Written Answers Nos. 161-69
161. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline in tabular form, the amount of money allocated by his Department and agencies within his Department to Ballina, Castlebar and Westport Town Council between 1997 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43944/12]
View answerThere was no money allocated by my Department to the Town Councils in question. The only payments made by my Department to these bodies during the relevant period were in respect of waste collection to Castlebar Town Council (total €17,250 for the years 2000 to 2006).
162. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if here are any grants available for thinning forestry and the roadways into same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43841/12]
View answerThe Woodland Improvement Scheme (Tending and Thinning) is currently open to eligible applicants who wish to tend or thin young broadleaved woodlands that are suitable for such operations. The Forest Road Scheme which provides grants to eligible applicants for the construction of a forest road is also currently open. Details of the Schemes are available on the Department’s website.
163. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of persons in County Wicklow receiving farm subsidies; the total amount paid; the 10 highest amounts received by persons in receipt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43881/12]
View answerThe data sought by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded directly it is available.
164. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43894/12]
View answerThe person concerned is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme.
Currently, this applicant is one of a number, whose cases are impacted by a requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare and who have applied for a derogation in this regard. Immediately a decision is reached on this application, the person concerned will be notified in writing about this aspect. Should the decision be negative, a fully independent appeals procedure is available.
In addition, in order to meet EU requirements, the application concerned was one of a number which was selected for inspection. As soon as the inspection and related processes are completed, the application concerned will be progressed in this regard.
165. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive a receipt for his sheep headage payments for 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43914/12]
View answerRemittance slips in respect of all payments which issue from my Department are generated and dispatched to all beneficiaries. However, an annual statement of account in respect of calendar years 2011 and 2012 will now be forwarded to the person named immediately.
166. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when payment of headage payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43916/12]
View answerProcessing of the relevant Disadvantaged Area Scheme application has recently been completed and payment will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the applicant.
167. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the position regarding the outstanding single farm payment due to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43923/12]
View answerThe person concerned is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Currently, this applicant is one of a number, whose cases are impacted by a requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare and who have applied for a derogation in this regard. Immediately a decision is reached on this application, the person concerned will be notified in writing. Should the decision be negative, a fully independent appeals procedure is available.
168. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the progress that has been made with the Spanish Government in relation to the obtaining of real time information from Spanish boats catching fish in Irish waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43933/12]
View answerCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishes a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy, known as the Control Regulation. The European Commission adopted the implementing rules for Control Regulation in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011. These regulations set out the detailed requirements and obligations for the operation of an EU Electronic Logbooks (ERS) system and the procedures to be adhered to in the event that the system is not fully functioning.
The introduction of ERS allows the Irish Fisheries Control Authority near real time access to the fishing logbook information of EU and Third Country fishing vessels operating in the Irish Exclusive Fisheries Zone. This data is made available by the Flag Member State on request when the fishing vessel is fishing in Irish waters or is provided on landing into an Irish port.
With the advent of ERS the Sea Fisheries Protection Authorities (SFPA) have been working with the Control Authorities of the Member States whose vessels operate in Irish Waters to provide that the relevant ERS data is made available through the European Commission Data Exchange Highway (DEH). The DEH is the channel through which Member States exchange ERS data and Ireland has been connected to the DEH since 2011. This process involves a significant amount of testing between all the relevant parties to ensure the logbook data exchange can take place and it is only when the testing is completed satisfactorily that data is allowed to be exchanged in the “Live” environment. At present Ireland is conducting testing with the Spanish Authorities on the exchange of ERS data through the DEH and significant progress has been made to date.
In the meantime, there remain obligations on all Member States, including Spain, to provide Ireland with ERS logbook data by alternate means. Following several bilateral meetings the Irish and Spanish Authorities have put a system in place that allows for the exchange of logbook data between both parties to ensure that the logbook data required under the EU Regulation is available in near real time. This alternative system involves the direct exchange of logbook data between the Irish and Spanish Fisheries Monitoring Centres rather than using the DEH. In effect this means that the fishing logbook information of all Spanish fishing vessels operating in the Irish EEZ or landing into Irish Ports is available to the Irish Authorities electronically on request in near real time. While this alternative system is of practical use, Ireland continues to work closely with the authorities of Spain to ensure the full system is in place as early as possible.
169. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will outline the criteria for new entrants to the agri environment options scheme, with particular reference to farmers who were previously in REPS 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43936/12]
View answerThe re-opened Agri-environment Options Scheme (AEOS) which I announced recently with funding of €20m will operate largely on the same basis as in previous years with much the same measures and the same payment rates. However, I have also decided to introduce a new provision to cater for the Grey Partridge under the Wild Bird Cover action in sites identified by NPWS in West Offaly. In addition, the Corncrake Measure will be available in sites in Donegal and Mayo. Successful applicants will be selected on the basis of ranking and selection criteria under which previous participation in REPS, including REPS 3, will be given priority after applicants with designated land.
