Grants now available for expert conservation advice!

A new pilot scheme was launched recently by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage to provide funding for expert conservation advice to owners of vacant farmhouses who are availing of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.

The Conservation Advice

Grant Scheme for Vacant

Traditional Farmhouses will provide grants of up to €7,500 (ex-VAT) to cover the cost of having a conservation expert with proven and appropriate expertise visit a property, conduct a survey, and compile tailored conservation advice for the property owner. This expert advice will include a report which outlines the condition of a building and suggests conservation repairs and improvements which would improve the building and enhance its character, energy efficiency, integrity, and amenity.

Launching the pilot scheme, Minister for Housing, Local Gov-

Roscommon MART WATCH

There was a good entry of stock on offer at last Friday’s special bullock sale with a very strong trade for all classes.

Bullocks fetched an average of €3.04 per kilo up to €4 per kilo. There was a good entry of dry cows and they made an average of €2.52 per kilo up to €2.84 per kilo. There was also a good attendance of customers at the ringside with online bidders also active.

We had a large number of sheep on offer at our weekly sale of lambs and cast ewes. Prices for spring lambs made up to €170. The tops for stag ewes fetched €191.

Castlerea MART WATCH

300 lots presented for sale on Thursday last with trade and prices holding well especially for the quality stores.

Bullocks topped out at €2,090, heifers peaked at €2,200 while the forward dry cows made up to €2,460.

The weanling rings, with smaller numbers on offer, witnessed excellent demand and a good clearance. Cows with calves at foot made up to €2,420 while the calf ring reported a good trade with less numbers on offer.

Springers made from €860 to €1,860. Calves made from €200 to €400 with runners making from €230 to €740 for continental lots.

Sales continue at Castlerea Mart today (Thursday) with our weekly sale of bullocks, heifers, cows, calves, runners, and weanlings. All sales commence at 11 am.

Sample prices for bullocks: Ch 470kgs €1600, Lm 480kgs €1600, AA 490kgs €1500, Lm 500kgs ernment and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien said:

“Traditional farmhouse buildings present unique challenges when it comes to refurbishment and this new pilot scheme will help remove some of these obstacles by allowing owners to obtain the expert advice needed to restore these structures and bring them back into use.

“These traditional farmhouse buildings have the potential to become homes and this scheme can help make that happen”.

Sample prices for dry cows: Lim X 705kgs

€1,800.

Bullocks: Char X 525kgs €2,100, Char X 770kgs

€2,360, Lim X 690kgs €2,260, Char X 685kgs

€2,260, Char X 715kgs €2,200, Char X 690kgs

€2,160, Lim X 585kgs €2,020, Lim X 605kgs

€1,910, Char X 505kgs €1,700, Char X 385kgs

€1,280, Lim X 380kgs €1,230, Lim X 605kgs

€1,900, Char X 505kgs €1,600, Char X 645kgs

€2,000, Char X 605kgs €2,040. Springs lambs: 55.5kgs €170, 47kgs €169, 53kgs €169, 48.9kgs €168, 43.5kgs €165, 45kgs €166, 44.4kgs €165, 44kgs €154, 43.7kgs €148, 41kgs €128, 40kgs €130, 38kgs €120.

“It is really a wake-up call for policy makers when we see that dairy incomes increased by 50 per cent whereas suckler and sheep incomes fell by 13.4 per cent and 20.9 per cent respectively,” he said.

“Cattle feeding enterprises showed a small increase of 9 per cent but it’s a deceptive figure because it is built on previous year cattle purchases to some considerable extent”.

Mr Kelleher accused supermarkets of being “completely reckless” in maintaining unsustainable prices for beef and lamb.

“For example, supermarkets have doubled down on their traditional

‘two steaks for a tenner’ policy. In our view, this is not sustainable,” he said.

“Whereas dairy product prices increased notably on the shelves in 2022, there was no increase in beef or lamb prices. This is a really critical point now at a time when supermarkets are cutting prices again. Beef and lamb prices did not increase on the shelves and this must be addressed”.

The ICSA President said the association believes CAP and other support schemes were “clearly not fit for purpose” for the suckler and cattle sectors.

“It is now beyond question that something must be done for the sheep sector. ICSA’s campaign for the sheep sector is even more justified in the light of a 20 per cent drop in sheep farm incomes to an average of €16,454,” he said.

The ICSA has also called for an immediate decision in relation to the Budget allocation for a replacement

Friday 23th June @ 11 a.m.

Special

Also, Dry Cows, Bullocks & Weanlings

Friday 30th June @ 11 a.m.

Special Sale of Bullocks

Also, Dry Cows, Heifers & Weanlings

Bookings accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday 26th June

Lambs & Cast Ewes

Each Wednesday @ 11 a.m. Stock must be penned by 9.30 a.m. – Gates close at 10 a.m.

Friday 7th July @ 11 a.m.

64th Anniversary

Special Sale of Heifers

Also, Dry Cows and Bullocks

Bookings accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday 3rd July

Tuesday 11th July @ 11 a.m.

64th Anniversary

€1560, AA 593kgs €1700, AA 585kgs €1670, AA

770kgs €2090, Ch 500kgs €1470, Lm 560kgs

€1600.

Heifers: Ch 400kgs €1240, AA 370kgs €1100, Ch 345kgs €1020, Lm 580kgs €1780, Lm 625kgs

€1840, Ch 615kgs €1920, Ch 765kgs €2200, Ch

660kgs €2100, Lm 540kgs €1700.

Dry cows: Ch 800kgs €2330, Ch 800kgs €2320, Lm 695kgs €1990, Sh 805kgs €2170, AA 665kgs

€1770, Sim 680kgs €1600, Sim 615kgs €1860, Her 740kgs €1640.

Weanling bulls: Lm 280kgs €1130, Lm 265kgs

€950, Lm 250kgs €910, Ch 360kgs €1320, Ch

435kgs €1360, Ch 385kgs €1380, Ch 265kgs

€800, Lm 250kgs €910.

Weanling heifers: Lmx 275kgs €1100, Lm

290kgs €1000, Lm 240kgs €920, Sim 325kgs €1100, Ch 375kgs €1100, Lm 370kgs €1150, Ch 470kgs €1280, AA 430kgs €1160.

Special

Sale of Weanlings

Bookings accepted until 5 p.m. on Thursday 6th July

Friday 14th July @ 11 a.m.

64th Anniversary

Special Sale of Bullocks

Also, Dry Cows and Heifers

Bookings accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday 10th July

ENQUIRIES 090 6626352

ICSA President Dermot Kelleher