The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has stated that sheepmeat price data has not provided “conclusive evidence that the sector has suffered any persistence adverse impact” as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.
Independent TD for Tipperary, Michael Lowry, had asked Minister Charlie McConalogue to provide the “metrics used by officials in his department to conclude that financial supports through the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund (BAR) were inapplicable for the sheep farming sector”.
According to Minister McConalogue, the BAR was established by the European Commission to provide financial support to the “most affected member states to counter the adverse consequences” from the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.
The minister said: “The sheepmeat price data published by my department does not provide conclusive evidence that the sector has suffered any persistent adverse impact as a result of the UK’s decision to withdraw from the EU.
“The overall price trend as measured by the average annual price for all sheep categories has been predominantly positive for primary producers during that period and has markedly exceeded the 2016 average price for the last three years.”
He also highlighted to Deputy Lowry that the sheep sector in Ireland was “notably less dependent on the UK market than some other agri-food commodities such as beef”.
Minister McConalogue added: “According to the Central Statistics Office, the UK accounted for 43% of total beef exports by both value and volume in 2022; whereas sheepmeat exports to the UK last year accounted for 13% and 16% of total category exports in value and volume terms respectively.”
He said that expenditure under the BAR “must demonstrate a direct link to the negative impact of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU” and to date, no clear case has been made on claiming BAR funding.
Minister McConalogue also outlined to Deputy Lowry that he recognised that sheep farmers were experiencing more challenging market conditions in 2023 compared to recent years.
“Prices are a matter for negotiation between buyers and sellers but it is encouraging to see that markets are now returning consistently better prices for farmers than at the start of the year,” he added.
According to the minister the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) provides “significant support” to sheep farmers under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
“My officials will continue to monitor developments in sheepmeat markets and the government will continue to make every effort to support the sector having regard to current budgetary circumstances and constraints,” Minister McConalogue said.