Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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167. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding supports for dry stock farmers in the Dublin region, particularly in the Scalp and Ballyman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25603/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department administers a wide array of measures and schemes aimed at promoting a viable, resilient and sustainable drystock sector. These supports consist of annual exchequer-funded and multi-annual EU co-funded schemes specifically tailored to the needs of farmers engaged in beef, sheep, dairy beef and mixed enterprises.

In addition, there are many other supports, such as agri-environment and organic farming schemes, available to farmers generally under Ireland’s current CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) which is worth €9.8 billion in total to farmers and rural communities between 2023 and 2027. Furthermore, support for early-stage producer organisations, which I recently announced, with a budget of almost €1.5m will strengthen the position of beef and sheep farmers in the supply chain.

Taken together, these national and CSP schemes complement each other and are designed to protect family farm incomes while playing a meaningful role in advancing the environmental sustainability of the sector.

Generally speaking, dedicated supports for the drystock sector are open to farmers at national rather than at regional level. Accordingly, the schemes mentioned below are those for which applications can still be submitted this year.

Beef Supports

The 2025 Beef Welfare Scheme (BWS) will open in early August and will allow farmers to claim a maximum eligible payment rate of €75 per eligible calf, bringing the maximum payment that a farmer can receive for correctly completing three scheme actions to €3,375.

When coupled with the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme under the CSP, participants in the 2025 BWS will be eligible to receive €225 per cow/calf pair for the first 22 pairs in their herds.

The 2025 National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme provides participants with a payment is €20 per eligible calf for submitting calf weight data up to a maximum of 50 animals. The period for accepting late applications, subject to a 1% payment penalty per working day, will expire on 9 June 2025.

Sheep Supports

Late applications for the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) will be accepted until 9 June 2025 subject to a 1% penalty per working day.

When coupled with the Sheep Improvement Scheme under the CSP, participants in the 2025 NSWS who correctly complete the required actions will be eligible to receive a payment rate of €25 per breeding ewe.

Full details of all schemes can be found on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/collections/schemes-and-payments/