Written Answers Nos. 499-519
499. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51042/12]
View answerThe person named, who is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, applied under the derogation arrangements which relate to the 2011 stocking density. This application has been successful. However, payment has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding of the person named has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2012. Immediately the holding concerned is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment at the earliest possible date thereafter.
500. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of the agri-environment option scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51050/12]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2010 and full payment totalling €1,304.70 issued in respect of 2010. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks have been successfully completed in respect of 2011 and full payment totalling €4,217.98 has issued to the person named in January 2012. Payments in respect of 2012 will commence shortly. In the event that any issues arise on the application of the person named, officials in my Department will be in direct contact with the person named.
501. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a íocfar an t-airgead faoi scéim na limistéar faoi mhíbhuntáiste disadvantage area scheme do 2012 le feirmeoir (sonraí tugtha); agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [51073/12]
View answerTugadh próiseáil an iarratais lena mbaineann chun críche le déanaí agus faoi Scéim na Limistéar faoi Mhíbhuntáiste eiseofar íocaíocht go luath chuig an gcuntas bainc ainmnithe.
502. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a íocfar an t-airgead faoi scéim na limistéar faoi mhíbhuntáiste disadvantage area scheme do 2012 le feirmeoir (sonraí tugtha); agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [51074/12]
View answerFuarthas iarratas faoi Scéim na Limistéar faoi Mhíbhuntáiste ón duine ainmnithe an 14 Bealtaine 2012. Níl aon íocaíocht eisithe fós, áfach, mar nach gcomhlíonann gabháltas an té ainmnithe íos-cheanglais dlús-stoic na Scéime do 1012. A luaithe is a dheimhneofar go bhfuil an gabháltas ag comhlíonadh na gceanglas seo cuirfear an cás chun cinn le súil is íocaíocht a dhéanamh chomh luath agus is féidir ina dhiaidh sin.
503. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with reference to Irish Horse Register registration charges and in view of increases in the size of the national horse population and shifting market trends in certain categories of the Irish equine industry, if he will consider the creation of a temporary horse registration waiver scheme for factory horses that would be obtainable only at the factory gate; his views on whether such a scheme would deliver animal welfare and market benefits; if he will comparatively discuss the current market value of the Irish factory horses and prices that pertained when current Irish Horse Register registration charges were established; his views on whether factory horses registration fees are currently prohibitive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51078/12]
View answerThe relevant legislation on identification of horses are Commission Regulation No. 504 of 2008 of 6 June 2008 on the identification of equidae and S.I. No. 357 of 2011 - European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2011. This legislation requires that equine animals be identified with a passport and a microchip within a precise timeframe. If an equine animal has not been identified within six months of the date of its birth, or by the 31st of December in the year of its birth, whichever date occurs later, then the equine animal cannot be admitted to the food chain. There is no legal mechanism that would allow the creation of a temporary horse registration waiver scheme for factory horses that would be obtainable only at the factory gate.
The fees charged by the Passport Issuing Organisations for registration of foals have remained the same for a long number of years. The registration fee for an equine that is ineligible for a studbook is in the order of €35. There is an additional cost of a veterinary fee in the registration process. It is understood that good quality horses suitable for the food chain make in the region of €300 to €500.
Horses that are not eligible to enter the food chain may be euthanized by a registered Veterinary Surgeon or by a person licensed to slaughter equines. The carcass should then be disposed of through an approved knackery. The Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC) recommend that, in situations where an owner can no longer adequately provide for an animal or where the equine can no longer fulfil the purpose for which it was bred, owners should be proactive in seeking to dispose of the animals before their welfare is compromised, including the option of humane disposal. Such action will help prevent the emergence of long-term and severe animal welfare problems.
504. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cattle that were presented for test at the annual herd test in 2011 of the top 100 earners under the single farm payment; the number of sheep that were declared in their annual sheep census for 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51097/12]
View answerFarmers under the Single Payment Scheme are engaged in a range of farming activity, including cattle and sheep farming. In relation to the top 100 beneficiaries under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme, the position regarding the numbers of cattle presented for herd test and the numbers of sheep declared on the annual Sheep Census by these beneficiaries is as follows: Cattle: 40,694; Sheep: 6,320.
505. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his policy in encouraging new entrants into farming who take over a herd number or flock number which had entitlements in 2011; if such new entrants who take over directly from a retiring person will also inherit the entitlements under the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51098/12]
View answerProposals for the CAP reform post 2013 were published by the European Commission in October 2011 and negotiations are ongoing. Unfortunately, it is still too early to predict what the finer detail of any agreement will be. However, there is provision in the published regulation for dealing with inheritance of entitlements in cases such as that outlined by the Deputy. The conditions pertaining to such inheritance will be laid down in Commission implementing regulations.
I can assure the Deputy that since the start of these negotiations I have been to the forefront at EU level in supporting the cause of young farmers and new entrants and I will continue to do so throughout the negotiations. In this context, the Commission proposals contain a provision for making top-up payment to young farmers (under 40 years) and I fully support this proposal. I will also continue to consult with farming organisations and stakeholders as the negotiations progress.
506. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares a company (details supplied) declared on their single farm payment in 2011. [51099/12]
View answerThere is no record of an application under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme having been lodged by the named company.
507. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51104/12]
View answerAn application under the Single Payment Scheme /Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 14th May 2012. In order to comply with EU requirements, the application was one of a number which was selected for inspection and therefore payment could not be made pending the outcome of this process.
Arising from the findings of this inspection, it has been necessary to adjust the payment in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme. The applicant is being advised of this outcome and the reasons for it. The applicant is also being advised of the right to seek a review and also of the right to appeal the outcome of any such review, in due course, to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. The application is now being processed with a view to issuing payment under the Single Payment Scheme shortly on this basis.
508. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid their 2012 single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51107/12]
View answerThe person named is an applicant under the 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. As soon as the inspection and related processes are completed, the application concerned will be progressed.
509. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when persons (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid their 2012 single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51108/12]
View answerAn application under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 12 June 2012. As the closing date for receipt of applications under this Scheme was 15 May 2012, no payment was made on this application. However, my Department now understands that the applicant intends seeking a review of this late penalty on grounds of Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances and will furnish relevant supporting documentary evidence. On receipt, this will be examined in accordance with relevant criteria.
510. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid their 2012 disadvantaged area scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51109/12]
View answerProcessing of the application concerned has recently been completed and payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will shortly issue to the nominated bank account.
511. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when persons (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid their 2012 disadvantaged area scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51110/12]
View answerAn application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 19 April 2012. However, payment has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding of the person named has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2012. Immediately the holding concerned is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment at the earliest possible date thereafter.
512. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 850 of 6 November, in relation to the interim evaluation report, if this report will be made available to the Irish industry; if it will be made available to the Irish industry through BIM’s website or some other channel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51111/12]
View answer513. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 850 of 6 November 2012, in relation to the Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007 – 2013 that was approved by the European Commission in 2009, is it the case the Ireland was the last EU country of the 27 EU members to submit their OP and Ireland's OP was the last OP in the EU to be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51112/12]
View answer514. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 850 of 6 November 2012, if the Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007 - 2013 omitted any financial aid to the aquaculture sector; if there was a lack of funding from 2007 due to a lack of OP and this has now only be rectified with the submission of a new OP in March 2012 with just one year left in the funding period 2007 - 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51113/12]
View answer515. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 850 of 6 November 2012, if the process for submitting an OP to the European Commission for the 2014 – 2020 period has commenced; if the revised OP submitted to the commission in March 2012 has been approved by the Commission; if the revised OP will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51114/12]
View answer516. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 850 of 6 November 2012, if the €42 million of EU funding that was made available through the EFF for the period 2007 – 2013 includes any amount carried over from the previous FIFG 2000 – 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51115/12]
View answer517. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current state of play in relation to the EFF funding of €42 million; the amount of the €42 million funding that has been allocated to-date and a breakdown by year and industry sector fishing, processing and aquaculture which received the funding excluding any funding that was allocated to BIM or their sub organisation Aquaculture Initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51116/12]
View answer519. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funds remaining for the period 2007-2013 in the EEF fund; the way these funds will be allocated to private sector projects; if he will provide a breakdown by industry sector, fishing processing and aquaculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51118/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 512 to 517, inclusive, and 519 together.
As I advised the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 850 of 6 November 2012, support was provided to aquaculture through the Irish Seafood National Programme 2007-2012, a complementary programme to the OP, funded solely by the Exchequer. That National Programme also funded a range of other schemes not included in the OP. The modest level of EFF co-funding available to Ireland for the period 2007-2013, €42 million over 7 years, meant that all investment needs for the sector could not be included in the OP. A decision was taken by the previous Government to allocate the available co-funding to certain programmes and to fund others from the Exchequer.
In their Interim Evaluation Report conducted in 2011, Fitzpatrick Associates noted the changed economic circumstances facing Ireland since the OP was originally drafted and the impacts this was likely to have on availability of Exchequer funding for measures included within the National Programme. Fitzpatrick Associates also noted that the measures included in the OP were not likely to be sufficient to draw down the full €42 million allocation from the EFF. They recommended the amendment of the OP to include most of the measures previously included in the National Programme, to ensure availability of supports to these important areas of the seafood sector and to ensure full draw down of EFF funds. The recommendations were accepted and a revised OP was submitted to the European Commission in March 2012. That revised OP must be adopted by Commission Decision and that is awaited. The revised OP will be published on my Department’s website immediately after its adoption. However, it is important to note that the measures included in the revised OP took effect immediately following its submission to the Commission.
The Interim Evaluation Report is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/fisheries/seafoodpolicydevelopment/seafooddevelopmentinireland2007-2013/
I have no information available to me on the timing of submission to, or approval by, the European Commission of other Member State’s Operational Programmes. The process of developing a new OP for the period 2014 to 2020 will commence shortly. The EU Regulation on the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) is still under negotiation as part of the CFP reforms. That Regulation will specify the areas of the seafood sector that may be supported in the next programming period and will specify the criteria that will determine how much of the EMFF fund will be available to Ireland. These two issues will be central in shaping the new OP. Consultation with stakeholders will form an important part of the process for preparing the new OP.
EU rules do not permit the carrying over of allocations from one programming period to the next, so strictly speaking no funds were carried over from the previous FIFG fund. However, depending on the level of drawdown of funds under the programme, the rules do allow for eligible expenditure after the programming period. This is referred to as N+2. This was the case with the transition period between the FIFG and the EFF, where expenditure under the FIFG continued for a certain period after 2006. This may also be the case with the transition period between the EFF and the EMFF.
The 2011 Annual Implementation Report for the Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013 shows that approximately €28 million of the €42 million EFF allocation had been committed up to the end of 2011. As processing and aquaculture did not become part of the OP until 2012, this spend can be attributed to the catching sector. The majority of this spend was accounted for by the 2008 Decommissioning Scheme. Up to 2011, BIM was the implementing agency for all elements of the OP, so all funds spent were disbursed through BIM.
Approximately €14 million of EFF funds remains to be committed over the period from 2012 onwards. That period may extend up to 2015, if the N+2 rule is invoked. The table below indicates the breakdown of allocations by EFF priority axis. These priority axes are specified in the EFF Regulation (1198/2006). It is important to note that the Exchequer must provide matching funding, generally at the same level as the EFF contribution. Beneficiaries must also provide private funding. The level of private funding required varies from one scheme to another. Priority Axis 1 includes decommissioning and fleet safety, axis 2 includes marketing, processing and aquaculture, axis 3 includes marine environmental measures, axis 4 includes coastal area development and axis 5 covers technical assistance (implementation costs). The precise allocations by scheme will depend on a number of factors, including demand.
|
EFF Priority |
EFF Committed To 2011 |
EFF Revised Allocation 2007-2013 |
EFF Allocation Remaining 2012 |
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
|
Priority axis 1 |
27.3 |
29.9 |
2.6 |
|
Priority axis 2 |
6.2 |
6.2 |
|
|
Priority axis 3 |
0.5 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
|
Priority axis 4 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
|
|
Priority axis 5 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
|
Total |
27.8 |
42.2 |
14.4 |
518. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown by industry sector fishing, processing and aquaculture by year of funding allocated to BIM or its sub-organisation, Aquaculture Initiative, for the period 2007-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51117/12]
View answerMonies received by BIM that are intended for specific sectors of the Irish seafood industry are paid out by that body as grants. The Aquaculture Initiative was incorporated in 1998 as a European Economic Interest Group supported by the Special Programme for Peace and Reconciliation and dedicated to provision of support services to the aquaculture industry. The table below shows grant totals paid out by BIM during the period 2007 to October 2012.
Capital Grants Paid by BIM, from 2007 to October 2012
|
- |
Sector - (€) |
Sector - (€) |
Sector - (€) |
|
Year |
FISHERIES |
PROCESSIONG |
AQUACULTURE |
|
2007 |
16,136,1731 |
5,829,025 |
728,916 |
|
2008 |
37,728,5001,2 |
1,965,896 |
1,382,991 |
|
2009 |
20,138,2501,2 |
2,975,611 |
842,523 |
|
2010 |
1,877,6141,2 |
1,078,714 |
649,066 |
|
2011 |
1,122,431 |
1,853,985 |
549,964 |
|
2012 |
96,000 |
3,125 |
77,000 |
Capital Grants Paid by BIM, from 2007 to October 2012 1 Figure includes support grants paid to commercial wild salmon fishermen.
2 Figure includes grants paid in relation to the decommissioning of fishing vessels.
