Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The 2023 Fodder Support Scheme built on the success of the 2022 Scheme and only successful applicants for the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme were eligible to apply for the 2023 Scheme, which closed at midnight on the 5th of December 2022. An advance payment of 57% issued to all 2023 Fodder support scheme applicants in December 2022 with balancing payment issuing in December 2023.

Since farmers applied for the scheme based on lands declared in 2022, my Department allowed for an amendment facility to allow farmers to change their land details for this scheme in 2023 - farmers may not have had access to the same land in 2023 compared to 2022. The amendment facility closed on the 12^th September 2023.

My officials have examined the relevant records and have confirmed that a draft amendment for the Fodder Support Scheme 2023 was created by the applicant on the 08^th September 2023 but was not fully submitted. In this case, staff in my Department will check the relevant records for this farmer and it is anticipated that a balancing payment will issue to these herds in the coming weeks. My officials have been in contact with the herdowner via the scheme email address FSS@agriculture.gov.ie and advised him accordingly.

Over recent months, there has been exceptionally poor weather, and to aid farmers with fodder shortages I have announced a Fodder Transport Measure on the 9th April. This measure will further assist farmers through a transport subsidy where they are facing fodder shortages on their farms. Full details of this scheme are available on my Departments website at gov - Fodder Transport Support Measure (www.gov.ie).

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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An application from the above named individuals was submitted on 17 May 2023 under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC), Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CISYF) and ECO scheme.

ANC payment issued on 17 October, with balancing payment made on 12 January 2024. The advance BISS and CRISS payments were made on 24 October, with the balancing payment following on 18 January 2024. ECO advance payment issued on 25 October with balancing paid on 24 January 2024.

Presently there are outstanding payments to issue under the CISYF plus a top-up on the BISS payment due to a successful application under the National Reserve. Unfortunately these outstanding payments are held due to a technical issue with the payment programme. Officials from my Department are working to resolve this and are hopeful that a fix can be deployed in the coming weeks to allow payments to issue.