Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1542. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps a farmer should take if they are a participant in the Beef Data Genomics Programme and wish to switch from the use of a stock bull to artificial insemination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12672/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) formed part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

It provided for funding of up to €300 million over the six-year programme and addressed widely acknowledged weaknesses in the maternal genetics of the Irish suckler herd, made a positive contribution to farmer profitability and reduced the greenhouse gas intensity of Ireland’s beef production.

Under the original programme, participants using a stock bull were required to have at least one stock bull on the holding on 30^thJune 2019 and the bull had to be genotyped 4 or 5 star on either the Terminal or Replacement index (on a within or across breed basis) at the time of purchase. For participants using Artificial Insemination (AI), at least 80% of the AI used on the participating holding had to be from 4 or 5 star bulls on either the Terminal or Replacement index (on a within or across breed basis). Participants using a mixture of both stock bulls and AI had to comply with both requirements.

The original BDGP programme completed in 2020 with one year transitional schemes continuing in 2021 and 2022 pending the introduction of the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) from 1 January 2023. Only participants who had met the replacement stock bull action in 2019 were eligible to apply for the transitional schemes in 2021 and 2022 and anyone found to have failed the requirement on the 30^thJune in 2021 or 2022 were not eligible for any payment as provided for in the Terms and Conditions of the scheme for the transitional period.

At no stage are participants required to inform my Department that they have switched from the use of a Stock Bull to AI or vice versa as such actions can be checked against the registration of the calves that are subsequently produced. However if someone has made such a change it can be a period of time before such an action can be verified and this has caused payments to be delayed pending such a verification. The BDGP programmes are now completed and will be replaced by the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) in 2023.