Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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786. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he plans to open the agri-climate rural environment scheme to applicants (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49702/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Further to the approval by the Government last week (Tuesday, 4 October 2022) of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023 – 2027, my Department is currently finalising the details of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), including the Scheme Terms and Conditions.

A lot of information has already been provided, including the final Specifications for the actions which an applicant may opt for under the ACRES General approach. I appreciate that the opening of the Scheme will create a significant workload for approved ACRES advisors. My Department has taken a number of steps to alleviate this pressure, including the provision of access to my Department’s Generic Land Management (GLAM) system to enable advisors to undertake preparatory work on the ACRES Farm Sustainability Plan (FSP) which must be submitted with the ACRES application. My Department has also made tutorials available, on its website, to assist advisors in preparing those Plans.

As certain information was made available subject to the approval of the CSP, my Department is providing an update webinar to advisors today (11 October 2022) to outline any changes to the draft documents in the interim. A video giving a demonstration of the application screen is also being provided. These updates are being provided with a view to opening the ACRES system in the next few days for the submission of applications. Advisors will be notified directly when it opens and I will also formally announce it.

€1.5 billion in funding has been committed to ACRES over the lifetime of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which represents the largest single investment by any Government in an agri-environmental scheme. Given the potential environmental and climate benefits to be derived from implementation of the Scheme, and the revenue for farmers, I encourage farmers to participate in the Scheme.

This overall budget allocation will facilitate the participation of 50,000 participants in ACRES overall. The intake into the scheme will be phased, with at least two tranches, to spread the workload on advisors and enable them to allocate sufficient time for the preparation of applications, and the completion of the FSP and selection of appropriate actions.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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787. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to continue providing support to the sheep welfare scheme into 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49894/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The existing Sheep Welfare Scheme, which was introduced in December 2016, initially as a four year scheme, will end on 31st January 2023 and the final balancing payments under this scheme will commence issuing to participants in the scheme in Q2 2023.

The Sheep Welfare Scheme will be replaced by the Sheep Improvement Scheme, which will be introduced under the new CAP. This new scheme will also be an animal welfare scheme aimed at sheep farmers with breeding ewes. It is intended to be a five year scheme and will aim to build on the welfare measures that were contained in the Sheep Welfare Scheme.

The scheme will be open to applications from existing sheep farmers and new entrants to sheep farming with breeding ewes. My Department is currently finalising the details of the scheme and these details will be published by my Department once this process is complete.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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788. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking to increase participation of young farmers in the sheep welfare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49895/22]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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789. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if funding will be allocated to deliver a €30 ewe payment on all of the 2.7 million ewes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49896/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 788 and 789 together.

The core targeted support for the sheep sector from 2023 will be the Sheep Improvement Scheme which aims to build on the progress made by the Sheep Welfare by providing support for actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector.

The programme has an annual budget of €20 million and provides for a payment of €12 per breeding ewe.

The scheme is designed, in consultation with sector stakeholders, to facilitate young farmers and new entrants to sheep farming.

Another significant support for the sheep sector is the inclusion of the sector in the new support for early stage producer organisations in the incoming CSP which, in addition to providing administrative support of up to €33,000 to groups, provides under competition law for collective bargaining on output prices thereby strengthening their position in the supply chain.These measures are part of a range of supports available to sheep farmers through the CSP.

I continue to monitor market developments for all farming sectors and all potential avenues and funding mechanisms will be explored to meet the strategic objectives for the sheep sector for 2023 and beyond as set out in our Food Vision 2030 strategy.