Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 April 2012
1086 Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if donkeys will continue to be counted in calculations for disadvantaged area scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18021/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt will be recalled that, on foot of commitments given in the 2012 Budget, significant savings needed to be found in my Department's expenditure for 2012, part of which it was decided should come from the funding assigned to the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. However, rather that simply apply an across the board cut to the rates payable or reduce the maximum payable area, I decided that real efforts should be made to focus the Scheme on those farmers who are most actively contributing to achieving the aims of the Scheme, namely, ensuring continued agricultural land use, thereby contributing to the maintenance of viable rural communities, maintaining the countryside and maintaining and promoting sustainable farming systems, which take account of environmental protection measures.
Horses and donkeys will no longer be automatically eligible for the stocking density calculation, with the following requirements now applicable:
Horses:
Equine breeding enterprises will continue to be eligible on the basis of the contribution they make to the local economy. Equine breeding enterprises are defined as follows: an applicant must, in the first instance, be an equine breeder and have bred a foal, from a mare registered as on the applicant's holding in 2011, in either 2009, 2010 or 2011, which was registered in a Stud Book approved by my Department, with pedigree recorded (sire and dam). Furthermore, the premises of all who meet this criteria must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in accordance with S.I. No. 8 of 2012, Diseases of Animals Act 1966 (Registration of Horse Premises) Order 2012.
Where these criteria are met, the following equines will then be eligible for inclusion in the stocking density calculation for the 2012 Scheme:
All equines aged one year to five years, (aged using 1 January), registered in the name of the applicant and maintained on his/her holding;
Breeding mares, registered as having been on the applicant's holding in 2011, that have bred an appropriately registered foal in either 2009, 2010 or 2011.
Donkeys:
Donkeys will continue to be eligible for inclusion in the stocking density calculation where the animals in question are appropriately registered and in respect of which the relevant identification documentation has been issued, showing the animal(s) concerned as being in the ownership of the given applicant.
