Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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753. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress toward achieving the target of 400,000 ha, in tillage as set out by the Climate Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51798/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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This Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops in the years ahead. However, the use of land for tillage or any other agricultural enterprise is untimely a matter for farmers themselves. Despite the various challenges that the sector has faced in recent years, the area of crops has remained relatively stable. Since 2020, the tillage area has increased by over 21,000 hectares or by approximately 7%.

The Food Vision Tillage Group report identifies opportunities to grow the sector and to further improve its environmental footprint. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders to progress the actions in the report, and as it is an industry report, it will require collaboration and sustained effort from all stakeholders.

In recognition of the sector’s importance, my Department has provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers in recent years. The budget for Protein Aid has increased to €10m annually from 2024. Applications for approximately 66,000 hectares of cereals and oilseed rape straw were submitted for chopping and incorporating in 2025 under the Straw Incorporation Measure. I have committed to paying all farmers who applied under the Scheme.

In February this year, I announced €32.4 million of payments under the Tillage and Horticulture Support Scheme, which was Government’s response to the difficult position tillage and horticultural farmers found themselves in due to exceptionally poor weather and continued high input costs last Spring.

The Farming for Water EIP has a budget of €60m to support targeted on-farm additional measures to improve water quality, including establishment of cover crops. This year, almost 1,400 tillage farmers have expressed an interest in establishing cover crops under the EIP. The tillage sector is also being supported under other schemes, including the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme, ACRES and the Organic Farming Scheme.

I recognise the pressures facing the sector, not least the challenging market outlook and downward price pressure this season and I have recently engaged directly with farming organisations to hear their concerns. This Government remains fully committed to the tillage sector, and in advance of the forthcoming budget, I will continue to work closely with my colleagues across Government to ensure that essential, targeted supports are provided where possible.