Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2156. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of targets delivered stands at 48% in 2024 in relation to Programme D of his Department’s Section in the Public Service Performance Report 2024 (details supplied); if he will provide information regarding the 23 targets; which targets were met; the targets not met; and the reason targets were not met. [41121/25]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In relation to Programme D of my Department’s Section in the Public Service Performance Report 2024, my Department has reviewed the target and identified that the targets set out for 2024 incorrectly included some EMFF and BAR schemes that closed in December 2023. These should not been included for 2024.

The corrected target for this indicator should read 18. The ambition in early 2024 was to implement a similar suite of schemes under EMFAF as had been implemented under EMFF previously. Ultimately 11 schemes were opened in 2024, which represents a target delivery rate of 61%.

This is reflective of the fact that for the first half of 2024 the Department had to prioritise work related to the closure of the BAR schemes and the detailed preparation of Ireland’s claim to draw down the BAR funding from the Commission in 2024.

The necessary prioritisation of this work led to a delay in the development of the Implementation Plans that the Department is required to develop, and which must be adopted by the EMFAF Monitoring Committee, before schemes may be opened.

The Department can confirm that of the remaining 7 EMFAF schemes that were to be launched in 2024, all opened or will open in 2025.