Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2015
373. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the new suckler cow scheme in view of the six year rule that would result in farmers being penalised if they do not comply with all conditions in this time span, and if they decide to move to a different enterprise in that six years. [19943/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and will provide suckler farmers in Ireland with funding of some €300 million over the next 6 years. The BDGP builds on the investment in data recording and genomics in recent years, and will ultimately bring about long-term improvements to the sector by fundamentally improving the genetic quality of the beef herd. The BDGP has been approved under the agri-environment provisions in the RDP regulations and can make an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the national herd. The six year commitment arises from the requirements of the EU Rural Development Regulation under which this scheme is co-funded by the EU and Irish taxpayers. Article 28 of this Regulation stipulates that all agri-environmental schemes must be at least 5 years in duration and farmers will be familiar with multi-annual schemes such as GLAS and REPS where similar conditions apply.
The six year timeframe provides a guaranteed and stable payment for suckler farmers allowing them to plan and budget on their farms for the duration of the programme. It is important to note that the penalty system includes appropriate tolerances where only minor non-compliances occur and no penalty will apply in these cases. In more serious cases there must of course be an applicable penalty however, on balance, I am satisfied that the approach reflects the most proportionate response consistent with the Regulations. The requirement to seek full refund of payment only applies in the event of permanent withdrawal from the scheme. As always in such cases, force majeure clauses have been included in the Terms and Conditions where withdrawal is due to circumstances beyond the applicant’s control such as illness or disease. There is also a provision included for transfers by gift or inheritance whereby the transferee can decide to take over the commitments or exit from the programme entirely.
The BDGP is a substantial commitment to the beef sector over the next 6 years and I will continue to monitor its implementation to ensure that it is fit for purpose. The BDGP, like all RDP Schemes, will be subject to mid-term review over the next five years. If aspects of the scheme can be improved in the future, I will seek to address these issues in consultation with the EU Commission.
