Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2021
803. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of sheep on which payments were made under the sheep welfare scheme; the payment rate in each of the years 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61906/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of sheep that have received payment under the scheme for each of the scheme years since Year 1 of the scheme commenced in February 2017 is set out in the following table.
|
Scheme Year |
Number of eligible breeding ewes receiving payment |
|
2017 |
1,890,130 |
|
2018 |
1,771,078 |
|
2019 |
1,724,087 |
|
2020 |
1,693,943 |
|
2021 |
1,848,077 * |
* This figure is based on payments to date, which commenced in November 2021 with advanced payments under 2021 Sheep Welfare Scheme. The final number of eligible breeding ewes on which payment will be made will reflect additional payments to be made up to and including the issue of balancing payments in Q2 2022, as well as the incorporation of the 2021 census process and any other changes in participant’s flock sizes notified to my Department during the scheme year. It should also be noted that the 2021 figures reflects the change to the reference year, bringing the reference year to the higher of either the farmers’ existing reference number or their 2017 sheep census return. For those who joined as new entrants, the reference year is being updated to 2019.
The payment rate in each of the years 2016 to date was €10 per eligible breeding ewe.
