A series of my proposals would be around changing how we deal with the current vaccination approach. The current approach has been vaccinating without testing the animal. We can now test a badger and have a result within about ten minutes. There are challenges to that on the bovine side. Where an animal tests positive, for its own sake and the sake of everyone else in the sett and the bovines, it does need to be removed, but otherwise it can be vaccinated. I also want to do a programme of vaccination of badgers tha…

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this point on behalf of Deputy O'Connor. Deputy O'Connor has spoken directly to me on this point previously regarding his concerns in Cork. The programme for Government has committed to introduce planning guidelines for solar farms and to provide certainty in the development of solar energy. Issues regarding planning fall under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The rights of farmers and other landowners are, of course, subject to the usual co…

I accept those valid points and the importance of the planning guidelines committed to in the programme for Government. It is why we have that commitment in there. That is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce. As regards dairy farmers and concerns about the availability of land, there is huge pressure on availability as it is, be that for dairy, tillage, leasing, etc. Land use is under pressure from a variety of directions. The Deputy raised concerns about the dairy sect…

For fear anyone mistakes me for the Minister for climate or planning, I am the Minister for agriculture. I accept the points that have been raised in that context but I wish to put on the record I was very supportive of planning guidelines for solar in the programme for Government talks. It is the right thing to do; we need a bit of structure on that. I understand the concerns raised by Deputies representing their communities. I also recognise the right of farmers to get that blend right between playing their part …

The CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027 aims to improve the economic, social and environmental sustainability of Ireland's agrifood sector. It does this by supporting viable farm incomes and enhancing competitiveness by strengthening the socioeconomic fabric of rural areas and contributing to the achievement of environmental and climate objectives at national and EU levels. The CAP strategic plan, or CSP, includes 28 different schemes or interventions, as they are known. CSP interventions range from income support measure…

I am happy to provide the Deputy with the table in written form as a result of this question. It lists the total expenditure per county for all CSP schemes, the number of beneficiaries and the average per beneficiary. It is quite even. The Deputy's county, Tipperary, saw total expenditure under all CSP schemes of €112,091,305 to 6,652 beneficiaries. The average per beneficiary worked out at €16,851. That compares with Carlow, which is at €17,700; my county, Kildare, at €16,210; Kilkenny, next door to the Deputy, at…

I wish the Deputy and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle the best of luck in the hurling at the weekend. As a proud Kildare man, we look forward to competing for the Liam MacCarthy with both teams next year, after our win in the Joe McDonagh Cup. The Deputy can stand up here and talk sentiment, mention the word "conglomerates" a number of times and so on, but the sentiment he displays is not borne out by the facts. The tabular breakdown, which I will provide to him afterwards, shows that, per county, the average per benefic…

I thank Deputy McGuinness for raising this point. The statistic referred to by him is from the recently published Teagasc national farm survey, NFS, 2024 preliminary results. By way of context, in 2024, the NFS results were based on a sample of 818 farms with a standard output of €8,000 or more per annum, representing almost 88,000 farms nationally. Some 65% of farms in Ireland are represented in the survey and 96% of the livestock population is held on those farms. In 2024, average family farm income increased by …

I have to disagree with the Deputy, respectfully. I understand the point he makes about the impact on small-to-medium-sized farms. As regards ACRES payments, however, 99% of 2023 farmers have been paid fully, with 97% advance payments in respect of 2024 and 94% of the remainder having received their balancing payments for 2024 as well. It was not good enough when I came in. I put a lot of focus on and energy into it. There were 14,500 farmers unpaid, there are 1,500 left, and we are moving might and main to get the…

TAMS has been hugely positive, so when the Deputy suggests that the Government is failing, I disagree with that. TAMS has seen a massive ramp-up and uptake and drawdown of money, and I continue to support that. It is important that the message go out there that if a farmer is considering buying equipment beforehand, he or she is not guaranteed that it will be covered if ranking and selection have to come in. We want responsible activity on the part of farmers and no farmer making an investment that does not meet th…

What a statement.

Hear, hear.

Populist.

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. I will pass on his good wishes to Bord Bia. I look forward to meeting him at Bloom on Thursday evening and to the fantastic bank holiday ahead. A huge number of people have put an awful lot of work in there. It is a great opportunity for us to showcase the best in our food and horticulture sector and beyond. It is something that people take great pride in and put huge work into. It will be a positive weekend. I encourage everyone to go along to Bloom this weeke…

I thank the Senator again. On his last point, I take my responsibility to both Houses very importantly. I always try to answer the Commencement matters or Topical Issue matters that are put to me or my colleagues within the Department. It is important and I thank the Senator for acknowledging that. This is novel legislation that would place an onus on business to supply financial data that goes beyond that which is required across the EU. It is not an insignificant ask. I want to ensure that any proposed additional…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter, which is topical after last week's announcements. The proposals for CAP simplification were published on 14 May by Commissioner Hansen. I welcome any proposals that will simplify and reduce the administrative burden for farmers and for national administrations. However, as with any new legislation, we will need to carefully examine the details of the proposals and evaluate the potential impact for Ireland. My Department will analyse the proposals, and will engag…

I have been on the record a number of times on this but I am happy to reassure farmers again that there is nothing to fear in the baseline rationality around GAEC 2. Farmers can continue to do all of their normal farming activity on a day-to-day basis. That is not going to be undermined by this. It is just a baseline requirement for the basic income support process, or what farmers would know as the single farm payment. I know there are a lot of concerns around this. We had to have a minimum controllable area which…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 114 together. As Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I am working closely with the EU institutions and my counterparts in other member states to try to influence the next Common Agriculture Policy. The CAP is central to the EU’s success in ensuring food security, supporting farm incomes and developing rural areas. The CAP also remains critical to the agrifood sector’s resilience and competitiveness, as it has since Ireland joined the EU more than 50 years ago. I r…

I thank both Deputies for their contributions. It is very important when we have questions on agriculture, food and the marine that CAP is at their heart because it really is so important to everything we are doing. On Deputy Kenny's point about a longer CAP, a longer budget period would be needed for that because the budget drives the other. On the concerns, this night last week I gave an address at the IFA CAP conference held at the Kilashee Hotel in County Kildare. It was very well attended by more than 500 farm…

No pressure there. Thanks for that. I jest. The Deputy is dead right that it is that serious.