Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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At the link below is a breakdown in tabular form of the total amount of payments made to farmers on a per county basis for 2023 applications which have been paid up to and including Friday 23rd February.

Payments on 2023 applications continue to be made across a number of schemes as applicants meet the eligibility requirements.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The table below sets out the total amount of farmer scheme payments made under the following schemes: - Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), Sheep Welfare Scheme, BDGP, BEEP S, Dairy Beef, BEAM, Beef Finisher Schemes, SCEP, National Beef Welfare Scheme 2023 and National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme 2023 on a per county basis for the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

It is important to stress that under the "Number of payees" column, a farmer could be included twice where they are in receipt of more than 1 scheme payment - for example in 2023 for Carlow, if a farmer is in receipt of both the SIS and SCEP, they will be included twice within the figure of 1,224.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Areas of Natural Constraints scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas facing significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions.

The ANC scheme eligibility criteria include:

• Hold ANC designated land in accordance with the provisions of Article 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013, as provided for under Article 71 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/2115.
• Meet the minimum stocking requirement of 0.10 livestock units per forage hectare.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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388. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a payment which is long overdue under the suckler carbon efficiency scheme will be paid immediately to a person (details supplied). [8948/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd.

One of the eligibility requirements of SCEP was that participants must be a member of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) by 16 October 2023 and have continued participation for the duration of the programme.

My officials wrote to SCEP participants in June and July 2023 reminding them of this eligibility criteria and reminder SMS text messages were also sent in August and September 2023. Additionally, my officials wrote to participants in early October 2023 advising that an additional extension period for SBLAS certification was granted to 22 January 2024, subject to an application being submitted to Bord Bia by 16 October 2023.

As the person named had not applied to be a member of SBLAS by the 16 October 2023, he was removed from the programme. A letter issued to the person named on 20 October 2023 notifying him that he was removed from SCEP.

The person named and his FAS Advisor have been in contact with my Departments SCEP section requesting a review. This review has been completed and a decision letter has issued to the person named.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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389. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will urgently give consideration to a scheme which would assist landowners in removing dangerous roadside trees, particularly those affected by ash dieback, and encourage landowners to plant trees at the lower end of landholdings; and his views on whether ash dieback is becoming an extremely urgent issue to deal with in the ash tree population. [8952/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not have responsibility for the removal of roadside trees. In relation to roadside trees, my colleague, Eamonn Ryan, Minister for Transport has previously stated that Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 sets out the responsibility of landowners to take all reasonable steps to ensure that trees, hedges and other vegetation growing on their land are not, or could not become, a danger to people using a public road or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road. It is thus advisable that landowners make themselves aware of the full legal extent of their land ownership and of any obligations arising from this. The implementation of the legislation on the management or removal of dangerous roadside trees is the responsibility of the local authority, in its capacity as the relevant road authority.

However, my Department has published guidance on the subject of roadside trees - “A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees”. This publication provides information on how to identify trees that have ash dieback and outlines specific issues related to health and safety in tree work. It also gives practical guidance to those working with chainsaws taking out hazardous trees. My Department produced this publication in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland and it can be found on the Departments website at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/8fb45-a-guide-for-landowners-to-managing-roadside-trees/

In relation to ash dieback in plantations my Department has spent over €15 million to date in assisting the removal and replanting of trees in ash forests.

Under the Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback in the new Forestry Programme, for clearing a site and replanting, the payment range of payments to landowners entering the scheme is from €5,858 up to €10,555/ha as well as a generous top up premium paid in a lump sum for those with remaining years of premium payments. So, for example, a forest owner with 10 years of remaining premium who enters into the Reconstitution Scheme to plant FT1 (native forest), could receive a lump sum payment of €6,355 per hectare.

In addition a detailed Ash Dieback action plan is being prepared by Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett for submission to Cabinet for approval in the near future.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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390. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2023 eco balancing payment will issue to a farmer in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8981/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The herdnumber referred to received their advance Eco-Scheme payment in October 2023. Following that payment, there were changes made to the land area on the BISS system. This delayed the issuing of the farmers Eco-scheme balancing payment as the balancing payment had to be recalculated. That recalculation has now been completed and the Eco-Scheme balancing payment for this herd will issue in the coming days.