372. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rate of payment farmers will receive in schemes in 2026 (details supplied). [48437/26]

The allocation for the Suckler Carbon Efficiency programme (SCEP) in the CSP is €256 million over the course of the programme 2023 - 2027. That equates to an annual allocation of €51.2 million per annum. In 2023, 2024 and 2025 that allocation was spent annually. I expect the level of payments for SCEP in 2026 to be of a similar nature as previous years with payment rates of up to €225 per hectare for the first 15 hectares and up to €180 per hectare for the remaining hectares up to the applicant’s maximum payable area subject to the applicant’s compliance with the terms and conditions of the scheme.

In terms of the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), the allocation over the period 2023 - 2027 is €100 million or €20 million per annum. Payment is up to €12 per ewe subject to the applicant’s compliance with the terms and conditions.

In terms of the 2026 National Sheep Welfare Scheme, the budget allocation is €22 million and payment will be up to €13 per ewe. In 2025, the scheme was oversubscribed and payment was €11.50 per ewe to ensure my Department respected the budgetary allocation of €22 million.

The 2026 National Beef Welfare Scheme will open in mid/late August and has a budgetary allocation of €28 million which allows for a payment of up to €75 per calf assuming full compliance with the terms and conditions of the scheme. In 2025 the scheme was oversubscribed and the payment rate per calf was €67 per calf for up to 45 calves.