Thursday, 3 Oct 2013

Written Answers Nos. 204-212

Forestry Grants

Questions (204)

Seán Fleming

Question:

204. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a forestry payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41652/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

It is a condition of the Afforestation Scheme that the applicant must submit a Management Plan for any plantation with an area greater than 10 hectares which is over 10 years old. The applicant has two plantations which are greater than 10 hectares and therefore Management Plans are required. Forest Service records show that the Management Plan form, a replacement form, and a number of reminders have been sent to the applicant and to date they have not been returned. In order for the applicant to receive payment of the outstanding premiums, he is advised to contact a registered forester to assist with the completion of his Management Plans and to return them along with a Tax Clearance Certificate to the Premium Section, Forest Service, Johnstown Castle Estate Wexford. Details of registered foresters can be found on the Department’s website. The applicant can contact the Premium Section if any further assistance is required.

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Questions (205)

Seán Fleming

Question:

205. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide in tabular form the number of farmers in receipt of the single farm payment on a county basis where the payment per hectare is based in the following ranges under €100, between €100 and €200, between €200 and €300, between €300 and €400, between €400 and €500, between €500 and €600, between €600 and €700, between €700 and €800, between €800 and €900, between €900 and €1000, over €1000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41654/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Based on 2012 payments made to date the data requested by the deputy is provided in tabular form.

COUNTY	0-100	Amount	100-200	Amount	200-300	Amount	300-400	Amount
CARLOW	39	52,408.47	152	730,902.91	354	3,354,615.48	584	8,448,943.26
CAVAN	459	611,718.98	928	3,377,093.33	1454	9,864,069.72	1129	10,860,981.85
CLARE	512	818,322.72	1624	8,047,700.78	2126	16,793,053.99	1179	13,055,691.14
CORK	836	1,807,302.43	1854	9,614,942.97	2875	26,385,281.56	3477	49,356,388.51
DONEGAL	2213	5,080,309.08	2732	10,361,613.57	1640	10,687,373.72	810	8,943,283.98
DUBLIN	49	116,488.15	82	387,756.63	123	1,361,468.89	270	4,798,385.90
GALWAY	1890	3,654,076.54	2383	8,293,059.20	3401	22,224,472.33	2580	23,739,796.90
KERRY	1421	5,216,131.72	2182	12,843,177.25	1955	15,984,561.47	1191	12,330,240.97
KILDARE	121	226,140.79	281	1,862,433.69	503	5,406,469.98	638	11,789,189.19
KILKENNY	100	97,742.59	307	1,431,654.02	748	7,997,753.32	1152	17,898,372.26
LAOIS	131	145,091.85	294	1,385,410.33	615	5,718,074.01	874	11,962,838.33
LEITRIM	464	841,771.48	1540	6,311,140.80	963	6,054,500.21	273	2,470,941.22
LIMERICK	435	474,635.51	951	4,503,993.03	1520	14,202,715.51	1167	15,189,808.56
LONGFORD	157	153,930.49	402	1,392,781.05	802	5,564,493.23	570	6,017,528.79
LOUTH	65	93,413.41	178	696,781.48	285	2,163,112.73	540	7,829,608.26
MAYO	2037	5,385,162.12	3229	12,603,411.12	3175	17,711,496.59	1910	14,226,217.39
MEATH	208	265,136.58	432	1,838,245.68	834	7,907,803.58	1181	19,272,680.79
MONAGHAN	238	175,603.21	516	1,506,998.82	998	5,858,921.59	1125	8,905,875.12
OFFALY	237	289,011.48	509	2,284,402.32	792	7,284,333.58	769	10,683,903.93
ROSCOMMON	464	482,097.23	1299	4,716,947.40	2040	13,607,198.22	1172	11,590,130.17
SLIGO	476	1,092,182.39	1241	4,963,053.18	1367	8,856,379.59	555	4,950,758.44
TIPPERARY	323	552,855.46	818	5,084,195.82	1689	17,143,899.03	2023	30,258,604.97
WATERFORD	134	435,709.86	303	2,445,500.43	543	6,386,103.92	723	12,208,321.35
WESTMEATH	238	273,921.32	482	2,361,890.19	883	8,193,488.37	739	9,921,058.06
WEXFORD	114	146,339.74	305	1,444,445.36	826	8,214,545.47	1517	23,181,138.53
WICKLOW	172	761,552.48	428	3,354,978.64	598	6,169,125.67	530	8,717,204.33
	13,533	29,249,056	25,452	113,844,510	33,109	261,095,312	28,678	358,607,892

COUNTY	400-500	Amount	500-600	Amount	600-700	Amount	700-800	Amount
CARLOW	293	6,655,540.66	115	3,110,754.32	42	1,326,847.72	21	436,218.24
CAVAN	467	5,658,640.58	170	2,503,908.92	49	876,748.94	30	787,025.22
CLARE	377	5,445,037.26	120	2,064,565.31	48	864,614.70	15	310,827.96
CORK	2063	39,954,875.28	845	19,221,241.63	400	10,167,798.18	211	5,507,900.19
DONEGAL	335	4,888,063.54	125	3,020,632.29	66	1,776,595.90	36	1,212,781.93
DUBLIN	56	1,326,944.96	24	569,830.62	9	171,766.08	4	255,555.11
GALWAY	1004	12,706,480.18	336	4,865,054.88	112	2,330,967.05	48	840,747.85
KERRY	445	6,123,444.20	207	3,631,149.88	86	1,222,993.38	37	620,484.85
KILDARE	272	6,585,167.93	88	2,060,694.76	53	1,710,399.29	27	882,607.31
KILKENNY	603	13,645,664.99	266	6,893,037.22	130	3,883,428.40	49	1,448,170.57
LAOIS	508	9,203,429.10	262	5,913,462.16	110	2,762,515.42	47	1,503,836.47
LEITRIM	74	983,421.47	18	345,797.29	10	199,342.51	5	187,836.34
LIMERICK	515	9,023,797.99	225	4,030,303.42	121	2,382,345.96	44	676,657.57
LONGFORD	261	3,664,450.35	86	1,543,891.16	34	848,638.54	11	229,360.42
LOUTH	226	5,021,728.86	97	1,944,693.34	43	1,115,750.10	19	416,519.90
MAYO	653	6,803,084.41	173	2,018,808.38	60	850,456.54	24	377,169.16
MEATH	545	10,793,298.80	238	6,660,901.05	122	3,908,320.42	62	2,267,545.96
MONAGHAN	593	6,892,128.26	233	2,964,968.90	99	1,423,195.09	56	1,167,645.43
OFFALY	366	6,715,821.07	164	4,465,102.85	68	1,480,630.36	38	1,370,859.22
ROSCOMMON	395	5,527,755.48	141	2,213,186.71	59	1,335,434.98	27	647,186.36
SLIGO	161	1,847,368.43	49	636,895.06	23	283,784.58	9	147,913.33
TIPPERARY	1033	21,056,065.88	484	12,182,916.61	245	6,925,612.80	121	3,416,086.28
WATERFORD	359	8,536,895.50	176	4,347,761.28	76	2,246,129.55	32	1,238,196.84
WESTMEATH	334	6,441,306.24	125	2,849,592.72	49	1,518,466.41	25	936,204.99
WEXFORD	719	15,384,476.43	282	7,125,979.78	125	3,269,764.76	49	1,250,621.74
WICKLOW	210	5,147,400.03	74	2,317,898.60	25	1,031,398.55	12	277,498.47
	12,867	226,032,288	5,123	109,503,029	2,264	55,913,946	1,059	28,413,458

COUNTY	800-900	Amount	900-1000	Amount	>=1000	Amount
CARLOW	10	119,205.64	3	41,927.33	16	473,259.98
CAVAN	17	607,928.34	4	175,139.22	10	285,925.58
CLARE	9	247,193.85	2	23,345.97	5	30,507.91
CORK	83	2,132,367.89	60	1,258,956.52	122	2,166,380.91
DONEGAL	24	947,092.81	13	398,172.32	20	962,524.55
DUBLIN	3	35,404.18	0	0	3	81,498.15
GALWAY	16	420,490.93	10	221,832.94	13	322,072.74
KERRY	16	316,147.21	12	167,130.55	21	196,816.09
KILDARE	10	238,074.70	8	262,146.02	19	371,562.16
KILKENNY	21	661,364.99	10	369,167.38	30	850,754.37
LAOIS	33	936,401.03	12	318,584.38	25	769,962.09
LEITRIM	2	104,629.09	0	0	1	1,290.68
LIMERICK	31	650,185.38	15	469,372.60	32	512,522.73
LONGFORD	5	107,301.57	5	219,435.91	2	91,159.18
LOUTH	9	207,665.49	7	120,904.30	14	237,936.31
MAYO	7	89,252.72	4	31,181.16	5	158,040.32
MEATH	35	1,466,362.88	11	169,083.57	42	940,197.23
MONAGHAN	40	925,044.28	28	538,721.21	25	406,910.78
OFFALY	18	516,354.18	14	648,670.02	23	570,376.55
ROSCOMMON	8	238,971.16	3	52,886.93	9	142,727.47
SLIGO	1	7,751.16	1	8,271.94	1	20,989.57
TIPPERARY	50	1,715,129.54	30	981,149.88	58	1,206,550.19
WATERFORD	16	396,730.23	9	343,599.16	17	349,422.45
WESTMEATH	11	512,973.83	8	382,972.27	13	267,505.05
WEXFORD	21	640,289.33	10	233,293.27	18	284,329.41
WICKLOW	3	39,498.13	4	151,607.12	6	68,418.57
-	499	14,279,811	283	7,587,552	550	11,769,641

Single Payment Scheme Appeals

Questions (206)

Tom Fleming

Question:

206. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will investigate a penalty imposed on a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; if he will waive this penalty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41660/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named submitted a Single Farm Payment application on 11 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of the scheme require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection. This inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and found resulting in an over-declaration in area of greater than 20%. Based on the terms and conditions of the scheme this results in no payment in respect of 2013. The person named was notified of this decision on 13 September 2013.

The person named appealed this decision and this request for a review is currently being examined. The person named will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office within 3 months.

Beef Technology Adoption Programme Issues

Questions (207)

John O'Mahony

Question:

207. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision on an appeal will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41662/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named was a participant of the 2012 Beef Technology Adoption Programme. Participants were required to attend a prescribed number of discussion group meetings or approved national events, in addition to completing two tasks, chosen from a menu of eight designed to enhance on-farm efficiency. The broad range of available task options allowed participants to choose those best suited to the business needs and particular characteristics of their beef enterprises.

The person named did not qualify for payment because he failed to satisfactorily complete one of two selected tasks – the task related to the completion of a herd health plan in consultation with a veterinary practitioner. Participants who chose that task were required to join the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme, a condition of which was that herd owners had to submit tissue samples from all calves born on their holdings in 2012 to one of a number of designated laboratories. Task completion was verified by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) which maintains a database of laboratory results on behalf of Animal Health Ireland. Information received from ICBF indicated that the herd owner in question did not sample any animal born in 2012. While the calves born in 2012 were BVD-tested in January 2013, this does not meet the Task requirement for the 2012 Programme.

It is the responsibility of participants and their facilitators to familiarise themselves with the Programme Terms and Conditions and with the consequences for breaches of the rules. In applying for the BTAP, farmers undertook to comply with the Terms and Conditions of the Programme and accepted that failure to abide by the rules could result in a loss of payment. It was determined following appeal that the individual concerned failed to fully comply with the BTAP Terms and Conditions and, accordingly, no payment is possible in this case. The person named has been notified of the decision in writing.

Single Payment Scheme Applications

Questions (208)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

208. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a dhéanfar íocaíocht faoi Scéim na Limistéar faoi Mhíbhuntáiste do 2013 le feirmeoir i gContae na Gaillimhe (sonraí tugtha), cén fáth a bhfuil moill leis an íocaíocht seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [41670/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application under the 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Area Scheme was received from the person named in my Department on 10 May 2013. Following processing, an over-claim was identified in respect of a commonage parcel declared on the application. This matter has now been resolved and the application of the person named will be further processed with a view to payment at the earliest possible date.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications

Questions (209)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

209. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the 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. [41680/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As processing of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Questions (210)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

210. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of money spent on the agri-environment options scheme in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [41684/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Payments for the Agri Environment Options Scheme commenced in August 2011. The table displays the total amount of money paid under the Agri Environment Options Scheme from 2009 to 2013. Expenditure for AEOS as follows:

Year	€
2009	Nil
2010	Nil
2011	€14,106,740
2012	€54,946,566
2013 to date	€20,629,432

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Extension

Questions (211)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

211. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of launching a new agri-environment options scheme in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41685/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Agri-Environment Options Scheme has had a very positive uptake, and despite fiscal constraints, I secured funding of €20 million per annum for AEOS 3 and 6,000 applicants received approvals in May this year. The maximum payment is €4,000 per annum, with a minimum 5 year contract. Any extension to the scheme in 2014 would have to be considered in the context of the wider budgetary situation. In view of the challenges we continue to face in terms of the public finances, and the requirement to balance competing needs both within the agricultural sector and in the economy as a whole, the government will give these matters careful consideration in the context of the upcoming Estimates process.

Suckler Welfare Scheme Extension

Questions (212)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

212. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of launching a new suckler cow welfare scheme in 2014 based on the previous scheme criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41686/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I am committed to the development of a strong and sustainable suckler cow sector and am fully aware of the issues facing the sector at the moment. In the context of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, a challenging budgetary situation and ongoing discussions on a new Rural Development Programme, I will give careful consideration to various policy options that will reward efficiency, productivity and quality in beef production with a view to enhancing the future competitiveness of Irish beef and live exports. Any such measures will be announced in the context of the 2014 Budget.