Written Answers Nos. 612-627
612. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding amount allocated to TAMS by year from 2014 to date; the amount that was allocated and expended in relation to low-emission slurry spreading, LESS, technology; the number of applications and refusals in relation to LESS technology, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24456/23]
View answerOver €390m was allocated through Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) to the end of 2022 for the full suite of seven TAMS measures including the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme (LESS). TAMS is a demand-led scheme and the interest in the LESS measure of TAMS II has been very strong with payments in excess of €71m to date.
TAMS III provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years and will include 10 schemes. LESS will continue to have its own standalone investment ceiling of €90,000 and an enhanced grant-rate of 60%. Tranche one of TAMS III is currently open and is due to close on 16th June.
LESS TAMS II
|
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Total |
|
Applications Received |
261 |
540 |
545 |
1,329 |
1,911 |
3,562 |
2,319 |
1,850 |
N/A |
12,320 |
|
Applications Rejected |
15 |
27 |
30 |
36 |
40 |
58 |
66 |
16 |
N/A |
289 |
|
Numbers Paid |
0 |
57 |
278 |
481 |
779 |
1,408 |
1,742 |
1,620 |
342 |
6,707 |
|
Amount Paid |
€0 |
€715,720 |
€3,678,464 |
€6,710,362 |
€9,947,128 |
€15,192,871 |
€16,679,409 |
€15,280,528 |
€2,935,698 |
€71,140,181 |
613. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of organic farming scheme participants who exited the scheme in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24457/23]
View answer623. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of organic farming scheme participants who exited the scheme in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24471/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 613 and 623 together.
The table below provides the number of organic farming scheme participants that have exited the scheme in each year from 2019 to date.
|
Year |
No. of Participants |
|
2019 |
24 |
|
2020 |
73 |
|
2021 |
48 |
|
2022 |
11 |
|
Total |
156 |
The most recent tranche of the Organic Scheme, which opened in October 2022, saw 3,423 eligible applications received. Of these, 2,131 are new to the Organic Farming Scheme and the remaining 1,292 applications are from those whose contracts finished on 31st December 2022.
615. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers availing of the nitrates derogation; the total number of cattle in the herds of those farmers; the total hectarage on which basic payment was claimed, that is, grassland per county from January 2022 to date, in tabular form. [24459/23]
View answerThe information requested is detailed in the attached table.
It should however be noted that the land area for 2023 is not yet available as the 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme is open for applications until the 29th of May 2023.
Processing of 2023 Nitrates Derogation applications is still on-going, as are compliance checks for 2022 applicants. The outcome of these checks will determine the number of farmers finally awarded a Nitrates Derogation in the respective year.
It should also be noted that the increase in the numbers of farmers applying for a Nitrates Derogation in 2023, compared to 2022, is considered to be primarily due to changes in the calculation of dairy cow nutrient excretion rates applicable from January 2023.
[<a ref="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2023-05-23_pq615-23-05_en.xlsx">Nitrates</a>]
616. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers thought to currently comprise the category known as the forgotten farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24460/23]
View answer‘Forgotten Farmer’ is a term used to describe a group of farmers who had set up their agricultural holdings prior to 2008, were under the age of 40 in 2015 and held low value payment entitlements, but were ineligible for young farmer supports under the CAP from 2015.
As the purpose of the young farmer supports from 2015 was to provide support to farmers in the early years following the establishment of an agricultural holding, the Forgotten Farmer group did not meet the eligibility requirements. The most recent analysis on the basis of records available to my Department shows approximately 3,500 farmers in this group.
617. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of fodder, hay or silage produced under the fodder support scheme in 2022 and to date in 2023; the percentage of fodder that the scheme contributed to overall fodder supplies in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24465/23]
View answerFollowing the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, the Deputy will be aware that on the 15th June 2022, I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the 2022 winter and 2023 spring.
Building on the success of the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme, on the 2nd November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme.
The 2023 Fodder Support Scheme is a continuance of the 2022 Scheme and only successful applicants for the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme were eligible to apply for the 2023 Scheme, which closed at midnight on the 5th of December 2022.
Although applicants may declare a greater number of hectares on which they intend to cut fodder (silage and/or hay), the maximum amount payable under either the 2022 and/or the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme is 10 hectares per applicant. The table below details the number of declared and paid hectares for successful applicants in both the 2022 and 2023 Fodder Support Scheme as of 18th May 2023.
Applicants are not required to record data on the volume of fodder produced per hectare applied for under the Fodder Support Scheme.
|
Scheme |
Declared Hectares |
Paid Hectares |
|
2022 Fodder Support Scheme |
706,361.90 |
552,668.00 |
|
2023 Fodder Support Scheme |
671,017.50 |
525,872.10 |
618. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of tillage produced under the tillage incentive scheme in 2022 and to date in 2023; the percentage of tillage that the scheme contributed to overall grain supplies in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24466/23]
View answerLast year, I introduced the Tillage Incentive Scheme which is acknowledged as contributing to an increase in the area under tillage of 20,000ha or 6% from approximately 320,000ha in 2021 to 340,000ha in 2022. This comprised of an increase of 13,000ha in the area of cereal crops and 7,000ha in the area under alternative crops.
The Scheme is a support measure to incentivise an increase in domestic production thereby reducing dependency on imports. I secured funding of €10 million for the continuation of the Scheme in Budget 2023.
The increase in cereal area last year was reflected in a greater volume of grain output. The Teagasc Harvest 2022 Report estimated cereal (wheat, oats and barley) output at 2.42 million tonnes. This is a 93,000 tonne increase over 2021, which was also a high output year with good yields. The 2022 cereal harvest was the biggest harvest since 2016. An increased area of winter crops last year which are generally higher yielding, coupled with record yields from some spring crops and increase in area as a result of the scheme contributed to this output.
It is too early to establish the impact of the 2023 Tillage Incentive Scheme on new tillage area and grain supplies. Information on overall crop areas, the area claimed under TIS and estimates on grain output will allow for an assessment of the contribution of the Scheme in 2023. However, this information will only become available later in the year.
619. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recipients of CAP Pillar 1 funds, in bands and by county from 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24467/23]
View answerThe attached table outlines the CAP Pillar 1 Direct Payments for 2021 and 2022, including the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), the Greening Scheme and the Young Farmer Scheme. Residual payments from previous scheme years continue to issue in subsequent years. Approximately, €1.2bn is paid annually as an income support and is 100% funded by the EU.
[<a ref="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debateRecord/dail/2023-05-23/supportingDoc/2023-05-23_pq619-23-05_en.pdf">Amounts</a>]
620. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers participating in the beef environmental efficiency programme - sucklers in 2022 in which one-, two-, three- and four-cow and calf pairs were weighted; the payment received, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24468/23]
View answerThe Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler aimed to increase the efficiency of Ireland’s suckler herd. It will do this by improving the data that is collected about the herd. This is a nationally funded scheme.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below:
|
Pairs Weighed |
Number of Herds |
Average Payment |
|
1 |
135 |
€79.58 |
|
2 |
232 |
€159.18 |
|
3 |
356 |
€239.73 |
|
4 |
539 |
€323.23 |
621. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers participating in the beef data and genomics programme in 2022 with herd sizes of one, two, three, four and five; the average payment received; the average hectarage of such herds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24469/23]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below:
|
Number of Dams |
Number of Herds |
Forage (hectares) |
Average Payment |
|
1 |
34 |
21.27 |
€63.16 |
|
2 |
106 |
20.57 |
€150.38 |
|
3 |
174 |
19.86 |
€224.58 |
|
4 |
231 |
20.71 |
€320.61 |
|
5 |
274 |
22.31 |
€386.02 |
|
6 |
325 |
22.17 |
€455.86 |
|
7 |
424 |
21.51 |
€545.35 |
|
8 |
483 |
31.63 |
€619.64 |
|
9 |
491 |
26.08 |
€711.53 |
|
10 |
575 |
26.19 |
€776.72 |
|
11 |
531 |
27.88 |
€838.64 |
|
12 |
551 |
29.89 |
€924.28 |
|
13 |
543 |
29.73 |
€969.76 |
|
14 |
613 |
30.47 |
€1,059.97 |
|
15 |
596 |
31.17 |
€1,092.45 |
|
16 |
529 |
32.59 |
€1,168.93 |
|
17 |
508 |
34.10 |
€1,231.47 |
|
18 |
491 |
33.32 |
€1,291.79 |
|
19 |
521 |
34.13 |
€1,357.26 |
|
20 |
479 |
35.67 |
€1,418.69 |
|
21 |
429 |
35.76 |
€1,465.72 |
|
22 |
423 |
39.10 |
€1,553.81 |
|
23 |
375 |
39.38 |
€1,602.30 |
|
24 |
384 |
37.35 |
€1,671.60 |
|
25 |
332 |
41.76 |
€1,742.22 |
|
26 |
321 |
40.02 |
€1,802.99 |
|
27 |
292 |
42.91 |
€1,895.69 |
|
28 |
293 |
43.70 |
€1,941.11 |
|
29 |
255 |
47.26 |
€2,002.52 |
|
30 |
277 |
45.05 |
€2,072.83 |
|
31 |
261 |
46.78 |
€2,093.16 |
|
32 |
203 |
47.80 |
€2,210.51 |
|
33 |
183 |
46.98 |
€2,237.24 |
|
34 |
197 |
51.95 |
€2,312.40 |
|
35 |
205 |
52.29 |
€2,352.86 |
|
36 |
176 |
52.72 |
€2,471.36 |
|
37 |
145 |
51.26 |
€2,499.19 |
|
38 |
141 |
52.03 |
€2,551.36 |
|
39 |
146 |
54.97 |
€2,643.09 |
|
40 |
124 |
55.45 |
€2,642.76 |
|
41 |
137 |
55.19 |
€2,724.29 |
|
42 |
133 |
56.07 |
€2,811.27 |
|
43 |
93 |
67.52 |
€2,883.03 |
|
44 |
118 |
56.82 |
€2,986.47 |
|
45 |
100 |
63.77 |
€2,992.18 |
|
46 |
88 |
59.96 |
€3,011.89 |
|
47 |
82 |
58.49 |
€3,193.91 |
|
48 |
76 |
67.52 |
€3,157.89 |
|
49 |
77 |
64.47 |
€3,310.94 |
|
50 |
60 |
64.81 |
€3,345.14 |
|
51 |
85 |
64.42 |
€3,434.70 |
|
52 |
61 |
59.88 |
€3,496.86 |
|
53 |
46 |
59.84 |
€3,410.83 |
|
54 |
53 |
78.93 |
€3,645.34 |
|
55 |
47 |
72.28 |
€3,588.80 |
|
56 |
47 |
71.69 |
€3,692.54 |
|
57 |
45 |
68.54 |
€3,767.92 |
|
58 |
33 |
74.36 |
€3,721.25 |
|
59 |
29 |
67.22 |
€3,970.98 |
|
60 |
30 |
67.87 |
€4,011.10 |
|
61 |
34 |
69.68 |
€4,074.08 |
|
62 |
36 |
83.65 |
€4,273.37 |
|
63 |
32 |
76.15 |
€4,033.92 |
|
64 |
31 |
74.27 |
€4,390.33 |
|
65 |
29 |
75.55 |
€4,342.78 |
|
66 |
18 |
90.74 |
€4,320.90 |
|
67 |
18 |
79.06 |
€4,373.37 |
|
68 |
16 |
76.94 |
€4,401.07 |
|
69 |
22 |
102.58 |
€4,431.09 |
|
70 |
22 |
83.66 |
€4,605.78 |
|
71 |
26 |
89.88 |
€4,698.25 |
|
72 |
24 |
83.53 |
€4,789.11 |
|
73 |
10 |
70.06 |
€4,539.16 |
|
74 |
12 |
67.11 |
€4,223.60 |
|
75 |
16 |
82.52 |
€5,073.96 |
|
76 |
17 |
98.78 |
€4,642.07 |
|
77 |
17 |
80.64 |
€4,988.36 |
|
78 |
7 |
82.35 |
€5,178.79 |
|
79 |
17 |
106.47 |
€4,759.97 |
|
80 |
4 |
74.07 |
€4,795.81 |
|
81 |
10 |
74.20 |
€5,266.91 |
|
82 |
12 |
88.67 |
€5,266.89 |
|
83 |
6 |
86.60 |
€5,651.37 |
|
84 |
11 |
83.63 |
€5,519.25 |
|
85 |
6 |
77.86 |
€5,428.17 |
|
86 |
9 |
92.27 |
€5,983.33 |
|
87 |
9 |
103.51 |
€5,838.21 |
|
88 |
8 |
97.24 |
€5,614.29 |
|
89 |
7 |
90.36 |
€5,903.84 |
|
90 |
5 |
89.52 |
€5,557.90 |
|
91 |
10 |
111.52 |
€5,750.25 |
|
92 |
6 |
101.89 |
€6,355.07 |
|
93 |
7 |
115.77 |
€6,055.00 |
|
94 |
6 |
83.03 |
€6,343.36 |
|
95 |
6 |
101.80 |
€5,477.82 |
|
96 |
10 |
120.21 |
€6,103.42 |
|
97 |
5 |
103.59 |
€6,049.91 |
|
98 |
6 |
83.91 |
€5,653.20 |
|
99 |
2 |
108.31 |
€5,008.83 |
|
100 |
6 |
97.89 |
€6,854.92 |
|
>100 |
89 |
147.14 |
€8,247.32 |
622. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of organic farming scheme participants by county in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24470/23]
View answerBelow is the breakdown of the number of Organic Farming Scheme participants by county in 2022 and to date in 2023. The figures outlined in respect of 2023 are cumulative and represent the current total number of organic farming scheme participants.
|
County |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Carlow |
14 |
33 |
|
Cavan |
90 |
226 |
|
Clare |
92 |
217 |
|
Cork |
235 |
464 |
|
Donegal |
82 |
301 |
|
Dublin |
10 |
14 |
|
Galway |
132 |
282 |
|
Kerry |
120 |
284 |
|
Kildare |
45 |
69 |
|
Kilkenny |
47 |
67 |
|
Laois |
52 |
66 |
|
Leitrim |
112 |
228 |
|
Limerick |
119 |
176 |
|
Longford |
32 |
82 |
|
Louth |
8 |
16 |
|
Mayo |
66 |
287 |
|
Meath |
47 |
77 |
|
Monaghan |
38 |
68 |
|
Offaly |
64 |
94 |
|
Roscommon |
192 |
379 |
|
Sligo |
51 |
141 |
|
Tipperary |
132 |
203 |
|
Waterford |
29 |
52 |
|
Westmeath |
64 |
107 |
|
Wexford |
53 |
78 |
|
Wicklow |
44 |
77 |
|
Total |
1,970 |
4,088 |
I am very encouraged by the strong uptake in the Organic Farming Scheme over the last two years especially in the most recent tranche from December 2022 which saw 3,423 eligible applications received.
Of these, 2,131 are new to the Organic Farming Scheme and the remaining 1,292 applications represent those whose contracts finished on 31st December 2022. All eligible applicants have been approved into the scheme in February 2023. This brings the total number of participants in the scheme to 4,088, increasing two-fold from 2022.
The target set out in the Programme for Government is to achieve a rate of 7.5% of the total land area farmed organically by 2027 while the revised target set in the Climate Action plan is to achieve 10% organic land area by 2030.
There are now approximately 200,000 hectares under organic production, which represents 4% of the utilisable agricultural area. This brings us another step closer to our ambitious target and provides certainty to those who have chosen to switch to organic farming.
624. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who participated in both the beef environmental efficiency programme - suckler and the beef data and genomics programme from January 2022 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24472/23]
View answerThe Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler (BEEP-S) aimed to increase the efficiency of Ireland’s suckler herd. It will do this by improving the data that is collected about the herd. This was a nationally funded scheme in 2022.
The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) provided financial support to farmers for using technology and genomics to improve the national herd and was a co-funded scheme. BDGP I commenced in 2015 while BDGP II commenced in 2017. Both programmes ended on 31 December 2022.
In 2022, some 15,587 farmers were participating in both the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme - Suckler (BEEP-S) and the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP).
625. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement his Department has had with farmers who have been negatively financially impacted by abolishment of the BurrenLife scheme and the move to ACRES; the action that has been taken to address these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24500/23]
View answerI acknowledge the excellent work done to date under the Burren Programme and am pleased that ACRES, the new flagship agri-environment scheme under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, has been designed using learnings from that Programme, amomgst others. The Government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES over the term 2023 to 2027. This is the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme.
It was always the intention to mainstream positive actions from programmes like the Burren Programme into a large-scale agri-environment scheme, to give a much larger environmental benefit, and a greater number of farmers contributing to environmental goods such as biodiversity and water. Based on the learnings from the Burren Programme and European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects and using a habitats-based approach, ACRES will contribute to improving biodiversity, climate, air, and water quality outcomes.
The Burren Programme had a participation of just over 300 farmers. In ACRES, over 1,000 farmers, more than a 300% increase, will participate in the ACRES Burren Aran Co-operation (CP) Zone. Increasing farmer participation numbers beyond the limited numbers at present requires a balance to be struck to ensure that an attractive payment rate is offered whilst ensuring that as many farmers as possible can join, with the resulting increase in the amount of land providing environmental benefit.
Under the Burren Programme, 11,000ha of species-rich habitats were assessed, whereas it is expected that 40,000ha of high-nature value farmland will be assessed under ACRES CP in the Burren/Aran area. This means that 29,000ha of additional land will be subject to an assessment of the habitat quality and the threats and pressures to habitats and species in those areas. ACRES, therefore, represents a significant upscaling in environmental monitoring and assessment in the region.
This strong interest expressed by Burren farmers in applying to join ACRES means the learnings gained from the Burren Programme and EIP projects can be applied to a greater number of farms. The broader reach of the new Scheme will contribute to improving biodiversity, climate, air and water quality over a greater area of the Burren and Aran Islands.
626. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a stud greyhound (details supplied) is registered accordingly in Greyhound Racing Ireland's RCETS traceability system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24717/23]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The question raised by the Deputy in relation to a named greyhound is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.
627. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when funding will be paid to a person (details supplied) in respect of the hen harrier programme 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24743/23]
View answerThe Hen Harrier Project is operationally independent of my Department and is run by the Hen Harrier Project Team. The Project team are responsible for the administration of the project and associated payments. Any queries relating to payments due should be addressed directly to the Project team.
