Sheep Stock

Thursday, 6 October 2011

Questions (164)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

165 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent to which the numbers in the national sheep flock have varied over the past five years to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28114/11]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Deputy Simon Coveney)

The results of the National Sheep and Goats Censuses for the years 2006 to 2010, which are available on the Department's website, are summarised in the table below (data for 2011 is not yet available). They show that there was a decline in the national sheep flock between 2006 and 2009 but that the decline appears to have bottomed out with a modest increase in 2010. This modest increase also applies to the breeding flock for 2010. This reversal of the trend in sheep numbers is both welcome and necessary in order to ensure the survival of the sheep industry as an important part of the Irish agricultural sector and it shows that the sector has responded positively to the price improvements in the market which occurred over the past two years and to other measures which have been introduced to help the sector. I am confident that the recovery in the sector will continue, given a continuation of favourable returns from the market.

Sheep Numbers as at December according to the National Sheep and Goat Census (conducted in month of December each year)

Year	Breeding Ewes over 12 months	Rams	Other Sheep	Total
2006	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	3,600,715
2007	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	3,269,876
2008	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	3,090,466
2009	2,189,504	69,162	816,131	3,074,797
2010	2,200,526	70,118	845,588	3,116,232

N.A. = Not Available