For participation in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), there are several actions farmers must undertake, but here is a reminder of the penalties that exist for non-compliance in the scheme.
The current payment per eligible breeding ewe and payment for full scheme compliance is €12/ewe.
Where an action is not fully completed in line with the scheme conditions, it will not be eligible for payment.
Where only the category A action has been completed payment will be €3.50/ewe.
This is based on the exclusion of the payment for the category B action for the non-compliance of action B plus a 50% penalty on action A.
Where only the category B action has been completed payment will be €2.50/ewe.
This is based on the exclusion of the payment for the category A action for the non-compliance of that action plus a 50% penalty on the category B action.
Where neither the category A action nor the category B action have been completed, no payment will be made and an administrative penalty of 20% based on the overall amount which would have been payable on the two actions in the scheme year, will be imposed.
Genotyped ram action
Where an applicant has not completed the genotyped ram action in the year they selected to carry out the action, in addition to the above penalties, the genotyped ram action will roll over into the following year and will replace the alternate category B action for that year.
The applicant must then complete the genotyped ram action in the following year.
Where an applicant again fails to complete the genotyped ram in the following year, the applicant will receive no payment for either their category A action or their category B action.
An administrative penalty of 20% based on the overall amount which would have been payable on the two actions in the scheme year will also be imposed.
Applicants will also be deemed ineligible for participation in subsequent scheme years and will be withdrawn from the scheme.
SIS penalties
Failure to produce the scheme action record book on request will result in no payments for the scheme year, and an administrative penalty of 20% based on the overall amount which would have been payable in the scheme year will be imposed.
Failure to correctly complete or maintain the scheme action record book will result in a 50% reduction for each scheme action incorrectly recorded.
Where no records are maintained, an administrative penalty of 20% based on the overall amount payable in the scheme year will be imposed.
Intentional and serious breaches of the scheme conditions may result in non-payment for the year in question, administrative penalties of 20% on the overall amount payable and termination of participation for future years in the SIS.
Where it is established that conditions were artificially or fraudulently created by the scheme participant, or someone on their behalf, to draw down payment under the scheme, the scheme participant will be excluded from the scheme.
All monies paid under the scheme for the relevant scheme years shall be reimbursed, and administrative penalties of 20% will be imposed.
Interest will be calculated for the period elapsing between the notification of the repayment obligation to the farmer, and either repayment or deduction.
Where monetary penalties are not paid or recovered within the period requested, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) may take whatever action is deemed necessary for their recovery.
Sheep census
The closing date for return of the December 2023 sheep census was January 31, 2024 for paper census forms.
The deadline for online census submission is February 14, 2024.
Sheep census returns received up to the February 14 will be considered as valid for the SIS.
The late submission of sheep census returns will be accepted as valid for the SIS for a 26 calendar day period after February 14, 2024.
However, deductions to SIS payments at a rate of 1% per working day will apply to late
census returns received during this period.
Where an applicant submits a sheep census return after the 26-calendar day period has expired, i.e., after March 11, 2024, the applicant will not be eligible for payment for year two of the SIS.