numbers may be altered in line with requirements arising from GLAS Commonage Management Plans. 

As part of Budget 2021, I have secured funding for an additional year of the Sheep Welfare Scheme in 2021.  My Department will be writing to scheme participants in this regard shortly.