Wednesday, 6 Mar 2013

Written Answers Nos. 211-219

Alternative Farm Enterprises

Questions (211)

Michael Creed

Question:

211. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of public funds approved by his Department under the various schemes to grant aid the cultivation of energy crops including miscanthus; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many of the beneficiaries of these funds now find that because of the failure to adjust the REFIT that there is no return for this investment; if he will conduct an immediate review of this area of expenditure in his Department with a view to securing the viability of this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11937/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Bioenergy Scheme was introduced as an Exchequer funded pilot scheme in 2007 to support the establishment of the energy crops miscanthus and willow. The pilot scheme ran until 2009 and was replaced from 2010 with a 50% EU co-funded Scheme which was subsequently increased to an 85% EU co-funding rate from 1 January 2012. Up to the end of 2012 some 3,250 hectares of energy crops have been established under the Bioenergy Scheme. A breakdown of the amounts paid in grant-aid to successful applicants under the Bioenergy Scheme from 2007 to 2012 is as follows:

	Grant-Aid issued (€)
2007	654,182.90
2008	1,076,960.51
2009	1,084,545.67
2010	592,414.52
2011	357,989.94
2012	258,998.17

I am aware from representations made to my Department recently that some farmers have been advised of difficulties being experienced by the company with whom they have an end-use contract for their harvested miscanthus crop. The Deputy will be aware that issues regarding the operation of REFIT are a matter in the first instance for my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte T.D.

The Deputy may also be aware that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has announced his intention to publish a National Bioenergy Strategy in the near future. This strategy will examine all aspects of the bioenergy sector so as to inform the actions required to maximise its contribution to achieving the 2020 targets under the Renewable Energy Directive. My Department is working closely with Minister Rabbitte’s Department in assessing the potential of bioenergy from the agriculture and forestry sectors to contribute to the 2020 targets. Any decisions in relation to future developments in the bioenergy sector will be taken in the context of this exercise.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals

Questions (212)

Pat Breen

Question:

212. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 244 of 27 February 2013, the position regarding an application for disadvantaged area scheme payment appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11941/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In the intervening period since my reply to the previous Question on this case, the matter has been resolved and processing of the 2012 DAS application was recently finalised and payment issued directly to the nominated bank account.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (213)

Áine Collins

Question:

213. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of the rural evironment protection scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [11954/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named commenced REPS 4 in April 2009 and received payments for the first three 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. Following the administrative check an area discrepancy was discovered between the Single Farm Payment Scheme application for 2012 and the REPS Agri-Environmental Plan which has resulted in the need for further clarification. This issue is currently being investigated with the intention of an early resolution and payment in respect of 2012.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (214)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

214. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a REP scheme 4 payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11956/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named commenced REPS 4 in December 2007 and 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. These checks have been completed in this case and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €6202.13 issued for payment on the 18 February 2013. The remaining 25% Year 5 balancing payment amounting to €2067.36 issued for payment on 21 February 2013.

Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments

Questions (215)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

215. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment for a suckler welfare scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11957/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named registered 5 animals for the 2011 Suckler Welfare Scheme and 18 animals for the 2012 Scheme. The Terms and Conditions of the Scheme require that applicants undertake to carry out and notify to my Department, the requisite measures for the full 5 year duration of the Scheme. While data were received in respect of most of the animals born during 2012, the required weaning information was not received for animals born during 2011. Therefore, none of the 2011 or 2012 born animals can be considered for payment until the weaning information is received for animals born in 2011. The relevant forms have been sent to the applicant on 4 March 2013 and when these forms have been returned, the matter can be progressed.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Questions (216)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

216. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2012 disadvantaged area scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12026/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The holding of the person named has recently been confirmed as having met the minimum stocking density requirements of the Scheme, following receipt of outstanding evidence relating to sheep on the holding. This enabled processing of the application to be finalised, with payment issuing on the 14 February 2013, directly to the nominated bank account.

Youth Services Provision

Questions (217)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

217. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the funding paid to various children projects in the constituencies of Dublin North-Central and Dublin North-East for 2011, 2012 and 2013. [11719/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I understand that the Deputy is specifically referring to Sphere 17 and in this regard my Department provides funding to this organisation under a number of funding schemes. These are the Special Projects for Youth Scheme (SPY), Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 (YPFSF) and the Local Drug Task Force (LDTF). Funding allocated to Sphere 17 is outlined in tabular form.

Funding 2011

Project	SPY	YPFSF (1)	YPFSF (2)	LDTF	Total
Sphere 17	€298,080	€71,980	€409,860	€138,400	€918,320

Funding 2012

Project	SPY	YPFSF (1)	YPFSF (2)	LDTF	Total
Sphere 17	€278,404	€38,902	€429,541	€129,640	€876,487

The funding for Sphere 17 is administered on behalf of my Department by the City of Dublin Youth Service Board. The funding allocations for 2013 have been notified to funding administering agencies in recent weeks and it is expected that Sphere 17 will be notified of their 2013 allocation shortly.

Child Care Services Provision

Questions (218)

Robert Troy

Question:

218. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will detail in tabular form the funding allocated to each local authority for child care services in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11740/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Funding is not provided by my Department to local authorities for childcare services.

Youth Services Provision

Questions (219)

Robert Troy

Question:

219. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will detail in tabular form the funding allocated to each local authority for youth services in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11741/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force Projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. Funding for these schemes is administered on behalf of my Department by 33 grant administering bodies including VECs, the HSE, Sports Bodies and some Local County Councils/Local Authorities.

Details of the funding allocated through local authorities in 2011, 2012 and 2013 are outlined in tabular form in respect of the following schemes:-

(1) The Special Projects for Youth Scheme (SPY),

(2) The Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF Round 1)

(3) The Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF Round 2)

2011

Local Authority	SPY	YPFSF (1)	YPFSF (2)
Offaly County Council	52,162
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council		59,591
Dublin City Council			2,070,200
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council			400,400
Athlone Town Council			2,000

2012

Local Authority	SPY	YPFSF (1)	YPFSF (2)
Offaly County Council	48,771
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council		55,717
Dublin City Council			1,963,407
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council			373,374
Athlone Town Council			Nil

2013

Local Authority	SPY	YPFSF (1)	YPFSF (2)
Offaly County Council	43,894
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council		50,145
Dublin City Council			1,767,066
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council			336,939
Athlone Town Council			1,683