Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2015
447. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that it is appropriate to limit the availability of the scheme based on the number of calved cows in 2014, which clearly delimits the ability to expand and increase suckler cow numbers in future years; if farmers could be permitted to apply on all of the suckler cows in their herd in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20710/15]
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 Beef Data and Genomics Programme has been agreed with the European Commission as part of the Rural Development Plan for Ireland. While the BDGP is an area based payment, the area upon which payment is made is based on the number of suckler cows calving in the herd in 2014. It was not possible to select a future date because a scheme approved under the RDP could not provide an incentive for increasing stock numbers.
Selecting 2014 also adds a measure of administrative simplicity for farmers that will facilitate early payments under the scheme. The provisions do, however, allow the use of 2015 as an alternative base on an exceptional basis for new entrants, applicants impacted by force majeure circumstances in 2014 and for those who would have been excluded from the scheme as a result of a reduction in stock numbers in 2015. Such farmers should apply for the scheme before the 29 May deadline and the decision regarding whether to use 2015 as basis, where appropriate, will be decided after the closing date for applications.
I should also add that the above provisions relate only to the calculation of payment under the BDGP – there is no restriction whatsoever on individual farmers increasing their output and cow numbers during the course of the scheme.
