Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
799. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to change the reference years for the sheep welfare scheme for the CAP transitionary period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34694/20]
View answerThe Sheep Welfare Scheme was launched in December 2016, for a period of four years. The scheme reflected the commitment of the Government to the sheep sector in Ireland and was introduced as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. I am happy to confirm that in the recent budgetary process I secured funding for an additional year of the Sheep Welfare Scheme as we enter the CAP transitional period.
The details of the scheme, including the applicable reference years, were agreed with the European Commission. Any such changes to the detail of the scheme, would require the agreement of the European Commission via the formal Rural Development Programme amendment process. However, the maintenance of a baseline set in the years preceding the implementation of the scheme was a prerequisite for obtaining European Commission approval for the Scheme. It is thus not intended to change the reference year as the Sheep Welfare Scheme is extended in the transitionary period. There is, however, an agreed exception to this requirement, whereby reference numbers may be altered in line with requirements arising from GLAS Commonage Management Plans.
