Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.

One of the conditions of the BEAM scheme under which funding was provided by the EU was that there had to be an element of reduction or re-structuring built into the scheme - Article 1 (3) of (EU) 2019/1132 refers.

Accordingly, in applying for BEAM, participants agreed to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on their holding by 5% for the reduction period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021 as compared with the reference period 1st June 2018 to 30th June 2019.

Section 3.1 of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) Terms and Conditions define a holding as:

“All the production units managed by a farmer during 2018 and subsequent years and situated within the territory of the Republic of Ireland”

Where a BEAM participant has during the BEAM reference period (1st July 2018 - 30th June 2019) and/or the BEAM reduction period (1st July 2020 - 30th June 2021), had one or more associated herd numbers linked to their BEAM application herd number on the Department’s Corporate Customer System (CCS), these herd numbers are deemed as being be part of the participant’s holding in line with section 3.1 of the BEAM Terms and Conditions.

As part of the holding, any bovine animals in these associated herd numbers during the BEAM reference period or the BEAM reduction period will be included in the calculations of bovine nitrates figures for the holding. Letters issued in April 2021 to all BEAM participants (including the person named) identified at that time as having an associated herd number, reminding them of their obligations under the scheme vis a vis section 3.1.

The holding of the person named had one other herd number associated with the number used in the application during both the reference and reduction periods and as such the accumulated figures for both herd numbers were assessed in calculating whether the participant had met the 5% reduction requirement in BEAM. The Department's most recent calculations indicate that while the application herd number appeared to have made the necessary adjustments to meet the 5% reduction requirement, the bovine nitrates in the second herd number had increased by some 300% in the reduction period relative to the reference period.

Taken together, the overall effect was that holding recorded an increase of over 20% in the reduction period and as such has missed the 5% reduction requirement.

The person named was informed of this outcome on 11th November 2022. They were also advised of their right to see a review of the decision and their right to appeal the outcome of any such review to the Agriculture Appeals Office if they so wished. To date no such review has been requested.