Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 February 2024
59. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for clarification on the sheep improvement scheme and whether affected hill flock participants identified in 2023 will have an option open to them for 2024 to select new actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8313/24]
View answerThe Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) is funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan. It provides support to sheep farmers for carrying out actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector and builds on the progress made by the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS), which has now come to an end.
The first year of this 5-year scheme ran from the 1st February 2023 to the 31st of December 2023 with Year 2 running from 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.
I am aware of the issue that arose in 2023 which affected some hill flock participants, who normally scan in January each year and who selected the scanning action for the scheme. Following consultation with the farm organisations, my Department wrote to all affected participants in February 2023 affording them the opportunity to deselect scanning and select a different action for Year 1 of the scheme.
From Year 2, affected applicants can revert to scanning if they select to do so, as the remaining years of the SIS will run from the 1st of January to the 31st of December annually. This will mean this issue will be resolved for hill sheep farmers wishing to opt for the scanning option under SIS.
