Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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375. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of the beef herd at present; the extent to which numbers have fluctuated in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12190/23]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of beef animals currently in this country; the extent to which the relevant farmers' incomes from beef has fluctuated over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12194/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 379 together.

The suckler sector is a vital component of Ireland’s rural economy and the provision of support for it is of crucial importance to the agri-food sector. The current range of supports provided by my Department to beef farmers represents a balance between direct income support and measures designed to improve their competitiveness and sustainability.

Detailed information in six monthly age categories for the beef and dairy herds is extracted from the AIM database. This data is updated on a monthly basis and is available from 2014 to 2022.

The information on the AIM database for male bovine animals does not distinguish between bulls and steers. The number of calves born to a beef bull has remained relatively stable in recent years ranging from 1.59 million in 2017 to 1.55 million in 2019 to 1.58 million in 2021.

Statistics on six monthly age categories for the beef herd and the dairy herds are available on my Department's website at the link below. Information on male animals for the categories 18-24 months, 24-30 months and 30-36 months is provided to the end of quarter 2, 2022 can be found at the following link.

www.gov.ie/en/publication/467e3-cattle-aim/#bovine-birth-and-movements-monthly-reports

Historic data on the size of the national herd can be extracted from my Department’s Annual AIM Reports which are available at: gov.ie - AIM Bovine Statistics Reports (www.gov.ie); and this data is also used as the basis for the CSO's livestock surveys in respect of cattle data.

Family Farm Income (FFI) - the return from farming for family labour, land and capital - is the principal measure used in the Teagasc National Farm Survey. The average family farm income (FFI) on enterprises classified as Cattle (Other) during the period 2017-2021, was €15,555, with the highest income of €17,233 recorded in 2021. The average FFI for Cattle (Rearing) enterprises during the same period was €9,951, with the highest income of €12,529 recorded in 2017.

Results of the survey series from1999 onwards are published on the Teagasc website at the link below:

www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/rural-economy/national-farm-survey/national-farm-survey-reports/

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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376. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of sheep registered at present in the country; the extent to which this number has fluctuated in the past five years; the potential for the industry in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12191/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In line with the provisions of the Animal Health Law (Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/429) and its supplementing legislation, my Department undertakes an annual sheep census, generally on 31st December.

The total number of sheep recorded in the DAFM Sheep Census for each year from 2017 to 2021 is detailed in the Table below. The data shows minor fluctuations in total recorded sheep numbers over those years, with the 2021 figure displaying a 3.9% increase on the 2017 data.

DAFM Annual Sheep Census 2017-2021

Total number of sheep recorded

Annual census reports are published on my Department's website and can be accessed at gov.ie - Animal Identification & Movement (AIM) (www.gov.ie). It is expected that the 2022 Annual Sheep Report will be finalised in late May 2023.

The Government is fully committed to maintaining a viable sheep sector as an integral element of a balanced regional economy. I recognise that our sheep farmers are hugely committed to producing a world-class, safe and sustainable product.

My Department provides significant support to the sector under the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), both through a new targeted scheme for sheep farmers - the Sheep Improvement Scheme - and through the broad range of schemes in the CSP which are open to all farmers.

The new Sheep Improvement Scheme under the CSP is the core targeted support for the sector from this year. It replaces the previous Sheep Welfare Scheme but shares the same aim of improving animal health and welfare in the sector, with a 20% increase in the ewe payment rate - from €10 to €12 - compared to the previous scheme.

The CSP provides almost €10 billion in supports over the period to 2027 for farm families. Sheep farmers are eligible for several other schemes in addition to Sheep Improvement Scheme, including the ACRES and Organics schemes, which are particularly suited to sheep enterprises or mixed beef and sheep enterprises. Furthermore, support for early-stage producer organisations, which will be introduced later this year, will strengthen the position of sheep farmers in the supply chain.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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377. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of pig farms registered in the country; the number of pigs therein; the extent, if any, to which this number has fluctuated in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12192/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In line with the provisions of the Animal Health Law (Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/429) and its supplementing legislation, my Department undertakes an annual pig census, generally in October. The annual census records pig data in respect of all pig herds registered with my Department. The data recorded in the Annual Pig Census 2017 to 2021 is detailed in the Table below.

The Annual Pig Census Reports are published on my Department’s website at gov.ie - National Pig Census (www.gov.ie)

Annual DAFM Pig Census 2017 - 2021

Total Recorded *Active Pig Herds and Pig Numbers in Ireland

*For the purposes of the annual pig census report, an active herd is a herd that is currently populated, or which was reported to have been populated at some point in the immediate preceding 12 months.

My Department is currently in the process of completing the 2022 Pig Census Report which is scheduled for publication on my Department's website by end-March.