Written Answers Nos. 647-666
647. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will include boats licensed for aquaculture within the voluntary fleet support scheme for the fishery sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7207/20]
View answerI announced on 8 May, a Covid-19 Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme for fishing vessels in the Polyvalent, Beam Trawl and Specific segments of the fleet, to be implemented under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme 2014-20, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. The purpose of the scheme is to address the supply of fish to market so as to better balance the supply of fish from these vessels to the available market demand for these fish. The Scheme will be operational from 1 June and will allow vessel owners of fishing vessels to voluntarily opt to tie up for a maximum of two months over the period June to August.
The Scheme will support the fixed costs incurred by the vessel owners and is designed to complement the Covid-19 wage supports and loan arrangements already being provided by Government to the fishing sector and indeed other sectors of our economy. The supports to fixed costs available under the Scheme range from €6,000 per month for a maximum of two months for the very largest vessels over 24 metres, to €500 per month for a maximum of two months for the very smallest vessels under 6 metres in length. More details available at the following link
www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2020/may/title,142520,en.html.
The Scheme is implemented under article 33 of the EMFF Regulation (508/2014) which allows aid to fishing vessels only for temporary cessation of fishing activities. Vessels in the aquaculture segment of the fleet are not included in the scope of the Regulation and, accordingly, their inclusion in the Tie-up Scheme is precluded.
648. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider extending the deadline for the completion of TAMS projects due to the restrictions of Covid-19 in circumstances in which construction and access to building materials is severely impacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7239/20]
View answerMy Department introduced changes to the TAMS II scheme deadlines on 1 April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Flexibility was provided on completion deadlines with a 3 month extension on all projects due to completed (or approvals due to expire) between 1 March and 1 July.
As this is a constantly evolving situation, my Department is monitoring the situation closely and will implement further changes if and when they are needed.
649. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when horse racing will be permitted to recommence. [7273/20]
View answerHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
Following a meeting of the Government on Friday 15 May 2020, it was confirmed that Horse racing is to resume behind closed doors from 8 June 2020, subject to strict protocols. Horse Racing Ireland has released a 77 page document detailing the protocols that will be implemented.
650. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding available under the neighbourwood scheme in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7310/20]
View answerThe NeighbourWood Scheme, which is operated by my Department under the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020 is an innovative package aimed at developing amenity woodlands for local access and enjoyment, to deliver many of the important social benefits associated with our woodlands and forests directly to local communities. The Scheme brings communities and woodlands together, by helping local authorities and other landowners, both public and private, to create ‘close-to-home’ woodland amenities in partnership with communities, for local people to use and enjoy.
Funding is available under three separate elements;
- NeighbourWood (NBR) Establishment funds the establishment of new neighbourwood on open ‘greenfield’ sites.
- NBR Enhancement funds the silvicultural enhancement of existing woodland already used as neighbourwood, or proposed for development as neighbourwood.
- NBR Facilities funds the installation and upgrade of appropriate recreational facilities within an area submitted under NBR Establishment or NBR Enhancement, or within an existing woodland suitable for recreation but not submitted under NBR Enhancement.
The expenditure on the NeighbourWood Scheme from 2016 to date in 2020 to date is shown in the following table. There was no expenditure in 2019, although my Department received five applications for the Scheme, all of which were approved. So far in 2020, four applications have been received and they are currently being processed.
|
Year |
Amount Paid (€) |
|
2016 |
166,775 |
|
2017 |
129,948 |
|
2018 |
115,903 |
|
2020 |
60,000 |
651. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the badger tuberculosis vaccination programme introduced in January 2018; his views on its success as a means of eradicating tuberculosis in cattle; the number of badgers vaccinated by county in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020; and his plans to expand the programme. [7394/20]
View answerIn February 2018, I announced that vaccination of badgers against tuberculosis (TB) had commenced as an integral part of the bovine TB eradication programme. Vaccination would commence in areas where successful field trials had already taken place with a view to gradually rolling it out to other parts of the country over time. As I stated then, my view is that this marks a major step forward in the bovine TB eradication programme, enabling Ireland to work towards the eradication of bovine TB in a controlled holistic way, which will serve to protect the badger population whilst also protecting cattle and the livelihoods of farmers.
The Deputy should be aware, however, that some level of badger culling in response to severe TB episodes will still be required. Badger culling contributed significantly to the very considerable improvement in the disease situation nationally in recent years. However, culling of badgers is not sustainable in the long term given its ultimate impact on badger ecology and Ireland’s commitments under the Berne convention. The vaccination trials referred to, carried out between 2013 and 2017, took place following 15 years of research work using BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis infection in badgers. The peer-reviewed published trials demonstrated that vaccination is no less effective than culling. Badger vaccination will therefore represent a fundamental part of the TB Wildlife Programme and allow for a reduction in the numbers of badgers being culled over the coming years while still maintaining effective control of the risk posed to cattle.
In 2019, vaccination Technical Team Co-ordinators were appointed by my Department and training of staff in all offices was also carried out. The areas that were chosen in this first large extension of vaccination were those areas that had lower incidence of bovine TB and where the areas had been prepared for changeover to vaccination by lowering badger densities as a result of ongoing badger removal. The result of this was that, in late 2019, most counties in the country had areas within them that changed over to vaccination. The changeover in late 2019 represented an increase of the area subject to vaccination increasing from 7,887km2 to 17,748km2 and it is intended to continue to increase the area under vaccination in the coming years.
Recent IT improvements now allow for every badger in the vaccination area to be recorded electronically when and where it is captured and vaccinated. Currently, approximately 70% of badgers being captured in vaccination areas are new captures and have not been vaccinated previously. This is expected to fall over time as greater population penetration is achieved. Of the 1,870 badgers that were captured in the vaccination area last year, 1,391 were vaccinated with BCG, 42 were removed for epidemiological reasons, 434 had been previously vaccinated and 3 were euthanized for health reasons. Badger vaccination efforts vary from region to region at different times of the year based on disease risk and disease priorities.
The numbers of badgers vaccinated by County for 2019 and for the first six weeks of 2020 are set out in the following table. More up todate numbers will be available shortly.
|
County |
WUS 2019 Vaccination |
WUS 2020 Vaccination - First 6 weeks |
|
Carlow |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
42 |
24 |
|
Clare |
0 |
0 |
|
Cork |
131 |
62 |
|
Donegal |
29 |
23 |
|
Dublin |
11 |
0 |
|
Galway |
103 |
36 |
|
Kerry |
21 |
58 |
|
Kildare |
0 |
32 |
|
Kilkenny |
320 |
78 |
|
Laois |
36 |
35 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
18 |
23 |
|
Longford |
67 |
40 |
|
Louth |
55 |
35 |
|
Mayo |
27 |
31 |
|
Meath |
9 |
0 |
|
Monaghan |
62 |
27 |
|
Offaly |
43 |
33 |
|
Roscommon |
65 |
18 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
0 |
|
Tipperary |
155 |
60 |
|
Waterford |
189 |
38 |
|
Westmeath |
0 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
41 |
|
Wicklow |
8 |
0 |
Precise information related to the numbers of badgers vaccinated by county for 2018 are not available as the only areas in the vaccination zones in 2018 were the former vaccination trial areas. Vaccination of badgers in 2018 continued at the levels experienced during the trials, i.e. at a rate of approximately 1,000 per year. This is in comparison to the default procedure of removing badgers which continued at approximately 6,000 badgers per year but which reduced last year to 5,352 as badger vaccination increased.
The 2018 End of Year Report for the Department’s Wildlife Unit is available at:
www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/diseasecontrols/tuberculosistbandbrucellosis/tbforum/2018NPWSEndofYearReport090819.pdf.
652. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he was requested by persons in government or in a Department or NPHET to give his views on when horse racing should recommence here; if so, the way in which he was requested; if so, the person or persons that made the request; and his response to same. [7418/20]
View answer653. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he was requested by persons in government or in a Department or NPHET to give his views on when greyhound racing should recommence here; if so, the way in which he was requested; if so, the person or persons that made the request; and his response to same. [7419/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 653 together.
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Similarly, Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
On the 1st May 2020, the Taoiseach set out a roadmap for easing the Covid-19 restrictions, which began on Monday 18th May. The Government plans to reopen the economy and society in a slow and phased manner. The roadmap sets out five stages for unlocking restrictions, at three week intervals.
On publishing the Roadmap for the Reopening Society and Business, the Government stated an appetite to engage and consult with sectors on possible changes to the timings in the plan.
Through my Department, Horse Racing Ireland were fully engaged in this consultation process from the outset. I was fully supportive of this engagement. I would like to commend HRI and the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board for the protocols which they have developed, with the aim of safeguarding everyone's health and ensuring that racing will resume in a safe and appropriate manner.
My Department will now assist other sectors under its remit with their engagement in the same process where appropriate, bearing in mind at all times the pre-eminence of the protection of public health.
Bord na gCon are fully engaged with my Department on this matter.
654. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason horse racing will be permitted from 8 June 2020 behind closed doors but greyhound racing will not be permitted; the difference between the industries; the risks found in greyhound racing that do not exist in horse racing to prevent the same treatment; the risk assessment that has been carried out to inform the decision; if the risk assessment will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7455/20]
View answer657. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received submissions from an association (details supplied) in relation to the reopening of greyhound racing; if he plans to proceed at the same pace as horse racing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7493/20]
View answer667. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if greyhound racing will be permitted to return behind closed doors on the same date that horse racing is resuming behind closed doors from 8 June 2020 as per correspondence from an organisation (details supplied); and if he is reviewing same. [7675/20]
View answer668. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grounds on which the decision to allow horse racing to recommence earlier than initially planned was made; and if similar consideration will be given to other sports such as greyhound racing. [7713/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 654, 657, 667 and 668 together.
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. Similarly, Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
On the 1st May 2020, the Taoiseach set out a roadmap for easing the Covid -19 restrictions, which began on Monday 18th May. The Government plans to reopen the economy and society in a slow and phased manner. The roadmap sets out five stages for unlocking restrictions, at three week intervals.
On publishing the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, the Government expressed a willingness to engage and consult with sectors on possible changes to the timings in the plan.
Through my Department, HRI was engaged in this consultation process from the outset and I was fully supportive of this engagement. I would like to commend HRI and the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board for the protocols which they have developed, with the aim of safeguarding everyone's health and ensuring that racing will resume in a safe and appropriate manner.
My Department will now assist other sectors under its remit with their engagement in the same process where appropriate, bearing in mind at all times the pre-eminence of the protection of public health.
Bord na gCon is fully engaged with my Department officials on this matter.
658. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grants available for farmers that wish to extend their cattle holding facilities by way of building additional spans onto their existing sheds and install a cattle crush; if there are different rules in relation to whether the person involved is involved in dairy, beef or is dealing in cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7516/20]
View answerThe TAMS II Scheme provides grant aid for a comprehensive range of investment items. This aid is available to all applicants who met the requirements of the scheme regardless of their farming sector.
Investments relating to the addition of roofed animal handling facilities are grant aided under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme, Organic Capital Investment Scheme and, if applicable, the Young Farmers' Capital Investment Scheme. Applicants can build on to an existing structure, providing the existing structure meets my Department's specifications. Alternatively, they can build an independent new structure just beside an existing structure.
Full details of eligibility criteria and all items grant aided under TAMS II are available on my Department's website.
659. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a farm payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7519/20]
View answerThe balancing payment in respect of the 2019 Organic Farming Scheme will issue in the next few days to the above named person. I can confirm that they have been paid on all eligible land parcels for 2019.
660. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are grants available from his Department or bodies and agencies under his remit that provide grant funding towards the costs of planting land for forestry, biodiversity and beekeeping (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7527/20]
View answerMy Department provides generous grants to landowners who wish to plant forestry through the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme. The Scheme provides 100% of establishment grants with annual premiums for up to 15 years, depending on the species chosen. Landowners considering forestry should contact a registered forester who will complete the application on their behalf. Further information is available on my Department’s website, including rates payable and a list of registered foresters.
A wide variety of schemes are specifically focussed on the establishment and management of forests that deliver significant biodiversity benefits. The Native Woodland Establishment Scheme supports the planting of new native woodland and the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme aims to conserve existing native woodland and help to convert conifer stands to native woodland at key locations. In addition, the Woodland Environmental Fund, launched in 2018, encourages businesses to get involved in encouraging private landowners to take up the Native Woodland Establishment Scheme. Business provide a ‘top up’ payment of €1,000/ha to the landowner as a further incentive to convert from agriculture to native woodland. So far, Microsoft, Aldi, Lidl, An Post, Accenture and KBI Global Investment have participated in the fund.
Support measures for the sustainable management of forests, with the added benefit of increasing biodiversity, are also funded by my Department. The Continuous Cover Forestry scheme redirects plantations away from the 'normal' clear fell / reforestation model and into continuous cover forestry. As trees are felled singly or in small groups (typically with smaller machinery) and the gaps left are planted up or fill in with natural regeneration, the overall canopy cover is left intact, protecting the soil and the woodland ecosystem. The Woodland Improvement Thinning and Tending Scheme for broadleaves aims to improve the quality and value of retained trees by removing poorer quality stems and redirecting growth onto better quality ones. This delivers a biodiversity benefit as it will open up the canopy and allow increased levels of light infiltration onto the forest floor, encouraging ground vegetation and the scrub understory. This increase in habitat biodiversity leads to more insects and birds in these more diverse habitats. Protection of this grounded vegetation and scrub layer is further supported by the Deer Fencing Scheme. Excluding deer also allows the natural regeneration of trees and scrubs, as seed falling onto the site can germinate and become established, which increases the woodland biodiversity generally.
My Department recognises the important role bees play within agriculture and for biodiversity as both pollinators and honey producers, by providing a range of supports and initiatives to encourage and assist beekeepers and the beekeeping associations.
Support to the beekeeping sector in Ireland is provided through the National Apiculture Programme, which provides funding to carry out applied research for the Irish apiculture sector. The Commercial Horticulture grant aid scheme provides grant aid towards capital investments in specialised beekeeping equipment and also contributes annual grants to Irish National Beekeepers associations to help their associated members and branches to pursue the craft of beekeeping to the highest standards and to also inform the general public about the environmental role that bees play in maintaining Irish biodiversity and crop production. Owners of native woodland are also encouraged to contact local bee-keepers and to offer to 'host-a-hive' within their woodland.
661. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the basis of the proposed payment rate for the Covid-19 voluntary fleet tie-up scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the scheme is not sufficient to meet the loss of business and debts of fishermen affected; if he will convene a fresh round of talks with representatives of the fishing sector relating to the scheme and broader sectorial issues caused by Covid-19 and Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7546/20]
View answer663. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that the level of financial support being offered to owners of fishing vessels to support them through the Covid-19 crisis compares favourably with the financial supports being offered by other EU states and the UK Government. [7606/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 663 together.
The Government’s primary objective for the fishing sector throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic has been to maintain fishing activity in order to ensure critical food supply lines to the domestic and European markets. For this reason, from the outset the Government classified fishing as an essential service and kept the fishery harbours and related support services open throughout the Pandemic. This remains the primary Government objective in relation to the fishing sector.
There has been significant and sustained offshore fishing activity by the Irish fleet over the past three months. This has been helped by the fact that the price of oil, a critical cost factor for the fleet, has reduced dramatically. Together with good fishing weather, these factors have greatly assisted the viability of fishing operations, notwithstanding reduced market prices for fish.
The Covid-19 Temporary Fleet Tie up Scheme is simply designed as a safety net scheme to provide a further option to fishermen who choose not to continue fishing. It is not designed as a replacement for viable fishing activity, wherever those possibilities exist. To date, most Irish offshore fishing vessels have continued to fish. As European and Asian markets gradually begin to open up, as is happening at present, it is likely that demand and prices will continue to improve and, in those circumstances, many fishermen will continue to choose to fish and not to avail of the scheme. The Temporary Tie up Scheme, as a safety net scheme, is not designed to attract all fishermen or to bring all fishing activity to a halt.
Fishermen have been and will continue to be able to avail of the horizontal Government Covid-19 supports, such as the Pandemic Unemployment Benefit, the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the banking arrangements. Those horizontal supports continue to be available to the fishing sector and the Temporary Tie up Scheme is a further complementary and additional support to fishermen who choose not to continue fishing. The Scheme is not intended as an income replacement scheme for fishing vessel owners. The Scheme is intended to contribute towards the fixed costs associated with fishing vessels of various sizes that voluntarily choose to tie-up. The supports to fixed costs available under the Scheme range from €6,000 per month for a maximum of two months for the very largest vessels over 24 metres to €500 per month for a maximum of two months for the very smallest vessels under 6 metres in length. Those support levels are in line with the fixed costs reported by the fleet to BIM through the EU Data Collection Framework.
It is up to each fishing vessel owner to decide whether to tie-up for a month or two or to keep fishing and in line with the Government policy of keeping the food chain operating. It is, of course, preferable that the supply of fish continues to satisfy available markets.
In general, fishing vessel owners want their vessels to be at sea and fishing. The Scheme was capped at a maximum of 66% of each vessel size category in the fleet to ensure a continued level of fishing activity. To assist the continuation of fishing activity over the coming period, generous vessel quota allocations are being made for the month of June.
662. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the construction of a road approximately 400 metres in length along the foreshore of Lough Foyle at Clar, Redcastle, County Donegal without planning or consultation; and if his Department can co-operate with the Loughs Agency to protect the foreshore of Lough Foyle on the Inishowen side. [7605/20]
View answerMy Department is responsible for foreshore licensing in respect of structures/activities relating to fisheries and aquaculture and in respect of relevant structures/activities in designated Fishery Harbour Centres. The licensing of other structures/activities on the foreshore is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.
My Department’s Marine Engineering Division has been asked to examine the matter raised by the Deputy with a view to ascertaining the purpose of the works in question. As soon as that report is available, my Department will be in a position to advise the Deputy further and will contact the Deputy directly in that regard.
664. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a task force involving all meat industry stakeholders to tackle the threat posed by Covid-19. [7636/20]
View answerThe Department of Health and the HSE are the public health authorities leading the national response to the public health pandemic.
A national Outbreak Control Team reporting to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been established. The Group’s remit is to oversee and co-ordinate the approach to the prevention and management of Covid- 19 outbreaks in meat plants in Ireland. The group is chaired by the HSE, with a range of participants, including DAFM.
This Group has devised detailed guidance specifically tailored to the meat industry. This guidance document, which was issued to all meat processing facilities on 15 May 2020 covers:
- Infection prevention and control measures to prevent cases and control outbreaks for example screening at entry to the site;
- Steps to be taken when an individual case is suspected or confirmed; and
- Additional steps to be taken when an outbreak has occurred.
My Department will continue to contribute to the National Outbreak Control Team and to provide any support required to the HSE at local and central level, as part of the whole of Government response to the pandemic. To this end, along with its statutory role in relation to food safety, the Department will support the HSE and other agencies in monitoring the effective implementation of the guidance at DAFM-approved meat plants.
In addition to public health aspects, there are likely to be significant economic impacts for the agri-food sector, arising from reduced demand in key markets around the world. My Department and I are working to ensure that business and services to farmers can continue, keeping food and other processing facilities operational, ensuring that payments and commercial activities that are necessary to protect farm incomes can continue.
The response to the economic impacts on the sector should include a strong, shared EU response, using the instruments available in the Common Agricultural Policy. Following Ireland’s efforts in leading an agreed EU-27 statement on the need for further supports, the Commission have introduced Aids to Private Storage for Dairy (SMP, Butter, Cheese), Beef and Sheepmeat.
I am also working with my colleagues in Government to ensure that all businesses, including those in the agri-food sector, get access to suitable supports, and the measures in place are being kept under review. My Department and agencies will continue to monitor the impacts on the agri-food sector as the situation evolves, and to provide appropriate supports to the sector.
665. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim who was refused the hardship grant even though their herd is restricted will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7667/20]
View answerThe Hardship Grant Scheme is aimed at assisting eligible herdowners who retain and feed animals during prolonged periods of restriction as a result of a TB breakdown. Eligibility for the scheme is subject to certain criteria and is designed to alleviate the additional feed costs incurred. One of these criteria is that the holding remain restricted for a period of at least 60 days. Eligibility for payment commences after 60 days.
My Department has reviewed this case and the applicant is entitled to a Hardship Grant covering the period 4th– 30th April 2020. This payment will issue promptly.
666. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered convening a meeting of the Beef Taskforce remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7673/20]
View answer689. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the next meeting of the Beef Taskforce will take place; the issues to be discussed at the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7990/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 666 and 689 together.
The most recent meeting of the Beef Taskforce was 9th January 2020. Taskforce members were recently issued with a written update on the ongoing work of the Taskforce and these documents are available on my Department's website on www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/beef/beeftaskforce.
Taskforce members have been advised that a meeting of the Beef Taskforce will be convened as soon as practical.
