Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017

Tuesday, 31 January 2017

Questions (648)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

648. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding supports in place at present for sheep farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4280/17]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

There are a range of existing supports available to sheep farmers under the BPS, GLAS, TAMS, Knowledge Transfer and ANC schemes. Added to this is the new Sheep Welfare scheme under the Programme for Government in which there was a commitment to the introduction of a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme with a budget of some €25 million in 2017. This Sheep Welfare Scheme was launched successfully by my Department last December and officials from my Department held a series of strongly attended public meetings on the scheme in the last number of weeks. I am glad to report that applications are being received by my Department in high numbers on a daily basis.

 The scheme provides support of €10 per ewe to farmers for undertaking actions which make positive contributions to flock welfare. In designing the scheme, I was conscious that the varying challenges faced by sheep farmers in lowland and hill areas would need to be taken into account and I believe we have successfully struck this balance. The end product is a reflection of the extensive consultations which were carried out by my Department with a range of stakeholders, particularly farm organisations, in 2016, in addition to intensive discussions with the European Commission.

The scheme represents a clear acknowledgement of the contribution the sheepmeat sector makes to the Irish Agri-Food sector, which in 2016 saw an increase in exports of sheepmeat of 3% in volume and 4% in value terms to €240 million supporting some 35,000 farm families directly, as well as providing several thousand jobs indirectly in rural areas. This scheme in addition to the others outlined above will make a vital contribution to ensuring the continuing viability and sustainability of the sheep sector in Ireland.