Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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245. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of livestock units that will be attributed to a mountain, cross-bred and lowland ewe and similarly with rams in the forthcoming CAP; the reason for the change; the implications this will have for the number of sheep a sheep farmer would require per hectare to adhere to the stocking density under the areas of natural constraints scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13190/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department submitted Ireland's draft CAP Strategic Plan to the European Commission on 31st December 2021. The schemes to be introduced under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), including the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme, are still subject to review and approval by the European Commission.

It is proposed that Ireland would implement the Eurostat coefficients under the CAP Strategic Plan, which sets sheep at 0.10 livestock unit. I have also decided that the minimum stocking requirement for the ANC schemes (and other schemes in the CSP) would be set at 0.10 livestock units per hectare. 

The new proposed minimum stocking rate of 0.10 LU/ha maintains the link with 1 Ewe per hectare (1 Ewe = 0.10 LU) as it is in the current CAP.

The change to the livestock unit coefficients for sheep will not result in any change to the number of sheep required on a holding to meet the minimum stocking requirement. 

As is the case in the existing scheme, this rate will apply to all sheep irrespective of the breed held by the applicant.