Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish tillage sector is an important and integral component of the Agri-Food industry which I have strongly supported in recent years.

I doubled the annual budget for the Protein Aid Scheme from €3 to €7 million. The Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) has paid €19.5 million to tillage farmers since it was launched as a pilot in 2021. I announced €7 million in additional funding for SIM this year on top of the €10m under the CAP Strategic Plan to ensure support for all applicants under the Scheme. The Tillage Incentive Scheme resulted in payments of almost €11 million to scheme applicants in 2022. Tillage farmers are also eligible and participate in the Agri-Environment scheme ACRES and in the Organic Farming schemes.

In Budget 2024, I secured an additional €8 million funding which will be specifically targeted at the tillage sector. I am currently engaging with farming organisations on the best way to utilise this funding.

I will also be engaging with the European Commission to allow the introduction of a dedicated support measure to provide 70% support for manure storage facilities on farms importing livestock manure under a contract relationship.

I specifically requested support from the EU Agriculture Reserve for the tillage sector in light of the significant challenges in 2023. A support package of €7.148 million has been allocated to the sector under this fund where a one-off flat rate payment of €28 per hectare will be made on the area of oilseed rape, winter and spring barley, wheat and rye declared under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme in 2023. Payments will be made on a minimum area of 5 hectares and will be capped at 100 hectares per grower.

The tillage sector is dynamic, sustainable and world-class and I want to see it grow and develop in the years ahead. I assure the Deputy that I will continue to support the industry to deliver on its potential.