Written Answers Nos. 179-186
179. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any complaints have been made in relation to the conduct of a society (details supplied) in the in the past two years; the nature of such complaints; if any investigations have been carried out in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13307/13]
View answerMatters between the organisation referred to by the Deputy and my Department are confidential and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases.
180. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of complaints that were received by him regarding horse breeding associations or societies that have a right to issue passports for horses in the past two years; the nature of these complaints; the investigations set up by him to investigate such complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13309/13]
View answerMatters between horse breeding associations or societies that have a right to issue passports for horses and my Department are confidential and it would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases. However, the policy of my Department is to immediately investigate all written complaints, including, where appropriate, by the Special Investigation Unit of my Department.
181. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will list all of the horse breeding associations and societies that have the right to issue passports; the controls imposed by his Department on these societies; if any of these societies have been suspended in the past two years from issuing passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13310/13]
View answerThe list of Passport Issuing Organisations approved to issue equine passports in respect of equines eligible for entry in studbooks is as follows:
Weatherby’s Ireland GSB Limited
Horse Sport Ireland
Irish Pony Society
Connemara Pony Breeder’s Society
Irish Piebald & Skewbald Association
Kerry Bog Pony Co-op Society
Irish Appaloosa Association
Warmblood Studbook of Ireland
The Passport Issuing Organisations approved to issue passports for equines which are ineligible for entry into one of the studbooks are Horse Sport Ireland, Horse Passport Agency Ltd and Irish Piebald & Skewbald Association.
The Passport Issuing Organisation operate under the provisions set out in EU and national legislation including Commission Regulation 504/2008 and S.I. No. 357 of 2011 - European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2011 (as amended).
The Department revoked approvals granted to one Passport Issuing Organisations in 2012.
182. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the basis on which purchases of turbary rights in an area (details supplied) in County Roscommon were selected; if it was by open tender or by other means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13311/13]
View answerThe disposal of the three turbary right plots recently advertised in the townland and estate mentioned in the question was done on the basis of a disposal scheme drawn up in 1994. For various reasons this scheme was not proceeded with at the time. My Department is now in a position to proceed and has advertised the intended sale in accordance with subsection 3 of section 8 of the Irish Land Commission (Dissolution) Act 1992, which was brought into operation on 31 March 1999.
183. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite a decision on a disadvantaged areas scheme appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13347/13]
View answerThe person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases are impacted by the requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare and who applied for and were refused derogation in this regard.
The applicant subsequently availed of the option to appeal to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee. The Committee has adjudicated on this appeal and the person concerned has been notified of the successful outcome. This enabled processing of the application to be finalised and payment will issue shortly to the nominated bank account.
184. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent, if any, to which the use of gypsum for animal bedding is controlled or banned throughout the EU and this jurisdiction, having particular regard to damage cause by the production of hydrogen sulphite when allowed into slurry storage tanks or anaerobic situations; if cognisance has been taken of loss of life situations in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13354/13]
View answerI am advised that use of gypsum as a bedding material is a recent development but that only a very small number of farmers are using it with lime and sawdust more commonly used as bedding material for cubicle beds for Dairy and Suckler cows.
Slurry is an inherently dangerous material that produces toxic gasses including hydrogen sulphide particularly during agitation. The addition of gypsum to slurry has the potential to increase the toxic gas levels, but all slurry is highly dangerous and must be handled with great caution. My Department is currently examining the potential of the use of gypsum to increase the level of hydrogen sulphide production in slurry.
Other jurisdictions are also currently evaluating the use of gypsum as a bedding material with research being carried out in the United Kingdom. It is expected that this research will be completed by the end of the year.
My Department has been in contact with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and Teagasc and will consider what action, if any, may be necessary.
Farm safety is a number one priority and my Department works closely with the HSA on farm safety issues. My Department is represented on the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee which includes representatives from the HSA, Teagasc, IFA, ICMSA amongst others.
My Department has issued guidance on the safe handling of slurry and this should be followed at all times. Slurry should only be agitated from a point outside of the animal house, with all of the animals removed from the house, all doors and vents fully opened, and on a breezy day. Further, for best practice, operators should also stand back from tank while the tank is being agitated as toxic gasses will be released during the agitation of any slurry.
185. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite the grant payment for a REP scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13356/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in December 2008 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 now been completed for 2012 in this case and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €1700.44 issued for payment on 12th March 2013. The remaining 25% Year 5 balancing payment will issue shortly.
186. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide detailed information in relation to the average production per hectare, based on organic nitrogen usage for farmers who are receiving single payments of less than €250 per hectare; between €250 per hectare and €350 per hectare; between €350 per hectare and €450 per hectare; between €450 per hectare and €500 per hectare and more than €500 per hectare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13387/13]
View answerIt is not possible to provide the details sought within the available timescale. The information, will be provided to the Deputy, insofar as possible, when it is available.
