Written answers
Wednesday, 21 April 2021
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture Schemes
Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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2440. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount that has been allocated annually to farmers in each of the years 2017 to 2020; the annual payment received from the EU; the annual contribution by Ireland; the annual administration costs associated with operating the payments in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18172/21]
Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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2443. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount that has been allocated annually to Irish farmers from 2017 to 2020, in tabular form; the annual payment of same received from the European Union in addition to the annual contribution of his Department; if he will include the annual administration costs associated with operating the payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18250/21]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2440 and 2443 together.
Payments to farmers are comprised of direct payments under Pillar 1 of the CAP, and farmer-related Rural Development Programme payments under Pillar 2. The European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) finances direct payments and market supports. The European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) co-finances rural development measures under approved Rural Development Programmes (RDP).
The following table summarises CAP payments from 2017 to 2020:
2017 €000 | 2018 €000 | 2019 €000 | 2020 €000 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pillar I - EAGF* | 1,207,879 | 1,208,908 | 1,252,852 | 1,187,000 |
Pillar II EAFRD** | 538,835 | 635,712 | 641,404 | 604,792 |
Total | 1,746,714 | 1,844,620 | 1,894,256 | 1,791,792 |
* EAGF payments do not include Market Intervention, APS & other Market Supports
** The figures represent payments to all beneficiaries, the majority of whom are farmers. They may vary from other published figures on Rural Development Programme expenditure as they exclude technical assistance and LEADER payments, which are not made to farmers.
The RDP payments are co-funded by the exchequer at an average rate of 47%.
EU co-funding - EAFRD *** | 2017 €000 | 2018 €000 | 2019 €000 | 2020 €000 |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU co-funded amount | 282,452 | 321,083 | 311,834 | 291,655 |
Irish Exchequer co-funded | 256,383 | 314,629 | 329,570 | 313,137 |
Total Value of EAFRD claims | 538,835 | 635,712 | 641,404 | 604,792 |
Additional National Financing by Ireland | 20,125 | 45,817 | 68,124 | 68,798 |
*** Excluding technical assistance and LEADER payments.
Administration costs.
2017 €000 | 2018 €000 | 2019 €000 | 2020 €000 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total EU co-funded and National spend on Farm sector support and controls – Programme B of Department Vote. | 726,326 | 823,173 | 874,064 | 871,290 |
of which: Administration | ||||
Pay | 50,035 | 52,103 | 53,389 | 55,144 |
Non Pay | 17,253 | 18,600 | 19,094 | 21,097 |
Total Administration | 67,288 | 70,703 | 72,483 | 76,241 |
Note on EAGF and EAFRD allocations and payments.
Ireland has an EU allocation of total 10.697bn for the programming period 2014-2020 (8.507bn for EAGF and 2.191bn for EAFRD).
EAGF
Of the €8.5billion Direct Payments allocation EU Regulation 1307/2013 sets out the annual Direct payment ceilings to apply for each of the financial years (circa €1.2billion) with 99% execution rate (see table). Additional to this, annual provisions are made for market measures and exceptional aid as per market demands.
The Direct payment ceilings set by the Commission are the maximum payment amounts allowable within the financial year. Where the ceiling has not been fully utilised, these amounts remain available to the Member States to pay applicants who subsequently become eligible for payment. Such payments are currently ongoing across all scheme years.
EAFRD
€2,190.5m has been allocated to Ireland from the European Agriculture Rural Development Fund for the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme. The funding is for the full period of the programme and under the "N+3" rule expenditure up to 2023 is eligible to be claimed against the 2014-2020 allocation.
While the Rural Development Programme Financial Plan sets out an indicative allocation of approximately €313m for each of the 7 years 2014-2020, where expenditure in a year is less than the indicative allocation the amount available for subsequent years of the programme is increased accordingly. Thus, the extent of unspent EU funds is measured more accurately at the end of the programming period rather than on an annual basis
As of 31st December 2019, Ireland had expenditure incurred which attracted EAFRD funding of €1,650.1m which is an execution rate that is one of the highest in Europe.
In 2019, EAFRD funds claimed amounted to €338.6m vs an indicative allocation of €312.7m
Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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2441. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the value of the base payment for the upcoming pilot of the new agri-environmental scheme; and if participating farmers will receive the maximum base payment through this trial period. [18195/21]
Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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2484. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will deliver the maximum base payment to farmers in the agri-environmental REPs scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18996/21]
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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2511. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) in relation to giving priority entry into environmental schemes to farmers who have land that is designated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19525/21]
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2554. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of places that will be available for the new agri-environmental pilot scheme in 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20281/21]
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2555. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding allocated to the new agri-environmental pilot scheme for 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20282/21]
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2556. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the new agri-environmental pilot scheme will open for applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20283/21]
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2557. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the terms and conditions of the new agri-environmental pilot scheme will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20284/21]
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2558. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the new agri-environmental pilot scheme will be open to all farmers who are not currently part of an environmental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20285/21]
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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2559. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider setting the minimum base payment of the REAP pilot scheme to €10,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20328/21]
Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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2560. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on progress to formulate a new REPS scheme; if farm organisations will be included as stakeholders in the process to design the new REPS scheme; if this new scheme will have a minimum base payment of €10,000; if the scheme will be open to all farmers not currently in GLAS; the number of farmers that can participate in this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20459/21]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2441, 2484, 2511 and 2554 to 2560, inclusive, together.
The Programme for Government commits to rewarding farmers for adapting to more sustainable methods of farming and to the development of a new agri-environment scheme capable of delivering broad environmental and biodiversity benefits that will align financial supports with climate objectives. To advance this aim, the Results-Based Environmental Agri Pilot Project (REAP) is being launched this week.
The aim of this pilot project is to identify a suitable agri-environment results-based scoring system and to trial this system at a national level with a view to identifying up scaling potential for possible inclusion in the next national agri-environment scheme. Under the results-based model, farm holdings with the highest scoring receive the greatest payment. By linking payments to defined indicators the results-based model creates a financial incentive linked with outcomes for participating farmers. The model also makes it worthwhile for participants to gain an understanding of the conditions required for the delivery of optimum biodiversity and environmental benefits.
REAP will be provided for under the technical assistance measure of the rural development programme and is subject to EU Commission approval of the 10th amendment to Ireland's RDP. Full details of the project including terms and conditions and specifications are now available on the Department's section of the Government website.
REAP is an innovative, ambitious and farmer-friendly pilot that will deliver an important income boost to farmers while also underlining our commitment to biodiversity.
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