Thursday, 18 Jan 2024

Written Answers Nos. 272-281

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (273)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

273. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will increase the level of grants for cattle underpasses under the TAMS 3 scheme as in the case of a person. [2191/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.  There is an indicative budget of €370 million available for the period 2023-2027, and all investments must be linked to Climate, Environment or Animal Welfare. 

The Engineer's report in relation to underpasses cannot be included in the cost of the works as the report must be completed prior to application.  Approval to commence works cannot issue without the submission of an Engineer's report.  The report is required to ensure that the underpass is correctly designed, so that the underpass is structurally sound and that all road safety issues have been addressed. 

TAMS is a demand-led scheme with budgetary constraints, and although all investments will be kept under review for the duration of the scheme, I have currently no plans to increase the funding for underpasses.

Greyhound Industry

Questions (274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279)

Patrick Costello

Question:

274. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds entered on Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s race management system to date whose year of birth was 2021 and 2022, respectively with a breakdown in that number between those registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland and those registered to owners normally resident in Northern Ireland, in tabular form [2193/24]

Patrick Costello

Question:

275. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds that completed one or more races whose year of birth was 2021 as recorded on RCETS and 2022, respectively with a breakdown in that number between those registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland and those registered to owners normally resident in Northern Ireland in tabular form [2194/24]

Patrick Costello

Question:

276. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds exported before completing at least one official trial whose year of birth was 2021 and 2022, respectively as recorded on RCETS with a breakdown in that number between those registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland and those registered to owners normally resident in Northern Ireland in tabular form [2195/24]

Patrick Costello

Question:

277. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds exported after completing at least one official trial whose year of birth was 2021 as recorded on RCETS, and 2022, respectively as recorded on RCETS, with a breakdown in that number between those registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland and those registered to owners normally resident in Northern Ireland in tabular form [2196/24]

Patrick Costello

Question:

278. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds rehomed before completing at least one official trial whose year of birth was 2021 as recorded on RCETS and 2022, respectively as recorded on RCETS with a breakdown in that number between those registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland and those registered to owners normally resident in Northern Ireland in tabular form [2197/24]

Patrick Costello

Question:

279. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds rehomed after completing at least one official trial whose year of birth was 2021 as recorded on RCETS and 2022, respectively as recorded on RCETS with a breakdown in that number between those registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland and those registered to owners normally resident in Northern Ireland in tabular form [2198/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 274, 275, 276, 277, 278 and 279 together.

Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. 

The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.

Question No. 275 answered with Question No. 274.

Question No. 276 answered with Question No. 274.

Question No. 277 answered with Question No. 274.

Question No. 278 answered with Question No. 274.

Question No. 279 answered with Question No. 274.

Ports Policy

Questions (280)

David Stanton

Question:

280. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received a request from the Port of Cork seeking approval for a full border control post designation for Ringaskiddy container and ferry terminals; if he will be in a position to support such a proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2205/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Currently, Cork Port is a designated border control post for container shipments of wood and wood products. Inspections of these products take place at the Tivoli Container Terminal near Cork City. However, it should be noted that the physical infrastructure required for handling bulk wood products and that required for handling food products, are very different.

Between 2015 and 2018, a number of meetings took place between my Department and the Port of Cork. In December 2018, the Port authority advised that they did not intend to pursue the building of a border control post at that time, and they would consider that as a second phase of their development. They have since submitted a business case for the building of a border control post, capable of handling food products.

As a border control post may only be located in a customs-controlled area, this business case can only be considered in the context of Revenue designating any place where it is proposed that a border control post will be built, as a customs-controlled area.

In recent years, the focus of my Department has been on ensuring sufficient border control post infrastructure was available to deal with sanitary and phytosanitary goods being imported, into the European Union Single Market from Great Britain, following the Brexit Referendum. This involved a very substantial expansion of border control post infrastructure at Dublin Port, as well as the building of an interim facility at Rosslare Port. Construction of a permanent facility in Rosslare Europort is underway.

The issue of whether an additional border control post might be required in Port of Cork remains under consideration and officials from my Department continue engagement with Cork Port and to analyse the requirements for this facility.

Foreshore Issues

Questions (281)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

281. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the transfer of a foreshore lease to a new assignee will be approved (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2219/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The matter referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration by my Department and it would not be appropriate to offer any further comment at this time.