Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Written Answers Nos. 239 - 247

Rural Development Programme Funding

Questions (239)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

239. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the schemes that were proposed under the Natura 2000 element of the rural development programme 2007-2013; the reason that there has only been a spend of €89,717,139 out of an allocation of €528,582998 to date; if he intends to spend the balance of the money provided under this heading and if not, if the money has been transferred to other programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23293/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Under the initial Financial Plan for the Rural Development Programme an indicative amount of €528m was allocated to Natura 2000. The Natura measure provides for compensation to farmers for disadvantages in their farming activities arising out of three Directives, the Habitats Directive, the Wild Birds Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Natura 2000 forms an integral part of the REPs and AEOS agri environment schemes and applicants with Natura designated land are prioritised under AEOS

Participation in agri environment schemes, including Natura, is voluntary on the part of farmers, and expenditure is therefore demand-led. Actual demand under this measure has proven to be significantly less than was provided for, with expenditure to date amounting to €89.7m. The financial provision for Natura is currently being revised to reflect actual spend to date and expected spend to the end of the Programme. This will involve a re allocation of funds across the agri environment and LFA schemes in Axis two of the Programme without changing the overall spend under this Axis.

Rural Broadband Scheme Issues

Questions (240)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

240. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 21 of 8 May 2013, the reason there was no reported spend under the broadband element of the rural development programme 2007-2013; if it is intended to spend this money in the next two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23294/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched in 2011 in recognition of the fact that despite the widespread availability of broadband throughout Ireland, there still remained individual premises that were unable to receive a service. This Scheme was aimed at making a basic broadband service available to un-served premises in rural areas, not already covered by the National Broadband Scheme. An amount of €13,413,000 EAFRD funding was allocated to the scheme which came within the remit of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

During the scheme development process existing commercial internet service providers indicated their ability to provide a broadband service to almost all of the qualifying applicants under the scheme. Consequently there has been no need for any disbursement of public money and no related draw-down of EU funding was necessary. The EAFRD funding originally made available for this scheme may be re-allocated to other qualifying measures under the Rural Development Programme. Adjustments will accordingly be made to the Programme Financial Plan in order to achieve the fullest possible draw down of EU funds having regard to the availability of matching national funding.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (241)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

241. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown on a yearly basis of the legal and travel costs his Department has incurred as a result of litigation in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, the General Court in Luxembourg and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from the years 2005 to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23306/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

It is not possible to provide this information in the required time. I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Fodder Crisis

Questions (242)

Brendan Smith

Question:

242. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23368/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I announced last Friday the extension of the imported fodder transport scheme for a further 2 weeks and the doubling of the fund to €2m.

Following consultation with Met Eireann, Co Ops, the farming organisations, Teagasc and the advice of officials working on the ground, the decision was taken to allow a further two weeks for fodder to be imported into the country with a doubling of the transport subsidy fund. Fodder, eligible under the scheme and delivered into the country in the next two weeks will be covered up to May 24th. My Department will continue to monitor the situation on a day by day basis. This remains a very challenging situation for farmers and this extension will allow both farmers and Co Ops to have some certainly around supply of fodder over the coming weeks.

The Animal Welfare Hotline remains open for those with emergency situations or who need information about where to source fodder: 1850 21 19 90 (Low-call).

Further information on the scheme is available from the Department website. http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/fodderassistanceapril2013/

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Applications

Questions (243)

Tom Fleming

Question:

243. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 7 November 2012, if he will process a 2011 REP scheme 4 application and issue payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23369/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2009 and received payments for the first two years of their contract.

REPS 4 is a measure under the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before payments can issue. Following an inspection in 2011 an anomaly was discovered in relation to both Natura and Habitats on lands owned by the person named. Consequently, a letter issued to the person named from my Department dated 13th November 2011 requesting clarification of specific matters. Following the receipt of a response to this letter the 2011 and 2012 applications have been processed for payment.

75% of the 2011 payment amounting to €3,648.29 has issued for payment on 13th May 2013 and the 25% balancing payment for 2011 amounting to €1,266.76 will issue shortly.

In addition, 75% of the 2012 payment amounting to €3,464.53 issued for payment on 13th May 2013. This payment includes a 3% penalty for non compliance with Measure 4 – Biodiversity. The remaining 25% balancing payment for 2012 will issue shortly.

Inter-Country Adoptions

Questions (244)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

244. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will confirm for each of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 the total number of adoption registrations here. [23165/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The Adoption Authority (AAI) informs me that the following number of intercountry adoptions have been recognised under Section 5, Adoption Act 1991 and Section 57 (2)(b)(ii) of the Adoption Act, 2010 as appropriate: 307 in 2009, 200 in 2010, 188 in 2011, 117 in 2012 and 7 to date in 2013.

Figures received from the AAI in relation to domestic adoption registrations are as follows: in 2009, 189 in 2010, 39 in 2011, 46 in 2012 and 29 to date in 2013.

Early Childhood Education

Questions (245)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

245. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will confirm the availability of a second year of free preschool education in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23272/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides for one free pre-school year for all eligible children before commencing primary school.

The programme includes a number of additional provisions to take account of children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child is developmentally delayed and would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro rata basis, for example availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year. Application for these exemptions must be made prior to the child commencing the programme. However, there is no provision under the programme for a second pre-school year for any child. As the child in question is availing of the full free pre-school complement in the in the current academic year, there is no further entitlement under the ECCE programme.

Foster Care Provision

Questions (246)

Joan Collins

Question:

246. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 500 of 26 March 2013, there were 368 Health Information and Quality Authority audits of the Dublin north west foster care service, there was 34 cases of serious concern, if birth parents who have reported concern of their children in foster care to social services and have not been contacted by social services following the HIQA report, the way these birth parents proceed to clarify their reported concerns; Dublin North West Social Services was closed after the report and social workers have been dispersed, if she will support that the reports of the 368 audits be sent to all the birth parents; and if further action is being taken in any of the 32 cases. [23275/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Foster care services in HSE Dublin North West Area have been inspected by HIQA on three occasions since September 2009, the most recent of which took place in October 2012. The purpose of foster care inspections is to review compliance with regulations and standards for all children, interview HSE managers and social workers, a sample of children, carers and birth parents and review files, including complaints.

In October 2012 there were 368 children in foster care in this area. As part of the inspection process HIQA reviewed a sample of foster care files. Thirty eight complaints or allegations made about foster carers were reviewed by HIQA. Seventeen of these were confirmed.

Where any allegation or serious concern had been confirmed by the HSE social work department, the majority of the birth parents of these children have been informed of the outcome of these confirmed allegations/concerns. However, there are a number of cases where birth parents are either deceased or not traceable and therefore it has not been possible to do so.

It should be stressed that Dublin North West, Children and Family Services did not close at any stage.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (247)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

247. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide in tabular form a breakdown on a yearly basis of the legal and travel costs her Department has incurred as a result of litigation in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, the General Court in Luxembourg and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from the years 2005 to 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23308/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

No such costs were incurred by my Department since its establishment in June 2011.