The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 20 Sep, 2017

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Finance

Period 1 May, 2017 to 31 Aug, 2017

Specific Details IFA 2018 Budget Submission - Expenditure Measures to support Farm Enterprises

Intended results Competitiveness Competitiveness - Low Cost Loans - Government funding is required in Budget 2018 to support the competiveness of farming enterprises and other SMEs through the provision of low cost loans, to fund both ongoing working capital requirements and for on-farm investment. Producer Organisations - IFA proposes that funding is provided in Budget 2018 to assist farmers with the costs associated with the establishment and ongoing running costs of producer organisations Knowledge Transfer - To support the participation by farmers in Knowledge Transfer programmes across all sectors, funding of €25m is required in Budget 2018 Animal Health - The following support measures for Animal Health are required in Budget 2018: Funding to upgrade the facilities and enhance the services provided to farmers on the six strategically located Regional Veterinary Laboratory sites. • A fully funded Wildlife Control Programme to facilitate increased capture activity in recognised TB problem areas – including a targeted Deer Management Programme • Appropriate veterinary staff numbers must be provided in all RVO’s • Funding to adequately offset farmer costs across a range of disease eradication/control programmes, including TB Supporting Farm Incomes Areas of Natural Constraints - IFA proposes that funding for the Areas of Natural Constraint is increased by €25m in Budget 2018, as part of the process to restore the area-based cuts to payments imposed in 2009. Sheep Welfare Scheme - IFA proposes that additional funding of €5m is provided for the Sheep Welfare Scheme in Budget 2018, resulting in a total funding allocation of €30m. Fair Deal Scheme – Means Assessment of Farm Assets: In Budget 2018, Government must provide additional funding in order to make good on its commitment to amend the Fair Deal Nursing Home Scheme and removing the discrimination against farming and other small business assets. Farm Assist - IFA proposes that, in the means test for Farm Assist, the depreciation rate for farm equipment and machinery should be increased to a standard rate of 10% to more accurately reflect the useful life of these assets. Contributory Pension • IFA proposes that the contributory pension system is moved from the average system to the total contribution system in 2018 for the purpose of calculating the level of contributory pension. •IFA proposes that, where a farmer was ineligible to make PRSI contributions prior to 2007, due to being in receipt of Farm Assist, these years should be disregarded in calculating their contributory pension level. Agri-Environment and Climate Mitigation. Agri-Environment Schemes - IFA proposes a funding allocation of €250m for all agri-environment schemes in Budget 2018. Beef Data and Genomics Programme - IFA proposes an increase in funding of €25m for the Beef Data and Genomics Programme in Budget 2018, to support an enhanced programme of measures, for both existing and new BDGP participants. Forestry - IFA proposes the following measures to support the afforestation programme and the development of the economic potential of the forestry sector: • Continued funding for a 7,000 ha planting programme and forest owner groups to realise the economic potential of the private forest resource • Increased funding of the Forest Road Scheme to cover the cost of road construction and support mobilisation of the private forest resource • Funding for small scale harvesting and processing equipment to facilitate the mobilisation of noncommercial scale forests SAC Payments - IFA proposes that additional funding of €5m must be allocated to the NPWS in Budget 2018 to pay farmers where restrictions to farming result from land designation. Renewable Heat Investment - IFA proposes that funding for farming and community based renewable heat projects must be provided in Budget 2018, as part of a wider Renewable Heat Incentive programme. Biomass Supply Chain Development - Funding is required for an integrated Biomass Mobilisation Programme, to support farmers to invest in farm based infrastructure, such as specialised machinery, storage and drying units. Investment and Diversification TAMS 11 - IFA proposes that €100m is allocated for TAMS measures in Budget 2018. This funding allocation would include the carry forward of unspent funding from 2017. The funding is required to support both existing and new measures approved under the annual review of the Rural Development Programme. Farm Safety - IFA proposes that a programme of funding for Farm Safety is introduced in Budget 2018, with the following measures: Under the TAMS farm safety measure, the minimum expenditure of €2,000 per holding should be reduced to remove the disincentive to farmers from participation • Funding should be provided to the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee to implement the Farm Safety Action Plan 2016-2018 • A grant-aided PTO scrappage scheme, to encourage farmers to replace old PTO shafts with new safer models Horticulture - IFA proposes that funding for the Scheme of investment aid for commercial horticulture is increased to €8m in Budget 2018, to meet the demand for investment, evidenced by the oversubscription of the scheme in previous years. In addition, compensation must be provided for the disposal of ash plants in the amenity horticulture sector arising from the Ash-Dieback disease. Aquaculture - Funding must be provided in Budget 2018 to support the “Implementation Strategy” as per Recommendation 10 of the Independent Aquaculture Licence Review Committee report to “assign responsibility for recommendations, accountability and set milestones for delivery and identify the necessary resources to support the implementation process”. In addition, resources must be made available through the EMFF to fund a communications plan under Article 68 of regulation (EU) No 508/2014 and the recently agreed “Farmed In The EU” campaign for Ireland, assisted by DG MARE. Walks Scheme - IFA proposes that, as per the Programme for Government commitment, the number of walks under the scheme must be increased to 80, with a funding allocation of €4m in Budget 2018.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity IFA President Joe Healy and IFA Rural Development Chairman Joe Brady

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? To lobbying Oireachtas Members to deliver IFA Budget 2018 proposals

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All Oireachtas Members

Submission All Oireachtas Members

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (6-10)

Informal communication (2-5)

Meeting (2-5)

Event / Reception (1)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Michael Creed Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Jonathan Hoare Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)

Stephen Lynam Special Adviser (Department of Finance)

Michael W. D'Arcy Minister of State (Department of Finance)

Pat Deering TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charlie McConalogue TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Willie Penrose TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michelle Mulherin Senator (Seanad)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McGrath TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Sherlock TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paddy Bourke Councillor (Dublin City Council)

Rose Conway-Walsh Senator (Seanad)

Gerry Horkan Senator (Seanad)

Kieran O'Donnell Senator (Seanad)

John McGuinness TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mattie McGrath TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe Minister (Department of Defence)

Damien English Minister of State (Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government)

Richard Bruton Minister (Department of Education and Skills)

Eoghan Murphy Minister (Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government)

Frances Fitzgerald Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation)