Budget 2021 provides a gross Vote of €1.826 billion for my Department.
The 2021 provision focuses, in particular, on ensuring key Rural Development Programme supports remain available through the transitional period between the two CAP programmes. These schemes are vital income supports for farmers and provide measurable public good.
Budget 2021 will increase funding for agri-environment measures to €879m. This provides the budget to extend, or roll over, existing RDP schemes from 2020, including the ones listed by the Deputy - ANC (€250m), TAMs (€80m), BDGP (€40m), and Sheep Welfare Scheme (€17m).
Other existing RDP schemes will also be continued at their current level, including the Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS), Organic Farming Scheme (OFS), Burren Programme, support for setting up Beef Producer Organisations (BPOs), Targeted Advisor Service for Animal Health (TASAH), GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings (GTFB) and Collaborative Farming.
The current co-financing rate will remain for RDP measures during the CAP transition period.
The definitive allocations will be set out in the 2021 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) which will be published later this year.