To give absolute reassurance to Deputy Berry, everything will be voluntary. It is about providing options to farmers, voluntary options, and ones that will pay farmers. That will help us collectively to meet the challenge of reducing emissions over the coming decade. That is something I am confident we will do, and that is the approach we have taken so far and will continue to take. Where I am with a potential dairy reduction scheme is that the dairy vision group, comprising all stakeholders in the sector as well a…

I thank Deputy Nolan for the question. Last year Ireland secured renewal of our nitrates derogation covering the period 2022 to 2025. As part of that approval, the European Commission attached increased conditionality to the derogation in the granting of it, including a requirement that we would conduct a two-year water quality review. Its implementing decision states that where water quality is poor or where worsening trends occur over the period 2021 to 2022, the maximum stocking rate must reduce from 250 kg of o…

We are working together to try to seek extra time. I have brought everyone in the sector into that working group. It is the first time there has ever been a working group on this issue, so we can pool ideas and pool resources for what is a real challenge on maintaining our derogation. My team has already engaged with the Commission with regard to flexibilities. We will engage further over the course of this month. There will also be a meeting of that working group shortly to get ideas from all of the farmer represe…

Yes, multiple issues impact water quality, and certainly wastewater from towns, villages and sewage are a key part of that, mainly contributing to the phosphorus side. The biggest challenge from the nitrates side comes from agriculture. That will be recognised by all. While we have to address the phosphorus side and the sewage side, which is a real problem, we also have to address the nitrates side in terms of agriculture. To be clear, it is not about saying the Minister needs to thump the table with the Commission…

I hope to engage with the committee shortly to provide an update on the Bill. The Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017, to which the Deputy referred, seeks to create a specific system for licensing island fishers to conduct small-scale coastal fishing activities and would provide regulatory powers for this purpose. There have been a number of significant developments since 2017. My colleague the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, published Our Living Islands, our important nati…

Like the Deputy, I very much value our islands and wish to make sure there are sustainable, economic livelihoods on them. Traditionally, fishing was the biggest part of that and really drove the economies of the islands, although that has become less so as the years have passed. I want to work in any way we can to support the inshore fishing sector both around our coast and, in particular, on the islands, where it is even more significant. That is why significant time has been spent and engagement has happened to g…

I accept this has taken time, but I assure the Deputy that if it were straightforward, it would have been dealt with long ago. I had legal advice on my table regarding the workability and legality of the Bill, and I then sought further legal advice in that regard because I wanted to explore it from every angle and fully examine what the proposal was and what the potential might be. That has taken time and consideration, which is why it has taken so long. If it were straightforward or more workable or doable, I woul…

I will update the committee shortly on it, but the Deputy can take it that it has been very challenging given it has taken so long to consider it, look at it and see what the options might be. Before the end of this month, I will revert to the committee with my update on the Bill. Like the Deputy, I want to do everything we can to support the islanders. From a Government point of view, that is a big priority, as it has been for me from a fisheries point of view. I outlined the supports I have put in place, which ha…

The Deputy is on the button with this question, which is being asked throughout the country, regarding the new suckler carbon efficiency programme, which replaces the suckler welfare scheme. This decision was made in the strategic interest of improving our suckler and beef herd and especially the value of the animals we sell and market abroad. Origin Green, the Bord Bia quality assurance programme, was initiated in 2011. It was way ahead of its time and came long before the sustainability discussion became so mains…

It has been a challenge to get more participation in quality assurance. It has come a long way but we need to try to have more farmers in it. That is difficult to achieve. It enhances our overall product. The Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, and I are doing trade missions abroad all the time, and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, is also looking at it from an organic point of view. It is a massive calling card. It is what the customers we are selling to want to hear about. The Origin Green branding and the q…

There is no doubt that a move like this will strengthen the sector-----

-----but I accept it is a rationale that at times is challenging to communicate.

I do not believe it is possible to have a halfway house for quality assurance. We have one national quality assurance scheme and one national brand. It is important this is as strong as possible. Lots of farmers are concerned about taking on the additional administration involved in quality assurance. The experience has been, from those who have made that move and made that jump, that it is not as onerous and there is nothing to fear, given the trepidation they might have had in advance. The feedback I have had fro…

The objective of the suckler carbon efficiency programme, SCEP, is to provide support to suckler and beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains already delivered through the beef data and genomics programme, which finished in December, and the beef environmental efficiency programme by improving the genetic merit of the herd. I am confident SCEP will drive further improvements in what are already world-class suckler and beef herds. At…

I take Deputy Ó Cuív's point. It has always been a challenge to get smaller herds into the suckler schemes. That was the experience with the previous scheme as well. This scheme is much more attractive in terms of pay rates. Last time around, somebody with fewer than nine or ten cows would have received €90 per cow. The payment this time around is €150. That is a big increase in the funding we are giving to farmers who would have fewer than ten cows. If people look at the detail relating to the previous scheme, the…

It is not that we are leaving anybody out. It is open to everyone. Anyone can apply. I accept what Deputy Ó Cuív has stated to the effect that those who have smaller numbers of animals are not applying in the same percentages as those who have more, but it is open to everyone. In addition, we have increased the payments significantly, from €90 to €150. The objective here is not to get to a point where everyone is selling to a qualified assured farm for the last 90 days. The objective is to have as many farms as pos…

-----its journey is quality assured. As we go forward and as the sustainability ask of consumers across the world and in supermarkets that we are selling to becomes stronger, to be able to say that it is only the last 90 that are quality assured as opposed to the animal's journey that is quality assured becomes something we have to look at in terms of making sure we have a strong scheme and a robust quality assurance system to allow us to maximise the price of that animal. Ultimately, it benefits the farmers and th…

Rásaíocht Con Éireann is a commercial State body. Its role is chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. The allocation from the horse and greyhound fund for Rásaíocht Con Éireann is €18.2 million this year. Since 2020, my Department has ring-fenced 10% of the fund allocation to Rásaíocht Con Éireann for welfare, including integrity. The Board of Rásaíocht Con Éireann has indicated that its priorities include the continued expansion of the care and welfare initiatives, wh…

The programme for Government commitment is being significantly advanced through the various initiatives and the funding that Rásaíocht Con Eireann is spending and how it is being allocated. I outlined some of the steps taken in the past two to three years. These are significant steps forward for safeguards around welfare and the supports for greyhounds. For example, 50% of all existing sponsorship is assigned to the greyhound care fund. Some 10% of all admissions and restaurant packages have also been assigned to t…

It is a key priority of the Government. It is also a key priority for Rásaíocht Con Éireann, and the management and board. The long-term viability and future for the industry has to be built on good welfare. It is what the public and dog owners expect. It is what all dogs deserve. It is also what Government funding is contingent on. We continue to work closely together. The commitment from the Government is to continue funding the sector, but that welfare be given a priority as part of that. We have also taken a co…