Written Answers Nos. 57-72
57. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date in controlling the Ash dieback disease from spreading further across the State; and if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers and locations of any further outbreaks of the disease since July 2013. [39151/13]
View answerThe serious issue of Ash dieback has been raised on several occasions in this house and I must report that it continues to be of major concern to my Department.
The disease is relatively new to science and has spread rapidly in continental Europe over the past 10 years and is now widespread in several countries, including parts of Great Britain where it was first detected in 2012. Special national legislative measures were introduced in November 2012 under the Destructive Insects and Pest Acts 1958 and 1991 to regulate the import of ash seed, plants and wood. Similar legislation was introduced in tandem by Northern Ireland and in Great Britain.
Following confirmation of a finding of the disease in Ireland in October 2012 (on plants imported from continental Europe), a major winter survey of Ash plantations was undertaken, focusing on trees planted between 2008 and 2012. Following this survey further findings of the disease have been confirmed. The survey has now been broadened to an ongoing growing season survey of ash planted over a much wider period. In addition to the plantation survey, my officials are also surveying hedgerows, nurseries, roadside, landscape and farm plantings.
There have been a total of 96 confirmed findings located throughout the country. Of these, 11 were confirmed since July of this year. 3 of these most recent confirmations were in forestry plantations, 1 was in a horticultural nursery, 1 was located on a farm and the remaining 6 were in roadside plantings.
In terms of controlling the disease, arrangements have been put in place to remove all ash trees from the 39 forest sites where the disease has been confirmed and from the associated sites where trees from the same infected batches have also been planted. Eradication is also being carried out under Departmental supervision at the 57 non-forest locations (i.e. roadsides, horticultural nurseries, garden centres, AEOS/REPS farms and private gardens).
In addition to the 39 forest plantations that to date have tested positive there are 161 additional associated forest sites that were planted with ash from the same batches of trees, a total therefore of 200 sites that require clearance. Forest Service has worked with the forestry contractors, the IFA and the landowners to ensure as smooth a process as possible.
Finally, in March of this year the Department launched a reconstitution scheme to help forest owners participating in afforestation schemes who have been affected by Ash dieback. A grant of up to a maximum of €1,500 per ha is available to cover the cost of clearing the site. Additional funding is also available to cover the cost of replanting with an alternative species. So far 169 applications have been received for support under this scheme.
58. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he has taken to date to deal with the identification of horses; the progress made to date on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39541/13]
View answerThe identification and registration of equidae is governed by EU Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008 of 6 June 2008. Regulation 504/2008, in effect since 1 July 2009, provides that an equine animal cannot be admitted to the food chain if it 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. It also provides that all equine animals registered from 1 July 2009 must be identified with a passport and a microchip.
The EU legislation has been transposed into national legislation via S.I. No. 357 of 2011 - European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2011 (as amended). Amendments to this legislation strengthened the powers of the Minister in relation to approval of a passport issuing body, prosecutions, offences on forgery or tampering with a passport. Moreover provision was made for the withdrawal of a passport in the event of doubts on the reliability of a passport and issue of a new passport. My Department is currently in the process of drafting a new comprehensive Statutory Instrument to provide for further enhancement of the powers of the Minister.
A central equine database has been established on the Animal Identification and Movement [AIM] system which already contained data on cattle, sheep and pigs. The central equine database is now used to supplement the checks carried out by Department staff in slaughter plants, in particular to check that horses presented for slaughter are correctly identified and eligible for the food chain. Aside from the usual veterinary checks, the passport of an animal presented for slaughter is examined to ensure eligibility for the food chain, absence of evidence of tampering and that the markings recorded on the passport match the animal.
Furthermore in association with the introduction of a requirement for registration of horse premises, the database is interrogated to check whether a horse presented for slaughter has originated in registered premises while keepers from outside the State are accommodated through the use of a generic herd number. In addition, there has been an increase in enforcement of legislation relating to the identification of equines at sales, marts, fairs etc, and I acknowledge the successful collaboration between other agencies and my Department in this area.
I announced in March that I would like to see the establishment of a single Passport Issuing Organisation. The EU Commission is currently drafting new legislation to facilitate this development. However, since the new legislation involves co-decision by the Council and the European Parliament, it will be some time before this legislation is adopted. I will move to the final stage in the establishment of a single Passport Issuing Agency once EU legislation provides me with the required legal basis. In the meantime, the EU Commission has published proposals for a new regulation designed to enhance the controls on passports. I expect that this proposal will be adopted by the relevant EU Committee shortly.
In conclusion, I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to maintain ongoing vigilance in relation to official controls on the identification of horses.
59. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications on hand for planting grants and premiums to plant forestry; the number of these on hand for more than three months, six months, nine months, 12 months and 15 months; the reason for the delay in making decisions in these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39530/13]
View answerThe total number of applications on hand in my Department for payment of grants and premiums for planting forestry is 468. Of this total number, 72 are on hand for more than 3 months, 22 for more than 6 months, 18 for more than 9 months, 16 for more than 12 months and 75 for more than 15 months. There are a number of reasons for the time taken to process applications and I will set out the major ones.
Once an applicant receives approval from my Department to plant forestry he or she may proceed to establish the forestry plantation to the Forest Service standards. Upon completion of the establishment the person may submit an application for payment of the establishment grant and the associated premiums. In order to receive payment promptly an applicant or his forester, on his behalf, must submit all the required documentation including the Form 2 signed by both the applicant and his forester, maps, provenance certificates, evidence of ownership, tax clearance certificates, if required, mandate for payment of the grant directly to the forester if required, farmer proof if appropriate and any other relevant documentation.
Most applications for payment of grants and premiums following establishment of a forestry plantation are processed and finalised very quickly. However, delays can occur when incomplete documentation is submitted by the applicant. For instance, a Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) will be required if the payment exceeds €10,000. In many cases this is not submitted with the application for payment and this can result in significant delays while a TCC is sought by the applicant from the Revenue Commissioners.
Likewise ownership documents, clearly showing the applicant as the owner of the property the subject of the plantation, are often missing from applications. An application for payment can therefore be delayed for a number of months whilst the ownership evidence is sought. Other documentation such as provenance certificates for the plants used may also be absent. Some of the delays in processing payment applications to finality relate to the applicant claiming farmer status to receive farmer rate premium but are not able to produce documentation to prove it.
Following the completion of the planting, the new forestry plantation may be subject to an inspection by a Forest Service Inspector. From a silvicultural aspect there can be a delay in making the final decision on payment when it appears to the Forestry Inspector that the plantation is not up to Forest Service standards. In those cases the applicant is notified of the work required to bring the plantation up to the required standard. Payment in these cases will be delayed until the appropriate remedial work is carried out.
60. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on an application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara for a licence for a fish farm in Galway Bay; the progress made to date in evaluating this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39517/13]
View answerAn application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay was received by my Department last year. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are being considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act.
A determination in respect of the application will be made as soon as possible following completion of the necessary assessment process. This assessment process will take full account of all national and EU legislative requirements and will reflect the full engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects of the application.
The fullest consideration will also be given to all submissions received as part of the statutory and public consultation stages of the process.
There is always a strict separation of my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of aquaculture licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed.
As the application is under active consideration as part of the statutory process it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.
61. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the procedures and practices which have been enacted to safeguard against a repeat of the horse-meat controversy, with particular reference to horse passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39511/13]
View answerThe detailed report on the ‘Equine DNA and Mislabelling of Processed Beef Investigation’, which I published on 14th March 2013, provides extensive details on the investigation and the actions taken by my Department. Operations in a total of four plants were suspended (in some cases on a voluntary basis) for varying periods arising from the investigation. My Department is actively considering the possibility of instituting legal proceedings where appropriate, as indicated in the report. It is important to note in that context that while some of the failures referred to in the report risked reputational damage to the Irish food sector, they did not breach EU or national law. Information in relation to activities by traders and other intermediaries in the supply chain outside of the jurisdiction has been passed to Europol and other Member States to facilitate continuing investigations in other countries.
Other actions taken in relation to this issue at both national and EU level include a programme of DNA testing of beef products and testing of horse meat for the presence of phenylbutazone. Meat traders and agents will be required to register as food business operators. Controls relating to horse identification are being strengthened and my Department has taken responsibility for the supervision of all horse abattoirs in Ireland.
It was because of the vigilance of Ireland’s testing and control regime that this pan European problem was exposed. Exposure of this malpractice will result in improved consumer protection across the EU. In that regard, the EU Commission is pursuing an action plan over the remainder of 2013 and into 2014 which includes specific actions and measures on the following basic elements: fighting food fraud, testing programmes, horse passports, official controls and origin labelling. It is important that controls in this area are strengthened on a pan European basis, not just at national level, and some of the measures envisaged will require legislative change at EU level.
With regard specifically to horse identification, my Department implements official controls in relation to horse identification at marts and other sales venues, in abattoirs and at points of entry to the country. All equines are required to be identified in accordance with EU and national legislation. Equines issued with a passport after 1 July 2009 must have a corresponding microchip implanted by a veterinarian, which is recorded in the passport and creates a link between the passport and the animal. The passport includes information on any veterinary medicines administered to equines. An equine for slaughter for human consumption must be accompanied to the slaughterhouse by its passport and the information on the passport determines whether the animal can be slaughtered for human consumption. Horses treated with certain veterinary medicines such as phenylbutazone, known in the industry as ‘bute’, are permanently excluded from the human food chain in order to protect public health.
The Department has established a centralised equine database, which will be used at abattoirs to assist in verifying the authenticity of horse passports for the animal presented and to record its date of slaughter. Detailed procedures for the slaughter of horses in abattoirs have been communicated, together with details of the identity checks required, both to Departmental staff and the business operators. Where forged or tampered passports accompanying horses to slaughter are detected, such animals are destroyed and removed from the food chain.
62. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will commence under the 2013 disadvantaged area scheme; the number of estimated payments that will be paid in the first week of payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39525/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will begin issuing, on target, tomorrow, 25 September. While there is no regulatory date by which payments must commence, it is generally recognised and indeed acknowledged in the Farmers’ Charter, that the third week in September of any given year is the earliest feasible payment date, given the volume and complexity of processing involved.
While payments will begin issuing tomorrow, I should emphasise that payments runs thereafter continue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. It should be appreciated, however, that many applicants, who declare land situated in a Disadvantaged Area are not eligible for payment under the Scheme. Many of these applicants do not maintain any animals and those that do maintain animals do not keep sufficient livestock to meet the minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per hectare. This is a normal feature of the Disadvantaged Area Scheme. For example, in excess of 5,000 applicants under the 2012 DAS Scheme were found to be non-compliant, as they had insufficient stocking density on their holdings. The figure for 2013 is almost 10,000, in addition to which, there are in excess of 6,000 applicants who held no stock during 2013. I should emphasise, however, that many of those currently showing as having insufficient stock will ultimately satisfy the requirement – the minimum retention period being seven consecutive months; there will be a steady flow of cases each month where compliance with this retention period will be confirmed, thereby allowing payments to issue.
In addition, in excess of 15,000 applications have been identified with area-related issues; these are being addressed and resolved though direct correspondence with the individual applicants, in line with normal procedures. Again, as individual cases are resolved, they will be immediately further processed, with a view to payment issuing as soon as possible thereafter.
However, insofar as the initial payment run is concerned, I can confirm that payments worth some €110 million are issuing tomorrow to over 50,000 applicants; as mentioned, payments will continue to issue on a twice-weekly basis thereafter. I am confident that by year-end the cumulative value of payments that will have issue under the 2013 Scheme will be in the region of €190 million.
63. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average decrease in single farm payments to the 2013 single farm payment as a result of changes to the multiannual financial framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39548/13]
View answerAt my request, together with a number of Ministers from other Member States, the EU Commission proposed, as an exceptional measure, a 50% advance of the 2013 Single Farm Payment commencing on 16 October, the first day of the new EU financial year. This proposal was supported by all Member States and adopted at the Direct Payment Management Committee meeting on 11th September 2013.
As agreed in the MFF agreement, the reduction in the 2013 Single Farm Payment would be limited to 3% plus a further 1% approximately, which must be set-aside for the establishment of a Crisis Fund. The exact level of deduction will not be known until the Commission’s publishes its “Amending Letter” to the draft 2014 budget in mid-October.
It was agreed these deductions, known as Financial Discipline, would not be applied to the advance payments, but rather to the balancing payments, which will commence issuing to farmers from 1 December. The Commission has also proposed that the first €2,000 of all payments will be exempt from the Financial Discipline deductions.
If the funds in the Crises Reserve are not fully utilised, there is provision for refunding the amounts to farmers in the following scheme-year.
64. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received under the single farm payment in 2013; the number that have been examined and cleared for payment; the number that have been examined and where issues have arisen and if the farmers have been contacted in relation to these issues; the number that remain to be examined and the latest date that the examination of these applications will be complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39526/13]
View answerMy Department has received 122,271 applications under the Single Payment Scheme from applicants who already have entitlements or have applied for the transfer of entitlements under the Scheme. In the case of the Single Farm Payment, the earliest payment date under the governing EU rules is 1 December. However, earlier this year, in recognition of the difficult financial situation faced by many farmers, I successfully sought the approval of the Commissioner to have advance payments made from 16 October. This will now allow us to make 50% advance payments to those applicants whose applications are confirmed fully clear, with effect from 16 October. Balancing payments will commence with effect from 1 December.
The benefit in making these payments six weeks earlier than otherwise provided for under the existing rules of the scheme will be particularly beneficial at this time and I expect that these advance payments will result in some €600 million issuing to farmers from 16 October.
The processing of applications under the Single Payment Scheme is a complex administrative task and one that remains a top priority for my Department. In this regard I have allocated additional resources to the task thereby ensuring that the maximum number of applicants receive their advance payment at the earliest possible date.
The Single Payment Scheme is fully funded by the European Union and the relevant Competent Authorities in each Member State are obliged to ensure that the requirements of the governing EU Regulations are observed and that only valid applications that fully comply with the requirements are paid. The administration of the Scheme in each Member State is subjected to close scrutiny by officials of the EU Commission and the EU Court of Auditors to ensure that the regulatory requirements are met and that the Schemes are applied in a uniform manner across the European Union.
All applications under the Scheme are subject to administrative checks, with a further 5% also subject to land eligibility inspections. The land eligibility confirms compliance with EU legislation in the areas of the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health and ensuring that the farm is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition.
Where issues preventing payment are identified contact is immediately made with the applicant concerned in order to resolve the query. Work is well underway in resolving the queries that have arisen following these checks and farmers are being contacted as necessary. In addition to resolving the simpler queries by phone, officials in my Department have nearly 11,000 query letters to farmers.
65. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date on the introduction of single farm payment reforms under the new Common Agriculture Policy budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39362/13]
View answerAfter an in-depth process of consultation and negotiation that was initiated in 2011, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and the Commission reached agreement on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy under the Irish Presidency on 26 June 2013.
The agreement provides a framework for the continuing application of the CAP for the period 2015 to 2019, ensuring uniformity between Member States of the Union while allowing for a high degree of flexibility for Member States in their application of individual measures. In July of this year I initiated a process of consultation with all relevant stakeholders to ascertain their views on the most appropriate application of the Direct Payment Regulation in light of Ireland’s unique agricultural profile and circumstances. The final date for submissions on the Consultative Paper was 20th September. I intend to formulate and publicise the final shape of the CAP in Ireland towards the end of 2013.
66. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is to apply his proposals in relation to internal convergence and greening, along with the mandatory minimum payment that forms part of the Common Agricultural Policy, the amount of payment a farmer on the following current payment - €15, €60, €120, €180, €250, €500, €1,000 - would receive by 2019; allowing that there will be no coupled payment, and a deduction of 3% for the national reserve; 2% for the young farmer provision and 1% to the emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39547/13]
View answerThe provision to limit convergence in the form of the ‘approximation’ model was proposed by me throughout the negotiation process and was adopted by the Commission, European Parliament and Council as part of the final CAP agreement reached under the Irish Presidency on 26 June 2013.
While certain elements of this Irish convergence model are fixed, the Regulation also allows for a degree of flexibility on several essential aspects of its implementation.
When calculating the number of entitlements to be granted to a farmer in 2015, a Member State may base this on either the number of eligible hectares declared in 2015 or the number of eligible hectares declared in 2013 or 2015, whichever is lesser.
The total value of entitlements to be allocated to a farmer in 2015 will be based on a percentage of the farmer’s 2014 value. However that value may be based on either the ‘payments’ received by the farmer in 2014 or on the value of the ‘entitlements’ definitively held by the farmer in 2014.
In addition there are issues relating to the pace and degree of convergence. These include the question of the ‘minimum payment’ whereby all farmers with low value entitlements must achieve at least 60% of the national average under the Basic Payment Scheme by 2019.
All of these issues are presented in the consultation paper which I issued in July. Until such time that final decisions are made in relation to these and other related issues, I am not in a position to provide the required statistics. Neither do I wish to pre-empt any submissions that may arise from the ongoing consultation process.
67. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking on foot of the report of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and Marine in relation to commonages; if he intends adopting the recommendations in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39544/13]
View answerThe report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate regarding the issues surrounding commonage lands, the views of the various stakeholders having being sought and considered by the Committee. As I have indicated previously, while it is generally accepted that this is a very complex matter and requires a very detailed action plan to cover the various issues, I intend in the near future to set out proposals on how these matters will be progressed. My firm intention is that the process will be fully inclusive and that all stakeholders, particularly farmers and their representatives, will be central to the process. It is only by adopting this approach that the desired result can be achieved.
With regard to the specific recommendations of the Committee contained in their Report, I can confirm that these will be included among the range of issues to be addressed in the process that will shortly be commenced by my Department - it very clear that matters to be resolved are very wide ranging and complex; it is self-evident that the process required to adequately address these must be fully inclusive and focused. To this end, I am determined, as indicated, to convene a broad group of all relevant stakeholders, charged with comprehensively addressing the range of issues.
Commonage lands form an important part of the farming enterprises of many farmers, particularly along the West Coast. They also form an important part of the local environment from the point of view of bio-diversity, wildlife, amenities and economic returns e.g. tourism. However, there is a substantial risk of land abandonment as under-grazing becomes more of a problem. Under-grazing leads to an increase in ineligible land under Direct Aid and Agri-Environment Schemes and leads to risk of financial corrections being imposed by EU Commission. It is vital, therefore, to maintain the commonages in GAEC (Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition), or where there is under-grazing, to return the habitat to GAEC.
Following the successful completion of the negotiations on CAP reform under the Irish Presidency on 26 June 2013, I launched a consultation process with all relevant stakeholders to ascertain their views on the most appropriate application of the Direct Payment Regulation. The final date for submissions on the Consultative Paper is 20th September. The agreement provides that where there is marginal land the applicant or applicants must graze that land if he or she is to satisfy the eligibility criteria to be deemed an active farmer for the purposes of benefiting from payment under the Direct Payment Scheme. As most of the commonage land declared in Ireland can only be maintained by grazing, this matter will also have to be dealt with in the context of maintaining commonages in Ireland.
Taking all of these matters into account, it is my stated aim is to ensure that a practical solution is reached, which will ensure that the current farmers actively farming these lands are protected; that the land is maintained or returned to GAEC and that the requirements of the governing EU Regulations are met. In my view, this can best be achieved by working with the farmers directly managing the lands, relevant State Agencies, the farming organisations and all other interested stakeholders. I have no doubt that work undertaken by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine will greatly assist in this matter.
68. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has had any discussions with his Northern counterpart Minister Michelle O’Neill in relation to ensuring the security of supply of liquid milk in the island of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39520/13]
View answerThe National Milk Agency, which operates under the aegis of my Department, was set up in 1994 to ensure an indigenous year round supply of milk for liquid consumption. All farmers supplying milk for liquid consumption in the winter months do so under contracts with processors which must be registered with the Agency. Farmers supplying milk in the winter months are paid a premium over the price paid to farmers who only produce milk in the spring-autumn period. This premium reflects the additional costs of producing milk in the winter months.
Currently there is no shortage of indigenous milk supply for processing fresh milk in the Republic or on the island of Ireland. As circumstances change in the lead up to and after 2015, developments in that regard will need to be monitored closely.
69. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which in the aftermath of the agreement on the Common Agricultural Policy, he has succeeded or expects to succeed in ensuring the benefits accruing are adequately and fairly distributed with a view to meeting the social and economic requirements of the agri-sector and that due reward is given for effort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39514/13]
View answerAt all times in the course of the negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy my primary focus has been on the need to ensure a fair outcome for all farmers. Fairness of course informed my approach to perhaps the most high-profile issue in the negotiations, namely, the redistribution of direct payments within Member States. It also underpinned my approach to the negotiations on the rural development regulation, which I believe will contribute in a significant way to the socio-economic development of rural areas over the coming decade and ensured a balanced overall outcome to the reform process.
The distribution of direct payments within Member States was the single most important issue for Ireland in the CAP reform negotiations. I agreed very strongly with the argument that it was no longer justifiable to pay farmers on the basis of out-of-date historic entitlements. However, I also felt that it was not justifiable to transfer very large amounts of money over a relatively short period of time from our most productive farmers, as had been proposed by the Commission. I therefore pressed for an alternative model, which adopted a more measured approach, in that it acknowledged the Commission’s desire to move away from historical references, while not moving as far or as fast. I consider the final outcome - which also provides for a minimum payment of at least 60% of the national average payment - to be a fair one for all farmers, and one that will continue to support the ongoing development of the agri-food sector as envisaged under the Food Harvest 2020 strategy.
Of course many decisions remain to be taken on how the reform outcome will be implemented in Ireland. On direct payments, outstanding questions include whether entitlements should move towards the full national average or 90% of the national average, and at what level the minimum payment should be fixed. Over the coming weeks I will be reflecting on the views of stakeholders and interested parties on these and a range of other issues, as submitted to my Department during the consultation process which concluded last Friday, 20 September. My deliberations, and the decisions I make on the future structure of the direct payments system, will continue to be underpinned by the need for a fair and balanced approach.
In relation to Pillar 2, preparatory work for the next Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020 is already well underway. An initial consultation process was launched in 2012, and written submissions were received from over 80 stakeholders. A second consultation was held in July, where stakeholders attended a full day workshop on the progress. Based on the outcome of these processes, the drafting of a new programme is being advanced in my Department, and it is intended that further stakeholder consultation will form part of this.
I intend to formulate and publicise the final shape of the CAP in Ireland towards the end of 2013.
70. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his efforts to support the fishing industry in Area VIa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39148/13]
View answerMy remit as Minister is to do all that I can to support a viable and sustainable fishing industry throughout Ireland, including those parts of the industry that operate in Area VIa. One of the key ways in which I do this is by negotiating on behalf of Ireland at the annual December EU Fisheries Council Meeting.
As the Deputy is aware, fishing quotas for all EU Member States are set each year at this Council. My primary aim has always been, and always will be, to achieve an outcome that protects the overall interests of the Irish fishing industry while respecting the most up-to-date scientific advice for stocks of critical importance to our fleets. I will once again aim to ensure a fair and balanced outcome for Ireland at the EU Fisheries Council Meeting next December. It will as always be challenging, but under the newly reformed CFP, the changes proposed, once implemented and embedded, will provide the basis for a significant period of growth in the Irish fishing industry.
In relation to Area VIa specifically, I will aim to achieve the best possible outcome with regard to the stocks of most importance to our vessels operating in that area such as haddock, megrim, monkfish, herring, mackerel, and boarfish. The formal proposals for 2014 quotas have not yet issued from the Commission but they are expected to be published within a matter of weeks. Once they have been received and analysed I will initiate a consultation process with all major stakeholders and expert contributions from the Marine Institute (MI) and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). There is a lot of negotiating to be done between now and December but I can assure the Deputy that no effort will be spared to secure the best possible result.
In a wider context, I am committed to continuing the path set out in Food Harvest 2020 for the development of the seafood sector in Ireland. Food Harvest 2020 identifies the potential of the seafood industry to increase employment from the present level of 11,000 to 14,000 full time equivalent jobs by 2020, mostly in peripheral coastal communities such as those bordering Area VIa.
In addition, there are a range of supports available to the seafood sector through the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013. For the catching sector, these include grants for fleet modernisation and safety, environmental management systems and selective fishing gear. These schemes are implemented by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). BIM also provides a range of training courses for the catching sector. More generally, grants are available from BIM for the development of the processing and aquaculture sectors. Full details are available from BIM’s website at www.bim.ie/schemes.
71. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to provide an outlet for horses surplus to the horse industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39443/13]
View answer84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a slaughter premium for horses as a temporary measure to reduce the number of unwanted horses in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39543/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 84 together.
I am aware that various interests in the sector, including some animal welfare organisations, have called for measures to be introduced by my Department to deal with surplus horses. While it is the responsibility of horse owners to ensure the welfare of horses in their ownership and/or their care and to dispose of them appropriately, my Department is consulting with relevant stakeholders involved in the horse sector, including farming/industry representatives, local authorities, Teagasc and welfare bodies to gauge the extent of any developing problem in relation to the welfare of horses. In this context, I have noted the positive message from Teagasc’s recent fodder census survey which indicates good grass growth throughout the country and adequate fodder stocks. In view of this, there is no evidence of an immediate problem in relation to the welfare of horses. However, my Department will keep the situation under review.
My Department will, of course, continue to deal with any animal welfare issues relating to horses through its existing mechanisms. Any person facing a horse welfare situation should contact their local office of the Department or their local animal welfare organisation for assistance in resolving the problem.
In this context, I would like to remind horse owners of the advice given recently by the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council that, where an owner can no longer adequately provide for their horse or where the horse can no longer fulfil the purpose for which is was bred, he or she should be proactive in seeking to dispose of the animal, including consideration of the option of humane disposal. Such action will help prevent the emergence of long-term and severe animal welfare problems. The Council also stresses that where a horse is being sold, the seller must do his or her utmost to ensure that the person buying the horse has the capacity to take care of the animal and meet all its health and welfare needs. The seller bears a responsibility to ensure that the welfare of the horse will not be compromised in the future. I should also emphasise that all horse owners should adhere to the legal requirement for all horses to be identified and in possession of a valid passport as disposal options for undocumented horses are limited and expensive.
72. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he will take to support the suckler cow sector as part of the Common Agricultural Policy reform 2013 implementation; the proposals he is considering to finance such support from CAP and national finances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39539/13]
View answerThe Direct Payment Regulation, which will take effect from 2015, gives Member States the option to grant Coupled Support to farmers. Such support is restricted to a specified list of sectors which includes cereals, protein crops, potato, milk and milk products, sheep-meat and beef. In addition such support may only be granted in circumstances where any such sector is undergoing certain difficulties and has economic, social or environmental significance. Coupled Support may only be granted to maintain current levels of production.
Ireland may allocate up to 8% of its annual national ceiling for Coupled Support with the option for an additional 2% to support protein crops. Support under this scheme would take the form of an annual payment and would be based on fixed areas and yields or on a fixed number of animals.
In July of this year I initiated a process of consultation with all relevant stakeholders to ascertain their views on the most appropriate application of the Direct Payment Regulation in light of Ireland’s unique agricultural profile and circumstances. Until this process of consultation is complete, I am not in a position to discuss the final shape of the new Direct Payments regime in Ireland.
