Written Answers Nos. 218-227
218. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Defence the number of bodies that have been abolished or amalgamated by his Department out of the list of bodies listed in the Public Service Reform document of 17 November 2011; the savings or cost of this in 2012; the projected savings or cost of this programme in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50536/12]
View answerThe Civil Defence Board is the only body under the aegis of my Department which was identified in the Public Service Reform Plan as a body to be abolished. The Civil Defence Board was established in 2003 following the enactment of the Civil Defence Act 2002. Legislation is currently before the Oireachtas for the dissolution of the Board and the transfer of its functions back to the Department of Defence. This is anticipated to realise an annual saving of €60K in running costs.
The budget for the Civil Defence Board in 2012 is €5.585m.
219. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence the number of promotions made in his Department to principal officer higher scale, principal officer standard scale, assistant principal officer higher scale, assistant principal officer standard scale, higher executive officer scale, executive office scale and staff officer scale; the total for all of his Department; if he will provide a breakdown for for 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50973/12]
View answerDetails of promotions and assignments to higher scales as requested by the Deputy are set out in the following table:
|
Grade |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
Principal Officer Higher |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Principal Officer Standard |
- |
2 |
- |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer Higher Scale |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer Standard Scale |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
|
Higher Executive Officer Scale |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
|
Executive Officer Scale |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Staff Officer Scale |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total |
2 |
3 |
- |
7 |
I am satisfied that my Department has only undertaken promotions where a critical business need was identified and that it will continue to do so having regard to the moratorium on recruitment and promotions.
220. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to change the stocking level on commonage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50206/12]
View answerThe Commonage Framework Plans, first published in 2002, have been reviewed to take account of the current vegetative condition of commonages nationally. This review which replaces the Commonage Framework Plans has been carried out by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in co-operation with my Department on a commonage LPIS parcel basis and sets a minimum and maximum number of ewe equivalents (EE) required to graze the commonage parcel to ensure that it is maintained in Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC). I am currently considering an implementation plan to take account of the changed stocking levels.
My Department is trying to reconcile the reality of commonages with the EU requirements of GAEC. We will work with the farmers, farm organisations and others to design a practical solution.
221. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will issue on an application for derogation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50219/12]
View answerThe applicant is being notified that the derogation application was successful. Payment will accordingly issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
222. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a rural environment protection scheme 4 will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50220/12]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in December 2007 and has received payments for the first four years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. This process is under way for 2012 REPS 4 applications and I expect that payments will commence shortly. In the event that any issues arise on the file of the person named, officials in my Department will be in direct contact with the person named.
223. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason payment has not issued to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50329/12]
View answerPayments have not issued in this case because the person named did not make an application under the Single Payment Scheme for 2011 or 2012.
224. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding single farm payments and headage payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50336/12]
View answerThe person named is an applicant under the 2012 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Area Schemes.
In order to meet EU requirements, the application concerned was one of a number which was selected for inspection. The outcome of the inspection process, which, in this case, included a ground inspection, was that an over claim on a parcel was confirmed. The applicant was informed of the resultant adjustment by letter dated 12th October and also of the normal right of appeal.
225. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment on the rural environment protection scheme 2012 will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50442/12]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in January 2010 and received payments for the first two years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. This process is under way for 2012 REPS 4 applications and I expect that payments will commence shortly. In the event that any issues arise on the file of the person named, officials in my Department will be in direct contact with the person named.
226. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the contingencies in place after milk quotas are abolished in 2015. [50443/12]
View answerIreland strongly supported the decision to abolish milk quotas with effect from 1st April 2015 on the basis that quotas were widely regarded by both the Irish dairy sector and market analysts as a brake on the potential of the sector to respond positively to market opportunities. I expect the abolition of quotas to facilitate an expansion in the sector and through the Food Harvest 2020 Report the industry has set itself an ambitious target for a 50% increase in milk production by 2020. For my part I have been working on a number of fronts to prepare the industry for the move to a quota free environment.
More than 85% of Irish dairy production is exported, and the price of milk in Ireland is ultimately determined by global demand and supply. In that regard I have been endeavouring to raise the profile of the Irish dairy sector in third country markets, for example through trade visits to the US and China, and also through ongoing engagement with potential purchasers of Irish dairy products, at both political and official level.
A key element of this market strategy is to optimise the already positive green image of Ireland in order to create a point of differentiation for Irish dairy products on international markets. In this context, stakeholders are at present engaged, through Bord Bia, in technical discussions to establish a dairy sustainability and quality scheme, while at processing level, Bord Bia’s Origin Green Programme is providing a vehicle for industry to commit itself to sustainability targets by reducing energy inputs, minimising overall carbon footprint and mitigating the impact on the environment. This pro-active approach to environmental sustainability has a strong resonance with procurement strategists in the many multi-national food companies who are interested in using Ireland as a source of high quality food ingredients and processed products.
Of course the industry itself has a responsibility to focus its efforts on market and product development. Supported by Government, the Irish dairy sector has succeeded in positioning itself as a major international player, and in recent months we have seen industry announcements in relation to the development of supply arrangements between Irish companies and multi-national players in third countries, and the development of value added products which can maximise the value of our dairy output.
At farm level my Department, in conjunction with Teagasc, has been working, through research activities and through the Dairy Efficiency Programme, to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to reduce costs on farm and improve efficiency, in order to better equip farmers to deal with volatility in dairy markets. In this context I am confident that following quota abolition, co-ops and their members will develop the kind of robust contractual arrangements which will secure supply into the future.
Underpinning all of this, I will continue to negotiate strongly to ensure that the post 2013 CAP continues to provide effective support for Irish farmers and that a market supports will remain in place to provide an adequate safety net to protect against the worst extremes of price volatility.
Taking all this into account, I am confident that the collaborative efforts of Government, the processing industry and the producers will ensure a thriving and sustainable dairy sector that can use the opportunity afforded by the abolition of quotas to fully leverage the natural advantage of Ireland’s grass-based production system.
227. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assistance available from his Department to farmers with rights to commonage lands (details supplied) in County Kerry that are been over grazed and overstocked by other farmers with no rights. [50445/12]
View answerIt is the responsibility of each farmer who has commonage shares to ensure that these commonages are grazed in such a manner that they are kept in Good Agricultural Environmental Condition (GAEC). Where farmers who have no rights on such commonages are causing overgrazing on these commonages, the situation should be brought to Departments attention. However, as this is a civil matter, it is the responsibility of the legal shareholders to ensure that they address this situation.
