Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2024
441. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a farm payment appeal by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3891/24]
View answerThe Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd.
As stated under section 11 ‘Payments under the Programme’ of the Terms and Conditions of SCEP, in order to avail of the full payment, an applicant must have at least enough determined eligible forage hectares under their BISS application each year to match their Maximum Payable Area (MPA). If the determined eligible forage area is less than the MPA but 80% or above, the payment will be based on this eligible forage area.
If the determined eligible forage hectares in any year is less than 80% of the maximum payable area selected by SCEP participants, the participant can continue participation in SCEP, but will not be paid for the year that the determined eligible forage hectares is less than 80% of the MPA.
A SCEP application was received on behalf of the person named with a programme reference number and a 2023 yearly reference number of 37 with an MPA of 24.67 declared on the application. As the person named did not have enough determined eligible forage hectares on their BISS application to meet the minimum amount required to be eligible for payment, no payment is due under SCEP in respect of scheme year 1 of the programme.
A request for review was received on behalf of the person named on 23 January 2024, a letter issued to the person named on 24 January 2024 informing him of the outcome and of the next steps he can take if he so wishes.
