Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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2226. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports that are available for small-scale farmers and fishermen facing exclusion from direct market supply chains and processors and are forced to sell to middlemen which often eats into their profits and leads to higher prices for consumers. [43633/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The primary source of funding for the seafood sector, which includes small-scale fishermen, is the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) (2021 – 2027). The EMFAF Regulation is aligned with the objectives of the CFP. Neither Regulation makes provision for income supports for fishers, as such it is not possible to implement income supports under our funding programme for the seafood sector.

There are tailored financial supports available to small-scale fishers. These include the Small-scale Coastal Fisheries Scheme, which provides grant rates of up to 80% to small-scale coastal fishers for both on-board and on-shore investment; and grant rates of 100% for inshore fishers participating in the Lobster V-notching scheme. Inshore fishers can also access supports under other schemes such as the Fleet Safety Scheme, Seafood Training Scheme and FLAG Coastal Communities Development Scheme. In relation to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the seafood processing sector, BIM also administers the Sustainable Processing Scheme which provides SME seafood processing businesses with support of up to 50% on capital projects. All of these schemes are administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) on behalf of the Department and further details including eligibility criteria can be found on www.bim.ie/fisheries/.

A wide range of payments (National and EU) are available to farmers. These are listed with terms and conditions on the Department's website. Yearly figures relating to these payments are published in the statistical annex to the Annual Review and Outlook publications which are available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/press-releases/annual-review-and-outlook-for-agriculture-food-and-the-marine-2024-published/

In 2022, Bord Bia, at the request of the Department, undertook research on supporting development of Local and Farm Produce and arrangements in other countries and Ireland. This led to a DAFM led webinar on Supports for Local, Small and Micro Food Businesses/Producers – see

www.bordbia.ie/industry/events/past-events-presentations/speaker-presentations-2022/upports-for-local-small-and-micro-food-businessesproducers-for-dafm/

The DAFM also participates in a hub portal with Enterprise Ireland that provides information on supports for businesses (including food businesses) - see www.neh.gov.ie/business-supports.

In addition, An Rialálaí Agraibhia (the Agri-Food Regulator) was established in December 2023 and one of key function is to carry out price and market analysis and reporting on the agricultural and food supply chain. It has published reports on the horticulture and table egg sectors and I understand is planning to publish reports on other product sectors.