Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
451. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he expects all agricultural support payments to be made on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56228/23]
View answerMy Department manages payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in addition to several nationally funded schemes. This year saw the introduction of a new CAP programme, and the implementation of Ireland’s Cap Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP marks a new departure in both the design and operation of all CAP supported schemes, and has represented much change for farmers and the Department alike.
Understandably, there has been a lot of focus throughout the year on the dates on which payments have been made to farmers. Ireland continues to be one of the earliest to make payments under CAP within the EU, and to highest possible number of farmers. In terms of 2024, I have already made a commitment to farmers and farmer representative bodies that the advance ANC payment will revert to its previous earlier date of mid-September with advance payments under BISS, CRISS and Eco-scheme payments in the second half of October 2024. Staff in my Department will continue to work to issue payments that are still due in the coming months as early as possible.
In 2023, my Department has issued payments to farmers under the following schemes:
• Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS)
• Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS)
• Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CISYF)
• National Reserve (€766.5m for BISS, CRISS, CISYF and National Reserve)
• Eco-scheme (€280m)
• Protein Aid (€8.6m)
• Fodder Support Scheme 2023 (€18.5m)
• Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (€241.4m)
• Sheep Improvement Scheme (€18.9m)
• National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme (€5m)
• Beef Welfare Scheme (€14.2m)
• Shannon Callows Exceptional Aid Scheme (€0.55m)
• Organic Farming Scheme (€36.5m)
• Collaborative Farming Grant (€0.39m)
• Farm Safety Scheme (€48k)
• Bovine EID scheme (€1.1m)
• AIM Mart Equipment Scheme (€0.31m)
• BVD Tag Scheme (€1.9m)
• TAMS (€40.41m)
And in the coming days, my Department will make payments to farmers under the Straw Incorporation Measure and Tillage Incentive Scheme (expected payments of €12.3m), Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (expected payments of approximately €50m), ACRES (expected payments of approximately €76m, Liming Programme (expected payments of €7m), Multi-Species Swards Measure, Red Clover Silage Measure, and Equine Passport Scheme.
Payments in respect of the attendance of ACRES participants at ACRES Training Courses, under the ACRES Training Scheme, are also currently being paid to the Course Providers to pass on to the attendees, with just under €1.8m paid to date, and another €3.1m to be issued in the next week.
These schemes represent a total investment approaching €1.6 billion in farming and in rural Ireland supporting farmers in producing safe, high-quality food in a sustainable way.
