John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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445. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the main policy achievements of his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56102/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is the lead for 148 of the actions in the Agriculture, Food, and the Marine chapter of the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. As of December 2023, I can report that 72% of these as either “target achieved” or “substantial action undertaking & ongoing”, with another 24% reported as “commenced & progressing”. Some of my main policy achievements since June 2020 include:

• I launched Food Vision 2030, our shared stakeholder-led strategy for the continuing development of the agri-food sector in Ireland. I believe Food Vision is a landmark for the Irish agri-food sector with the potential to transform our agriculture, food, forestry and marine sectors in the period to 2030, with sustainability in all its dimensions (environmental, economic and social) at its core. The final reports of the Food Vision Dairy Group and Food Vision Beef & Sheep Group have been published and propose detailed direct and enabling measures to improve environmental sustainability in the sector. I have also established a Food Vision Tillage Group and their interim report will be available shortly. The first Food Vision Annual Report was published in May 2023.
• Commencing work under the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027, which has a significant budget of €9.8 billion, with more than 60% of that (just under €6 billion) targeted at supporting farm incomes. The CAP objectives aim to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the agricultural sector, and we have seen in this period a real shift in focus towards supporting farmers for practices that benefit the climate, environment and biodiversity. In Ireland’s case, a significant element of our CAP funding is targeted towards delivering on environmental and climate objectives. At EU level we have the second highest amount of CAP funding dedicated to environmental action, almost 70% of the Pillar 2 Rural Development funding,.
• I continue to work closely with all stakeholders in gaining, maintaining, restoring and enhancing access for Irish agri-food products to a wide range of priority markets. This includes participating in an ongoing programme of trade missions and promotional activities, in cooperation with Bord Bia. 2022 saw record agri-food exports valued at €19 billion, up 32% in value from €14.3billion in 2020.
• The agriculture, food and marine sectors continue to play a leadership role in delivering on the ambitions target which culminate in a whole-of-economy 51% reduction in emissions by 2030. Policies and strategies devised by my Department are bearing fruit with emissions from agriculture trending downwards, which marked an important reversal of what had been a steady upwards trend since the lowest emissions were reported in 2011. I have introduced measures to achieve abatement potential in the agriculture sector, backed by financial commitment including a budget of €1.5 billion for the new agri-environment scheme ACRES, a five-fold increase in funding for Organic Farming to €256million to triple the area to 7.5% of utilised agricultural area, €260million to improve the carbon efficiency of the suckler herd through genetic improvement, and €43 million for a major genotyping programme for Irish cattle, which will enhance the environmental sustainability, health and productivity of Irish beef and dairy herds.
• My Department continues implementation of schemes developed on foot of the recommendations of the Seafood Sector Taskforce. I have provided funding of €305.5m to support these schemes such as the Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme, the Brexit Sustainable Aquaculture Growth Scheme, and the Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme. In addition my Department secured positive State Aid decisions from the Commission in relation to four new schemes: the Brexit Fish Processor Transition Scheme; the Brexit Specific Scallop Fleet Transition Scheme; Brexit Fisheries Cooperative Transition Scheme 2023; and the Brexit Pelagic Fisheries Support Scheme. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) are now implementing these new schemes that will deliver significant benefits to the sector. The Brexit Pelagic Fisheries Support Scheme provides a €25.6 million support package funded under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund for vessels that have suffered losses of mackerel quota as a result of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The Brexit Fish Processor Transition Scheme is a liquidity scheme for processors (of any size) which will make aid of €7 million available to this sector to offset losses incurred in 2021 arising from reductions in quota on foot of the TCA. The Brexit Fisheries Cooperative Transition Scheme is a continuation of the previous scheme to support the Cooperatives in 2022, and will make a further €1 million in aid available. The Brexit Specific Scallop Fleet Transition Scheme will provide support to this small fleet segment to enable these vessels to adapt to the issues created by Brexit in the scallop fishery.
• The overall funding of €1.3 billion committed to the new National Forestry Programme for the period 2023-2027 represents the largest-ever investment by an Irish Government in tree-planting. It has been designed to incentivise farmers to the greatest extent possible to engage with tree-planting as an alternative income stream.
• The area of research and development is a key focus for my Department, with a budget now standing at €22.45 million. This will be used to drive greater innovation in our agriculture and food sectors as we position Irish agriculture as a leader in sustainable food production.
• The publication of the new National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027. The Strategy highlights the potential of the horticulture sector to play a key role in the achievement of our vision for the Irish agrifood sector, both economically and environmentally.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The tillage sector is dynamic, sustainable and world-class and I want to see it grow and develop in the years ahead. It is because of this that I established the Food Vision Tillage Group in May of this year. The Group is made up of a wide range of stakeholders from across the industry and is tasked with setting out a roadmap for the sustainable growth and development of the sector. The Group has met on 10 occasions and identified a number of actions to be undertaken in their Interim Report. Further matters are being examined by the Group and I will consider their final recommendations when they are forwarded to me in due course.

In recent years, I have introduced several proactive and innovative measures to support the sector. The Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) has paid €19.5m to tillage farmers since it was launched as a pilot in 2021 and I have committed to pay approximately €16.5m for SIM this year. The Tillage Incentive Scheme, launched in response to the invasion of Ukraine, has resulted in payments of €10.9m in 2022 and has continued in 2023. In the new CAP Strategic Plan, I secured an increase in the annual budget of the Protein Aid Scheme from €3m to €7m.

To help alleviate the significant challenges Irish growers experienced this year, I secured €7.147m from the EU Agricultural Reserve to support the sector. This allocation is being topped up with a further €7.147m is state funding. These funds are being used to support growers with unharvested crops by way of an Unharvested Crop Support Scheme. The remaining available funds are being used as a once-off flat rate payment on the area of oilseed rape, winter and spring barley, wheat and rye declared under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS) in 2023.

The overall level of support provided demonstrates my commitment to this important sector and the many farm families and businesses dependent upon it.