The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 18 May, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Jan, 2022 to 30 Apr, 2022

Specific Details Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) Scheme.

Intended results To highlight that the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue must move immediately to resolve the BEAM scheme issues for farmers. To highlight that it's a clear failure of the BEAM scheme and its administration that 11,000 farmers have, or will have, €18m clawed back from them, primarily as a result of poor scheme design. To highlight that at the end of the latest reference period in the region of 7,500 more farmers have not met the 5% requirement and are liable to have another almost €13m clawed back. This follows the clawback of over €5m from over 3,500 farmers last year. To stress that it's inconceivable that the Minister for Agriculture would allow his officials issue letters to suckler and beef farmers demanding the repayment of these monies with the threat of interest charges. To highlight that Suckler and beef farmers have seen the value of current beef prices completely eroded by production cost increases. This situation has been further compounded by the war in Ukraine. To seek that the Minister provide extended repayment facilities for farmers, with no interest charges. To highlight that payments for suckler cows must be increased to €300/cow and a cattle rearing and finishing scheme that returns €100/animal must be put in place. To seek that the interest charges on repayments be removed. To seek that the better reference period data be used. To reallocate the monies to suckler and beef farmers. To note that the Department have written to over 7,000 farmers seeking to recoup monies paid under this measure. To highlight that the formula used by the Department to determine the reduction is far too complicated and more or less impossible to keep track of at farm level. To highlight that the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine has given farmers 30 days to pay the money back or be faced with a 3% interest charge. This is not properly provided for in the Terms and Conditions. To highlight that IFA is seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Agriculture to address the serious issues in the letters received by farmers.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Brendan Golden IFA Livestock Chair, Tomas Bourke Senior Policy Executive

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.

Email (2-5)

Social Media (1)

Phone call (2-5)

Meeting (1)

Letter (2-5)

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.

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Martin Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Patrick Donohoe Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Paul Dillon Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)