Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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38. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there have been discussions at the EU Agriculture Council in relation to the need to introduce measures to help offset the increased costs of fertilisers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11872/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Many of the recent EU Agriculture Council of Ministers meetings have discussed the market situation of agricultural inputs and commodities since the invasion of Ukraine over a year ago and the effects that the war has had on the agricultural sector.

In this regard, last year, the EU Commission put in place a Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid measures which was used to support the economy following the aggression against Ukraine by Russia. This Framework enabled my Department to introduce a range of measures to offset some of the effects of the rapid increase in fertiliser prices over the past year.

In 2022, I secured Government approval for a new fodder scheme to reduce the risk of a fodder shortage triggered by the increased fertiliser and animal feed costs. Under the 2022 Fodder Incentive Scheme, we paid out €53.9 million. Separately as part of the Government response to the cost of living crisis, I also secured funding for a 2023 fodder scheme under which my Department paid out another €29.9 million in December 2022.

We also support farmers in many ways to improve nutrient use efficiency and recovery at farm level while at the same time encouraging farmers to reduce their dependency on chemical fertilisers. In particular, our CAP Strategic Plan will support farmers to adjust their farming practices to reduce reliance on chemical fertiliser (for example use of multi-species sward, soil sampling and liming, investments in LESS), and to improve use of organic fertiliser.

In addition, we have put a strong focus on knowledge transfer and innovation using the public and private advisory service to guide farmers through the current crisis. These actions are in line with the direction taken to address water quality issues under Ireland’s 5th Nitrates Action Programme and to address emissions under the Climate Action Plan.