Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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416. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that applicants for the Beef Data and Genomics Programme have experienced difficulty (details supplied) in relation to same; his views on whether cases in which all other conditions of the scheme have been met should be treated in a common sense manner and be accepted and processed by his Department without need for recourse to the agri appeals office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27113/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP I) was extended for a rollover period of one year in 2021 and further extended again in November and December 2021 for a further one year in 2022. This is a one-year annual extension of those BDGP I participants who were in the 2021 BDGP I transitional scheme.

In November 2021, a letter issued to all BDGP I 2021 transitional scheme participants (including those farmers in a partnership) outlining how the rollover into 2022 would work.

The online facility on agfood.ie was the principal application system and the letters that  issued to all BDGP participants (including those farming in  partnerships) explained the online application process. The SMS function was a supplementary system. Both application methods were open to all BDGP participants including those farming in  partnerships.   SMS text messages issued to all those who had supplied their mobile telephone numbers including those who were in a partnership.  A total of 12,432 applications were received through agfood.ie with a further 4,319 applications by SMS message.  

Applications were accepted on agfood.ie from Thursday 18th November 2021 until 17.00 on Monday 20th December 2021. If an applicant did not apply online before Wednesday 8th December 2021, my Department issued three SMS text messages to all eligible farmers who had signed up to SMS text alerts from the Department. The SMS text messages  were sent to the mobile phone number recorded on my Department's Corporate Client System corresponding to the herdnumber or partnership number concerned. 

The first SMS issued on the 10th December 2021 the second message issued on the 14th December 2021 to those who had not yet applied and the last message issued on the 17th December 2021 to those who had still not applied.

If the Deputy has a particular case in mind, I will ask the Department to review it if he supplies to  details.