Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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762. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports that are available to suckler beef and sheep farmers under Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53156/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The budgetary provision for my Department In 2023 is €2.14 billion, which represents a 13% increase on last year’s allocation.

I am a strong supporter of the beef and sheep sectors. They play a huge role in driving economic development across the country and are pivotal to the success of our overall agri-food industry.

I will introduce a new scheme to continue the beef welfare measures which were previously funded under BEEP-S. This new scheme will sit alongside the new €150/cow Suckler Carbon Efficiency Scheme which builds on the BDGP and BEEP-S schemes targeting efficiency gains, and a €20 million a year 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. I am also providing €5 million in support for a continuation of the dairy beef calf scheme in 2023.

I have maintained the budget for targeted beef and sheep supports of over €100 million. Beef and sheep farmers will also be well placed to benefit from the enhanced supports for fodder aid, and a number of other support schemes, including for example the ACRES scheme, and the Organics Scheme.

Another significant support for the beef and sheep sectors is the enhanced support for early-stage producer organisations in the incoming CAP Strategic Plan which, in addition to providing administrative and advisory 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 beef and sheep farmers through the CSP.

Beef and sheep farmers may also avail of the €1,000 per farmer Fodder Support Scheme.

I will continue to support these sectors, in recognition of the key role that farming families play in the economy, environment and society.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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763. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures introduced under Budget 2023 to resolve the situation regarding the group of farmers known as the so-called forgotten farmers. [53157/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ contains a commitment to seek to resolve the issue of support for the category of farmers known as Forgotten Farmers.

I have asked officials in my Department to examine options to address the issue of forgotten farmers with a view to identifying measures to support this group.

I am committed to helping this cohort of farmers and I will bring forward proposals as soon as possible. Many of these farmers find themselves in this situation through no fault of their own and we will work with them to address this issue.