Bobby Aylward
Question:44 Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the funding that is being allocated to the new grassland sheep scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21864/10]
View answerWednesday, 26 May 2010
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Written answers
The sheep sector is a valuable part of the economy with two-thirds of its product destined for export and its future dependant on its ability to meet the needs of the market. I have always acknowledged this fact and have developed a strategy to provide specific supports to the sector.
Last year, on a once-off basis, I introduced the Uplands Sheep Payment, worth €7 million, availing of funds the National Reserve of the 2009 Single Payment Scheme. Subsequently, earlier this year, I launched a three-year, €54 million Grassland Sheep Scheme, the funding for which comes from unused Single Payment funds. Its main objective is to provide a much-needed boost to sheep farmers' incomes, building on the additional support provided by the Uplands Sheep Payment. As the Scheme focuses on flocks with breeding ewes, it should also provide an incentive to farmers to maintain their production levels, which is vital for the future of a viable sheep industry in Ireland.
I decided that an income support measure should be introduced to assist sheep farmers, in view of the continuing decline of the sector. The opportunity arose when, as a result of the Health Check negotiations, a provision was introduced in the SPS Regulations, which enabled Member States to utilise unused SPS funds in measures to assist vulnerable sectors and agri-environmental Schemes. It was necessary to decide whether the income support in the sheep sector should be in the form of a headage payment or a grassland area payment. Both options were examined but the general consensus was that it was not practical to introduce a headage scheme for sheep. All farming organisations and the sheep farmers concur with this view.
The Scheme has been kept administratively simple, which will facilitate the Department in making payments very shortly after the commencement date of 1 December 2010, the earliest date for making payments under this Scheme in accordance with the provisions of the relevant EU Regulations. Farmers will find participating in the Scheme relatively easy, the three requirements being to:
maintain ewes;
complete the Sheep Census return; and
submit the SPS application form by the closing date of 17th May 2010.
Applicants must maintain sheep on an ongoing basis to retain eligibility for the 2011 and 2012 Schemes, i.e. he or she has to have sheep to declare in their 2011 and 2012 Sheep Census Sheep Returns. Applicants must also submit an SPS application each year to be eligible for the Scheme.