Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022
754. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the allocation related to organics, excepting the organic farm scheme in each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the purpose of this funding; the recipient of this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12561/22]
View answerI am fully committed to the implementation of the National Organic Strategy 2019-2025 which sets out ambitious growth targets for the sector by aligning it closely with the market opportunities. The current Programme for Government is committed to aligning Ireland’s organic land area with that of the EU average of 7.5%.
The Organic Processing Inverstment Grant Scheme provides funding to processors who wish to invest in developing facilities for the processing, preparation, grading, packing and storage of organic products.
The Organic Capital Investment Scheme provides grant aid to farmers for on-farm investments such as upgrades to agricultural buildings, machinery and to facilitate the adoption and application of new technologies.
The table below outlines the overall allocated budget and expenditure in respect of the Organic Processing Grant and the overall approvals and expenditure in respect of the Organic Capital Investment Grant. The approvals in respect of the Organic Capital Investment Scheme are demand led and are dependent on the number of applications received.
|
Scheme |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Organic Processing Investment Grant - Allocations |
€500,000 |
€700,000 |
€1.2m |
€1.2m |
|
Organic Processing Investment Grant - Expenditure |
€133,605 |
€299,759 |
€500,200 |
€127,913 |
|
Organic Capital Investment Scheme - Approvals |
€900k |
€800k |
€1.92m |
€172k |
|
Organic Capital Investment Scheme - Expenditure |
€602,882 |
€521,449 |
€549,698 |
€165584 |
Additionally, funding has been allocated each year from 2019-2022 for the promotion and development of the Organic sector in Ireland. This allocation includes the subvention payment to the Organic Control Bodies which partially covers the cost of carrying out the annual regulatory organic inspectons.
The table below outlines the budget allocated for the development of the Organic Sector and the expenditure of each programme from 2019-2022. From 2020 the allocation to Bord Bia has been included in their oveall allocation from my Department.
|
Programme |
Nature of Funding |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Development of Organic Sector |
|
€865k |
€975k |
€675k |
€865k |
|
Subvention Payment to OCBs |
To partially cover cost of Regulatory annual inspections |
€399,000 |
€395,000 |
€440,650 |
€525,000 (est) |
|
Bord Bia marketing plan |
Marketing of Organic Produce |
€300,000 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
The Organic Farm to School Project |
Introduction to organic food and farming to Transition Year students |
€22,000 |
n/a (Covid-19) |
n/a (Covid-19) |
€40,000 (est.) |
|
Organic Farm Internship Programme |
Provision of tailored workshops to apprentices to receive hands on work experience on organic horticultural farms |
€18,000 |
€8,000 |
€21,000 |
|
|
Organic Farm Demonstration Walks |
|
€ 36,000 |
n/a (Covid-19) |
€ 2,700 |
€36,000 (est.) |
