New National Sheep Welfare Scheme open for applications

The new National Sheep Welfare Scheme is now open for applications and it has an operating budget of €15 million.

The announcement was made by Agricultural Minister Charlie McConalogue and farmers will have to complete two actions to be eligible for the full payment of €8 per ewe.

The scheme has four possible measures, which are in two separate categories and equally targeted at upland and lowland flocks.

The shearing or body condition of ewes falls under category A, while category B relates to the clostridial vaccination of ewes or lambs if ewes have been previously vaccinated or the plunge dipping of ewes.

Participants who are seeking to join the NSWS must decide at the application stage which options they intend to pursue by making a selection from each category.

The maximum number of breeding ewes deemed eligible will be decided by the numbers that are designated and declared for each participating flock in the sheep census returns from 2020 – 2023.

Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon has welcomed the opening of the scheme and he stated it represents a doubling of the sheep payment from 2022 and is the highest payment ever provided “A priority for Government in Budget 2024 was to provide an additional payment for sheep farmers," he said.

“Combined funding for the sheep sector through both CAP and national schemes will now result in a payment equivalent to €20 per ewe in 2024."