Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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66. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional funding will be allocated to the national liming programme, given the level of applications received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25112/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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It was encouraging to see the phenominal level of interest in the National Liming Programme with almost 41,000 applications received by the closing date of 20 April 2023. This is a clear indication of the importance farmers now place on optimising soil health and improving their environmental sustainability.

It was a show of real environmental strength by farmers who are keen to take steps to reduce their chemical fertiliser use. This is a move that is good for the environment and good for farmers' pockets.

As part of a range of measures to meet our emissions targets, the 2023 Climate Action Plan sets a target to reduce chemical nitrogen use. Where soil samples indicate a requirement, the Liming Programme will incentivise the use of lime to increase soil pH which research has shown can release nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the soil, thereby reducing the requirement for chemical fertilisers.

With applications seeking support in respect of over 4.5m tonnes of lime, the average tonnage sought per applicant under the Programme is just over 111 tonnes.

To put this in perspective, the total annual tonnage of lime spread nationally in recent years, including on those farms ineligible under the Liming Programme, has ranged from 0.7m tonnes in 2017 to 1.4 million tonnes in 2022.

All applicants that meet the eligibility requirements set down in the Terms and Conditions for the Liming Programme 2023 will be accepted into the Programme, however, as provided for in the Terms and Conditions, the approved quantities of ground limestone will have to reflect the Programme's available budget.

My officials are currently assessing the number of applicants that meet the eligibility criteria as set down in the Terms and Conditions for the Liming Programme. The outcome of these checks will influence the tonnage that will be approved per eligible applicant.

It is anticipated that approval letters will issue in the coming weeks, indicating the quantity of lime that each eligible applicant can potentially submit for aid.

My message is clear to all successful applicants: no farmer will not get lime through this exciting new scheme.