Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Sep, 2022 to 31 Dec, 2022
Specific Details
Budget 2023
Intended results
To reply to queries raised by Labour Party on sections of the IFA Budget Submission 2023
Q1 - ACRES/GLAS - Is there a sense of what the Dept of Agriculture, food and the Marine will do for those at risk of not having a scheme for 2023? will they extend the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme 3 (GLAS3) participants or pay an upfront for tranch 2? Q2 - There is €300m under CSP for Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), would the €160m to get to €460m come directly from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine?
Answer - The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine haven't clarified if they will extend the Green Low-Carbon Agriculture - Environment Scheme 3 (GLAS 3) or if they will pay an upfront payment for Tranche 2 but the Minister has committed that nobody will be left without a scheme in 2023 due to the tranche based intake into the Agri - Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
The €160m to increase the budget from €300m to €460m would have to come from the National Exchequer funds and the Common Agricultural Policy rules allow for this additional co-financing.
Q2 - Rooftop Solar Scheme & Anaerobic Digestion Support Schemes - Would IFA have a ballpark figure for the proposed Rooftop Solar Scheme and Anaerobic Digestion Support Scheme.
Answer - On Solar, based on an average farm installation size of 10KW, and grant aid of 60%, the requirement is as follows up to 2500 farms (this will take about 3- years) grant requirement €22.5m, up to 18000 farms (10 year plan) €162m.
Q3 - Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) - was there €80m available in 2022, and roughly what kind of funding would be needed for the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme (LESS) equipment proposal?
Answer - Yes, €80m was available through the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) transition but €80m probably won't be fully used up due to a fall back in the number of applications. IFA anticipate that €80m would cover Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) applications including enhanced support IFA have proposed for Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment Scheme (LESS) equipment.
Q4 - Farm Forestry - If there is any sense of additional financial support in this area?
Answer - In 2021 there was a 33% underspend on the budget allocated to Forestry (Approx. €130m was allocated, while less than €70m was spent). This underspend is directly related to the lack of planting. If farmers are to be enticed to plant forestry and commit their land to forestry, the forest premium must better reflect the opportunity lost - land leasing values - devaluation of the land, loss of farmers autonomy and the increased reductions in productivity due to environmental requirements.
Rental land is earning between €550 - €1,100 ha (depending on land type) and due to demand prices are rising year on year, the current forest premiums range from €195 to €665 ha (with no yearly adjustments to reflect market). Forest policy is pushing forestry into higher quality land and premiums need to reflect the realities of policy direction.
The farmer premium differential needs to be re-introduced and premium payments must take better account of leasing market values and the devaluation of the land, this means a substantial increase in the rate of premium paid to farmers..
It is very difficult to determine the additional budgetary requirement as this is very much dependent on hectares planted and the duration of the premium payment.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Elaine Farrell, IFA Director of Governance and Oireachtas Engagement
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?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
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.
Brendan Howlin
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Alan Kelly
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Ged Nash
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Seán Sherlock
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Duncan Smith
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)