Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2017
196. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date for the next national tillage forum with stakeholders with a view to introducing a crisis aid fund for tillage farmers who had their crop destroyed or badly damaged by severe weather in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3647/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI know you are aware I hosted a Tillage Stakeholders Forum last October which consisted of representatives from all sides of this Sector. Following a very productive meeting I subsequently initiated a number of responses to address key issues raised by stakeholders.
As I set out at the Forum, one of my chief priorities was to provide low-cost more flexible finance for the industry and in this regard I was happy to announce subsequently, my plans for a €150 million Agri Cash Flow Loan Support Scheme. This has been developed in conjunction with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), and will provide farmers, including tillage farmers, with a low cost, flexible source of working capital, and will allow them to pay down more expensive forms of short-term debt, ensuring on-going financial sustainability of viable farming enterprises.
As an additional support to cash flow on farms, including Tillage farms, I also confirmed that advance payments would be made in 2016 in respect of the Basic Payment and Greening Payment schemes.
Advance payments commenced on the 17 October last, the earliest possible date by which payments can begin under the governing EU Regulations, with the addition of balancing payments from the 1 December. To date €1,171 billion has been paid out to more than 123,078 farmers and payments are ongoing. Payments of €198 million have also been made to 92,200 applicants under the Areas of Natural Constraints scheme.
In my concluding remarks to the stakeholder forum of last October, I reiterated my view that in the changing international economic landscape we need to take a fresh look at our tillage industry to ensure that it is best positioned to withstand future challenges and to avail of new opportunities which may present themselves. The Forum is therefore an opportunity to explore and build such opportunities, as well as addressing the challenges. As I stated in the Dáil just last week, I plan to convene a further meeting of the stakeholder’s forum in the very near future. This will provide the opportunity for all segments of the industry to work together to develop the sector.
