A total of 29,865 applicants were accepted into the Beef Data and Genomics Programme, of which 4,615 applicants have now withdrawn. Of those herds that had withdrawn 125 applicants subsequently requested re-entry and were duly accepted. A further 132 herds have been excluded due to the absence of eligible animals. Approximately 1,200 herds have not returned any genomic samples. My Department recently issued a letter to all of these applicants and is finalising the position regarding each applicant as replies are received.
A further 3,000 herds have not submitted sufficient samples and/or data to be eligible for payment at this point. My Department will shortly make contact with these herdowners to remind them to submit all outstanding samples and/or data to facilitate payment. The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table:
|
Subhead
|
Title of Scheme/Programme
|
Original Budget for 2015
€000
|
Post Supplementary Budget for 2015
€000
|
Expenditure for 2015
€000
|
|
A.12
|
Beef Data and Genomics Programme
|
52,000
|
35,000
|
34,691
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.3.1
|
Rural Environment Protection Scheme
|
52,000
|
52,000
|
30,459
|
|
C.3.1
|
Mini Catchment
|
1,550
|
1,550
|
1,550
|
|
C.3.2
|
Agri - Environment Option Scheme
|
71,000
|
71,000
|
79,801
|
|
C.3.3
|
Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme
|
20,000
|
20,000
|
11,453
|
|
C.3.5
|
Organic Farming Schemes
|
6,000
|
6,000
|
7,969
|
|
|
C.3 Total (ex Locally Led)
|
150,550
|
150,550
|
131,232
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.3.4
|
Locally Led Environmental Schemes
|
0
|
0
|
*1,044
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.4
|
Land Mobility-Early Retirement Scheme
|
8,144
|
7,394
|
7,143
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.5.1
|
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
|
34,000
|
30,500
|
24,830
|
|
C.5.2
|
Horticulture Industry
|
4,200
|
4,200
|
3,961
|
|
C.5.3
|
Development of Organic Sector
|
2,045
|
2,045
|
1,426
|
|
|
C.5 Total
|
40,245
|
36,745
|
30,217
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D.4
|
Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme
|
195,000
|
207,000
|
205,906
|
*The payments made in 2015 for the Locally Led Environmental Scheme (Burren Life) were in relation to a fully funded EU Scheme so no voted allocation is shown.
In relation to TAMS and GLAS, expenditure was lower than the provision in 2015. These are demand-led schemes for which annual expenditures are difficult to estimate in advance. It is anticipated that the funding provided for these schemes will be fully utilised over the period of the rural development programme.
As the Supplementary Estimate changed the definitive allocation for a number of the schemes referred to by the deputy, I have included an additional column showing the definitive allocation as well as the original allocation and expenditure.
