Written Answers Nos. 184 - 191
184. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite the processing of applications for aquaculture licences in Castlemaine Harbour, County Kerry; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these delays are hindering investment in the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24822/13]
View answerCastlemaine Harbour is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive and a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive (Natura 2000 site). My Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, has been engaged in a major programme of data collection, Conservation Objective setting and the carrying out of an Appropriate Assessment in respect of Castlemaine Harbour SAC and SPA. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that as a result of the above process I have made the first aquaculture licence decisions in respect of 28 aquaculture sites in Castlemaine Harbour and these determinations have been published (The Kerryman 8 May 2013). Subsequently, I have made Ministerial decisions in respect of 14 other sites and these will be published shortly.
185. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in the disadvantaged area payout for the years 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24826/13]
View answerThe following is the position regarding the applications under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme for the years mentioned:
- Payment under the 2008 Scheme issued to the registered herdowner on 30 September 2008.
- Payment under the 2009 Scheme was delayed due to issues regarding one of the land parcel declared. However, these have since been resolved, with payment due to issue shortly.
- No payment is due under the 2011 Scheme as the holding did not satisfy the scheme minimum stocking density requirements for the calendar year in question.
- With regard to the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the holding was only recently confirmed as having satisfied the minimum stocking density requirements; payment is due to issue shortly.
186. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed by Coillte at Donadea Forest, County Kildare; and the number currently on sick leave. [24842/13]
View answerCoillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the allocation and management of human resources, are the responsibility of the company. Coillte has advised that it does not employ staff to work exclusively at Donadea Forest, but that a number of staff cover the Kildare area, including Donadea. These include operational, resource and harvesting managers, technicians and forest workers.
187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which agreement has been reached in respect of certification of compliance with planning requirements arising from animal welfare legislation affecting sow unit accommodation/developments in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if the structure facilitates continued eligibility for relevant farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24871/13]
View answerThe person concerned is an approved applicant under the TAMS Sow Welfare Scheme. The applicant now wishes to alter the dimensions of the building in respect of which approval has issued to him under the Scheme. In these circumstances, a confirmatory letter from the relevant local authority or, in its absence, revised planning permission from that authority will be required before grant payment can be made. The applicant will, of course, have to comply with the other provisions of the Scheme before payment can proceed.
188. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their agri-environment options scheme payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24880/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 November 2010 and full payments totalling €783.84 and €4,703.01 issued in respect of 2010 and 2011 respectively. 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. During these checks for the 2012 scheme year issues were identified in relation to the claimed areas on the Non-Natura Commonage action which resulted in a penalty being imposed. My Department is currently finalising the application on this basis and payment in respect of the 2012 scheme year will issue shortly.
189. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers in receipt of single farm payment will continue to receive the payment in respect of forested land under the Common Agricultural Policy 2014-2020; if farmers who plant land during this period will also be eligible for the single farm payment on this newly forested land; the changes that are proposed in relation to the payment of single farm payment, if any, on afforested land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24911/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the negotiations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy are not yet finalised so that it is not possible to say with any certainty what the outcome will be in respect of any aspect of the new single payment regime. However, I can confirm that there are no proposals at present to deviate from the current situation where eligible area planted with forest from 2009 onwards remains eligible for single payment.
190. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason payment due to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo under the agri-environment options scheme for 2012 was reduced from €5,000 to €3,800; when the 2012 payment will be paid; the amount due for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24914/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 November 2010 and full payments totalling €685.55 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. During these checks in respect of the 2011 scheme year it was found that 11.84 hectares of Natura land submitted for payment were ineligible resulting in a reduced payment of €3,997.23 in respect of the scheme year 2011 issuing to the person named. Similar checks are carried out in respect of the 2012 scheme year. During these checks further issues were identified in relation to the claimed areas on the Natura Owned action. My Department is currently finalising the application and payment due in respect of the 2012 scheme year will issue to the person named shortly.
191. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is intended to continue testing cattle for brucellosis at the present frequency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24917/13]
View answerIreland is officially free of Brucellosis since 2009 (our last case was in 2006). The rules relating to Brucellosis provide that, even where the disease has been eradicated, a reduced testing programme must be implemented for a period of 5 years. In view of this, my Department has scaled down the Brucellosis testing programme as follows:
- the age threshold for annual round testing has been increased from 12 to 24 months for eligible animals;
- only 20% of dairy herds and 20% of non-dairy herds are required to be tested this year for the round test;
- the validity period of the pre-movement test has been increased from 30 days to 60 days;
- the age-limit for the pre-movement test for eligible animals has been increased from 12 to 24 months;
- The one sale rule has been abolished.
Following the above changes, the number of cattle required to be tested in 2013 will have been reduced by 3.3m compared with 2008, the last year prior to the achievement of Brucellosis free status, with significant benefits to farmers in terms of reduced testing costs, estimated at approximately €13m in 2013. I will continue to adopt a cautious approach until such time as Officially Brucellosis Free Status has been achieved in Northern Ireland and, for that reason, I do not foresee any further scaling down of the programme in the immediate future.
