Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1617.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine an application for the fodder support scheme (details supplied). [31080/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, on 15 June 2022 I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to incentivise farmers to grow more fodder.

The online application system for the Fodder Support Scheme 2022 opened on 17 June 2022 and closed on 27 August 2022.

Building on the success of the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme, on 2 November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme.

The 2023 Fodder Support Scheme was a continuance 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 5 December 2022.

The scheme was widely publicised by the Department through various media outlets.

My Department have examined the relevant records and have confirmed that a review was previously conducted at the herdowners request. The outcome of this review was to uphold the original decision to reject the application. A letter to this effect issued to the herdowner on 20/03/2024. That letter also outlined the herdowners right to appeal this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office. To date, there is no record of an appeal having been submitted.

With regards to computer literacy and internet access, Department records indicate that the herdowner has submitted themselves an online BISS, and prior to that BPS, application since 2021.