Written answers
Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Agriculture Supports
Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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492. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the full-year cost of all animal welfare supports in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and the breakdown per scheme. [41052/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government and Department provides considerable funding to support animal welfare. In December 2023, under the Animal Welfare grants programme I announced the record allocation of €6 million in funding to 101 animal welfare charities throughout the country. This marks the largest ever award of grant funding to animal welfare charities by my Department.
Currently, the figures for the full cost of animal welfare supports in 2024 are not finalised and the 2025 definitive allocations have yet to be decided. They will be set out in the 2025 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) which will be published later this year.
Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the full-year cost of all farm safety supports in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and the breakdown per scheme. [41053/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is implementing a series of farm safety, health and well-being initiatives in 2024 through dedicated funding of €2.5m. These initiatives promote farm safety practices and risk awareness and encourage behavioural change around farm safety from a young age, while also supporting those who have been impacted by fatal and non-fatal incidents.
The main initiatives in 2024 are outlined in the following table:
| Farm Safety Health and Wellbeing Initiatives 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Open Call for Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing Projects | |
| A series of four joint DAFM/Health and Safety Authority farm safety media campaigns | |
| Agri Aware’s school children's farm safety initiative | |
| On Feirm Ground 2 | |
| National Farm Safety Measure 2024 | |
| Agricultural simulators for use in agricultural colleges and Teagasc research centres. | |
| Farm safety Hi-Viz vests for children | |
| Farm safety content for the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) training course |
Dedicated funding of €2.5m was also secured in Budget 2025 to continue to support existing initiatives and the introduction of new initiatives in support of farm safety, health and well-being.
The Accelerated Capital Allowances for Farm Safety Equipment, which allows for the Accelerated Capital Allowances of 50% per annum over two years on qualifying farm safety and adaptive equipment, was expanded in Budget 2025.
In addition to the dedicated funding mentioned, the tables below outline the expenditure to date and anticipated expenditure in 2024 on farm safety related investments under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS).
Table 1: TAMSII
| Scheme | Number of Sub Investments | Sub Claimed Reference Cost | Calculated Grant Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAMS II Payments 2024 | 456 | €1,076,375.21 | €483,843.93 |
| TAMS II - Safety Investments Approved but NOT yet claimed | 420 | €768,515.24 | €354,710.46 |
Table 2: TAMS3 Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme - Applications Received 2024
| Number | Commitment Amount | Grant at 60 % |
|---|---|---|
| 3719 | €23,043,915.30 | €13,826,349.18 |
Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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494. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the full-year cost of all forestry supports in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and the breakdown per scheme. [41062/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Programme for the period 2023-2027 aims to encourage a substantial increase in afforestation by offering attractive and diverse options for planting. This Government has committed €1.3 billion of funding to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year. It also provides for a range of schemes to support the maintenance and sustainable management of forests.
Funding of €110 million and €91 million has been allocated to date, within Budget 2024 and 2025, respectively. This underpins the diverse range of measures offered within the Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027. This includes, among others, the broad range of tree planting options on offer and also provides for the Ash Dieback Reconstitution Scheme and the new Ash Dieback Climate Action Performance Payment, which was approved by Cabinet on 30 April this year.
I can confirm that, in the year to date, there has been 1,302 hectares of new forests planted (this means planted and first payments issued). The 2024 expenditure to date, relating to forestry scheme supports, are detailed within the following table.
Year to date spend for the week ending 10th October 2024
| Afforestation, including Native Tree Area Scheme | €52,413,853 |
|---|---|
| Forest Roads | €2,871,936 |
| Reconstitution Schemes | €2,809,105 |
| Woodland Improvement Scheme | €133,669 |
| Year to date spend | €58,228,562 |
Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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495. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total annual funding being invested in incentivising the use of genetically enhanced beef AI/stock bulls. [41063/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's investment in improving the genetic merit of beef sires in the national herd is spread across three separate measures as described below.
The national Bovine Genotyping Programme, which commenced in 2023 for a five year period, is open to both dairy and beef breeding herds. The programme through the genotyping of the calf crop each year in the participating herds provides the building blocks for breeding decisions and strategies.
The year one cost of €10.7m was fully funded by my Department. The total estimated cost of €15m for each subsequent year will be funded using a strategic public/private cost sharing model between my Department, Industry (milk and dairy processors) and participating farmers. My Department's contribution will amount to €5m per year over that period.
The CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) supports farmers in improving the environmental sustainability of the Irish beef production system by incentivising participants to undertake mandatory actions that will improve the overall genetic merit of the suckler herd. One of these actions is the use of eligible (higher genetic merit) bull/AI.
To date, total payments of €56.5m were issued to almost 17,000 participants in respect of year one of the SCEP, which equates to an average payment of approximately €3,300 per beneficiary. A similar payment run is envisaged in subsequent years.
The CSP Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme provides support to dairy farmers to improve the animal health and welfare of the national herd by using better genetic merit beef sires. The scheme runs from 2024 to 2027 and has a budget allocation of €6.25m annually.
The latest scheme data indicates that approximately 10,500 participants with over 286,000 calves are currently eligible for payment. The actual number of animals on which farmers will ultimately be paid cannot yet be determined because the scheme year coincides with the calendar year. Payments for scheme year one will be made in March 2025 and annually thereafter until 2028.
Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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496. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current funding provided for the Women in Agriculture Action Plan. [41064/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Gender equality in agriculture is a key priority of mine. It is also a core principle of the European Union. The Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) Regulations place particular focus on promoting women’s participation in the development of rural areas, with special attention to farming. Good progress has been made in this area, and under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) I am actively promoting gender equality, through several new initiatives, such as:
- An increased grant rate of 60% under the Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme to fund on-farm investments by trained women farmers.An increased grant rate of 60% under the Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme to fund on-farm investments by trained women farmers.
- The inclusion of an option to establish women-only groups in the current Knowledge Transfer Programme.
- Improved recording and reporting of gender data and the leveraging of the National CAP Network to increase the involvement of all women in the implementation of CAP.
- A European Innovation Partnership open call in April 2024 for proposals on “innovative approaches to support greater gender balance in farming in Ireland.
Food Vision 2030, Ireland’s stakeholder-led strategy for the agrifood sector has environmental, economic and social sustainability at its core. Food Vision aims for Ireland to be “A World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems”. Food Vision was designed using a food systems approach, and recognises the importance of gender balance to the long-term sustainable future for primary producers. Food Vision includes actions to promote and improve gender balance at all levels within the sector, and included a commitment to host a National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture.
The Dialogue was held in February 2023 and explored gender equality in farming and the agrifood sector generally. The outcomes and recommendations were compiled into a report and action plan, which were published earlier this year. A working group has been established to oversee implementation of the action plan.
Many of the actions will not require direct funding as they will be carried out with existing resources within my Department, for example an internal review of DAFM scheme eligibility and educational requirements to ensure maximum opportunities are available to women farmers; and a dedicated “Women in Agriculture” space on the DAFM website. Others, such as funding for webinars & local events and a dedicated women in agriculture award will come from the overall Food Vision administrative budget, as required. Other actions such as the specific research on women in agriculture will be funded from the Research budget within my Department.
I will continue to liaise with the relevant stakeholders to promote and support gender balance in agriculture and will ensure funding for the Women in Agriculture Action Plan, where required.
Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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497. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated annual cost of supports currently provided for an initiative (details supplied). [41065/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The Solar Capital Investment scheme is a measure in TAMS, which provides support to farmers wishing to invest in renewable energy, thereby reducing their dependence on fossil fuels.
Payments are based on payment claims submitted in respect of completed approved investments. To date, over €1.7 million has been paid in grant aid under the Solar Capital Investment Scheme in 2024, with a further €484,546 paid for solar investments in TAMS II in 2024.
A total of over €34 million has been approved for solar investments under the first three tranches of TAMS 3. Applicants have 12 months from their date of approval to complete their investments and submit payment claims to my Department. In certain circumstances applicants may seek an extension of six months to complete investments and lodge their payment claims. Therefore the overall approved investment of in excess of €34 million could be drawn down over the next 18 months.
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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498. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total Exchequer funding allocated to the EIP ‘Farming for Water’ project to date; to outline allocations in 2024 and 2025; and the number of full- and part-time staff working directly on the programme in his Department, in tabular form. [41070/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Farming for Water EIP is a collaborative project between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who are, in turn, working in partnership with farmers and the agrifood industry to improve water quality at local, catchment and national levels.
The total budget for the Water EIP project is €60 million, co-funded by the National Exchequer and the EU. Of this total, €50 million is being funded by my Department for farmer payments while the remaining €10 million is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage to cover administration of the project. This is the largest funding that has been allocated to a single EIP to date, and is an indicator of the significance of this project.
The project is currently in the start-up phase, with funding of up to €1 million allocated for 2024 and €7 million allocated for 2025, ring-fenced for farmer payments by my Department.
The project is being delivered by an Operational Group made up of the lead partner, LAWPRO (the Local Authorities Water Programme), Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland. The Group is working in collaboration with a number of other stakeholders, including Bord Bia.
The Governance structure of the EIP consists of a Strategic Oversight Committee made up of members of the Operational Group and representatives from both funding Departments. My Department is represented on this Committee by three officials from Locally Led Division and two officials from Nitrates Division, including the Heads of both Divisions.
While a number of administrative staff deal with the processing of payments to the EIP, there are no staff from my Department working directly on the implementation of this project.
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