Edward Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans to increase supports for sheep farmers and limit the amount of red tape on these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66717/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government acknowledges the vital role of farmers as a driving force in the rural economy and as custodians of the landscape while ensuring sustainable food production for a growing world population.

Strengthening farm incomes is a priority for this Government. We will continue to support the sheep sector with targeted exchequer supports and with other EU co-funded supports that are available to all farmers through the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP).

In Budget 2026, I secured an allocation of €131 million for the livestock sector, which will ensure the continuation of existing dedicated supports, including those worth €42m to the sheep sector in 2026.

Those supports consist of €20m for the multi-annual CSP Sheep Improvement Scheme and €22m for the annual National Sheep Welfare Scheme. The budget for the current National Sheep Welfare Scheme in 2025 was an increase of €7m, or 47%, on the preceding year of 2024. Payments amounting to €16.44m have already issued to more than 13,000 farmers in respect of their participation in the 2025 scheme.

In addition, there are many other multi-annual schemes available under the current CSP, which is worth €9.8 billion to farmers and rural communities between 2023 and 2027. These include basic income payments as well as agri-environment, investment and organic farming schemes, which are particularly significant for sheep farmer incomes.

It is standard practice for my Department to consult the farm organisations on the design and implementation of various schemes that affect their members. The popularity of the current sheep schemes are due to the straightforward, practical and beneficial measures put in place.

As with all schemes, applicants will be subject to a minimum level of inspection and administrative control checks to ensure compliance with scheme conditions and existing regulations.

I am committed to continue providing sheep farmers with meaningful supports aimed at promoting a viable, resilient and sustainable sheep sector.