Written Answers Nos. 237 - 242
237. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2012 disadvantaged area payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44987/12]
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.
238. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment; the reason for the delay in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44996/12]
View answerAs processing of the application concerned has recently been completed, payment will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.
239. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to deal with the practice of fishermen having to dump perfectly good fish at sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45002/12]
View answerDiscarding is a global problem and a complex one, where unwanted catches are returned to the sea as a result of a number of factors including quota restrictions, high grading, minimum landing sizes, and market conditions.
Ireland has been to the forefront in the drive to reduce and eliminate discards for many years and have taken a number of initiatives to this aim. On the 8th of November last, I launched an Irish “discard” atlas, which is a detailed compendium of discards by the Irish Fleet on a stock by stock and area by area basis. The Atlas, compiled and produced by the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara with the support of Irish Industry, outlines a range of potential measures to help reduce discarding.
This was the first publication of its kind and places Ireland firmly to the fore in the debate on eliminating discards. The atlas will inform the process to achieve real change and a significant reduction in discarding within the new Common Fisheries Policy, identifies where action needs to be taken, and the potential measures that could be adopted.
Finding practical and implementable solutions to the wasteful practice of discarding fish is a major priority issue for me. It is all the more poignant as it is a major principle of the new reform of the CFP. Since taking up office as Marine Minister, I have worked tirelessly to influence and drive a change in policy which will ultimately lead to an end to discarding.
I am conscious that any solution must be practical for fishermen and with that in mind I have worked closely with Commissioner Damanaki, my fellow Fisheries Ministers and members of the European Parliament in addition to consulting with our industry at home to ensure that proposals in the Common Fishery Policy to tackle discards would be workable and take account of the practical realities that would face fishermen at sea.
At the Council of Fisheries Ministers in June this year, I helped broker a general agreement among fisheries Ministers on the way forward for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy including innovate measures to tackle the discard problem.
Discarding was the most contentious element of those discussions and threatened to block the Council’s efforts to reach agreement. A compromise approach which I tabled for consideration setting down a definitive timetable for the elimination of discards on a phased basis, offered a practical and progressive solution on the issue which was accepted by fellow Ministers.
I will prioritise securing final agreement between the EU Fisheries Council and the Parliament on the CFP during the Irish Presidency during the first half of 2013.
240. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of a forestry grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45006/12]
View answerThere were a number of technical difficulties with the application these are in the course of being resolved. The processing of the file for payment, which may involve a site inspection, is progressing and a decision on payment will be made as soon as this is concluded.
241. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide in tabular form, in respect of 2011, the number of payments issued by his Department and each agency within the remit of his Department to suppliers in respect of the supply of goods and services; splitting the payments between those issued within 30 days of receipt of the invoice; between 30 and 60 days of receipt of the invoice; between 60 and 90 days of receipt of the invoice; between 90 and 120 days of receipt of the invoice; and in excess of 120 days of receipt of the invoice. [45011/12]
View answerThe following table shows details of invoices paid for goods and services by my Department in 2011 within the timelines requested by the Deputy:
|
Payments made |
Number of Payments |
|
Within 30 days |
43,474 |
|
31-60 days |
1,170 |
|
61-90 days |
365 |
|
91-120 days |
206 |
|
More than 120 days |
1,456 |
|
Total |
46,671 |
Payments to suppliers by the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, are operational matters for the State Bodies themselves.
242. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their appeal for disadvantaged area aid payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45031/12]
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.
