2677. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost in 2027 of restoring the horticultural exceptional payment scheme and extending it for soft fruit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59379/26]

The Horticulture Exceptional Payment Scheme (HEPS) was a support measure introduced in 2022 that provided €2.8m in support to horticultural growers. The support was provided in the form of a once-off payment to growers in the horticulture sub-sectors most affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The subsectors included commercial growers in the glasshouse high-wire crops, field vegetable, mushroom and apple sectors who were demonstrably impacted by high energy costs as a result of the conflict. The provision of financial support for the sector in contingent on meeting state aid rules.

It is estimated that the cost of a HEPS type scheme in 2027, including support for soft fruit growers would cost in the region of €3.5-€4 m.

In recent years my Department has demonstrated agility in supporting Irish horticultural growers when exceptional circumstances have arisen which negatively impacted the sector.

In 2023 the Horticulture Crisis Fund (HCF) was launched and provided support of €2.38 million to the sector in 2024 as an emergency support for specific problems impacting the economic viability of horticulture growers.

In 2025, my Department announced a targeted reopening of the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector to deal with horticultural growers proposing investments in response to the damage caused by Storm Éowyn.

In June of this year, my Department launched the Fuel Support Scheme for Specialist Horticulture (FSSSH). The Scheme will provide a once off payment to support specialist monocrop horticulture growers that are most affected by unprecedented increases in fuel costs. Crops that were eligible for consideration under the FSSSH included monocrops of glasshouse high-wire crops (tomatoes, cucumbers), mushrooms, heated strawberries (glasshouses only), hydroponically grown lettuce crops (glasshouses only), herbs and chillies (Glasshouses only).