Written Answers Nos. 884-905
884. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their first grant and premium forestry payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46046/13]
View answerWhen this application for payment under the Afforestation Scheme was being processed it was noted from the ownership document that part of the lands were subject to turbary rights. These rights should have been identified to the Department when the initial application for pre-approval was submitted. The forestry grant and premium payments cannot be released until such time as the turbary issue is resolved. My Department is in contact with the person concerned in relation to the matter.
885. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46047/13]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was recently finalised, payment will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
886. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding disadvantaged area payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46049/13]
View answerPayment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 21 October 2013.
887. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received their disadvantaged area payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46050/13]
View answerPayment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 21 October 2013.
888. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the delay with the payment of a disadvantaged area scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has been resolved; when payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46053/13]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named has recently been finalised, payment in respect of which is due to issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
889. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the practice of farmers whose lease expires on rented lands and who continue to claim area aid payments on said lands; the sanctions he will impose on a person who is identified as involved in this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46061/13]
View answerApplicants under the Single Payment Scheme are required, inter alia, to declare all land being farmed and are advised as follows in the Terms and Conditions: ‘You are legally required to declare ALL of the land that will form part of your holding for a period including 31 May 2013, excluding any land that you have leased OUT or rented OUT for any period that includes 31 May 2013. The person declaring the land on the Single Payment application will be held responsible for any non-compliance with the Statutory Management Requirements under Cross Compliance or any failure to maintain the lands declared in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition for the period 1 January to 31 December 2013. Lands declared as agricultural land must be maintained as such until 31December 2013, unless afforested – under the Afforestation Aid Scheme. Any change in the status of declared agricultural land must be notified in writing to the Single Payment Unit of the Department’.
Where non-compliances are found in relation to the above farmers will incur penalties in accordance with the scheme Terms and Conditions. In addition, I have implemented Regulations, which make it an offence for an applicant to knowingly make a false declaration. It is also an offence for a person to assist an applicant to commit an offence under the Regulations. Scheme applicants are advised to familiarise themselves with the European Communities (Direct Support Schemes) Offences and Control Regulations S.I. No 115 of 2002.
890. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will issue in respect of an application to plant forestry in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46071/13]
View answerThe application by the person named under the Afforestation Scheme encompasses lands that are almost entirely located within a Special Protection Area (SPA) designated for the protection of the hen harrier. For this reason, it has not been possible to finalise the processing of the application.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht are commencing the development of a Threat Response Plan (TRP) for the conservation of hen harriers. The plan is expected to take approximately two years to complete and forestry will form a significant element of the Plan. The Forest Service will be liaising closely with the NPWS in the formulation of the TRP on aspects relating to afforestation, felling and replanting. It is also understood that the NPWS will engage in a formal public consultation process in relation to the Plan, which it will announce at the appropriate time.
As development of the TRP progresses, and in advance of its completion, opportunities may arise – possibly in late 2014 - to pursue an interim arrangement to allow for the limited issuing of afforestation approvals in some hen harrier SPAs. Until then, the Forest Service will not be in a position to approve any afforestation projects within these SPAs.
891. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) has not received their area based payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46078/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 9 May 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes 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 has been completed and the results are now being finalised with the intention of issuing any payment due as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will shortly be in contact with the person named.
892. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the name, qualifications and current salary of each political staff member appointed by him. [46080/13]
View answerIn response to the Deputy’s question, I have detailed below the information requested in respect of political staff appointed by me. Additional information relating to staff appointed by me is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas upon their appointment.
|
Name |
Title |
Current Salary |
|
Ross MacMathúna (from 16/01/2012 to date) |
Special Adviser |
€103,200 |
|
Aine Kilroy (from 18/4/2011 – to date) |
Special Adviser |
€81,676 |
|
Catriona Fitzpatrick (from 09/03/2011 - to date) |
Political Adviser |
€51,365 |
|
Mary Hartnett (from 09/03/2011 – to date) |
Personal Secretary |
€47,755 |
893. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an appeal against 100% penalty on a single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46137/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 11 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes 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 resulted in findings of an over-declaration in area of greater than 20%. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Single Payment Scheme this results in a nil payment in respect of 2013. The applicant was notified of this decision on the 13th September 2013.
The person named has 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.
894. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of a forestry premium-headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath where all maintenance work has been carried out and verified to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46164/13]
View answerThe applicant’s plantation is not of the standard required under the afforestation scheme. Therefore, the second instalment of the afforestation grant cannot be paid until the standard has been achieved. A letter was issued to the applicant on 7th June 2011indicating the remedial works to be undertaken and the works were reported as completed. However, on inspection, it was found that the works were not completed and a second remedial works letter issued to the applicant on 23rd October 2013. This letter specified that the works must be satisfactorily completed within one month.
It is Forest Service policy that, where a plantation does not achieve the required standard, annual forestry premiums will be not be paid beyond the sixth premium until the plantation is at the required standard. This owner’s applications for his 2012 (7th) and 2013 (8th) premiums are on file and both can be paid once the second instalment of the grant has been approved and paid. Payment in respect of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 24 September 2013.
895. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department received equine passports from a person (details supplied) in County Galway in respect of their 2013 disadvantaged area based scheme; if these passports have been examined in the context of the applicant's minimum stocking density requirement; when payment is likely to issue to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46209/13]
View answerThe equine passports in question have been received, noted and returned to the person named. These confirmed that the holding of the person named satisfied the minimum stocking density requirements of the 2013 Disadvantaged Area Scheme, payment in respect of which is due to issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
896. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will receive their disadvantaged area and single farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46221/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment/ Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme was received from the person named on 6th March 2013. The processing of this application has recently been finalised and payments issued under both schemes directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 29th October.
897. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46294/13]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named has recently been finalised, payment will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
898. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2013 disadavantaged 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. [46296/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application on 12 March 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of the schemes 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 the area found, resulting in an over-declaration in area of between 3% and 20%. Based on the Terms and Conditions of the schemes, this results in the 2013 payments being based on the found area having being reduced by double the difference between the area found and the area claimed.
The person named will be notified of this decision shortly and of their right to seek a review of the decision. In the event that the person named in dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, the decision can be appealed to the Independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months. Processing of payments under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme have recently been finalised on the basis set out above and will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of person named.
899. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all outstanding headage payments for 2012 will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [46327/13]
View answerThe person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted by the requirement to have achieved a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011, and who applied for and were refused derogation in this regard. The person named subsequently appealed unsuccessfully to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee who advised of the option to pursue the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman.
900. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding farm headage payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46348/13]
View answerPayment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 23 October 2013.
901. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment and disadvantaged area payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46365/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 29 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes 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/cross compliance inspection. The ground eligibility inspection has been completed and the results are now being finalised with the intention of issuing any payment due as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will shortly be in contact with the person named. During the course of the cross compliance inspection discrepancies were recorded in relation to sheep identification and registration requirements, resulting in a 3% penalty. The person named was notified of this decision on 14 October 2013. The person named was also informed of the right to seek a review of this decision. 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.
902. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Dublin regarding the leasing of a premises for a vessel repair workshop on the west pier of Howth, County Dublin from his Department ; and if he intends to respond to this person on this matter. [46380/13]
View answerMy Department has been engaged in correspondence with the person concerned in relation to the leasing of vacant properties at State owned Fishery Harbour Centres, including Howth. As notified to him, the general principle in this regard is that properties are made available for lease by way of public competitive tendering process. Such competitions are publicly advertised in a national and local newspaper, on my Department’s website and in prominent positions at the relevant Fishery Harbour Centre.
903. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the enhanced 50% stock relief to farm partnerships in view of budget 2013. [46405/13]
View answerThis measure was announced in Budget 2012 and provides for a 50% stock relief on income tax for participants in registered farm partnerships. Before it could be introduced, the relief was subject to approval by the EU Commission under State Aid Rules. It has been confirmed that over a 3 year period the amount of relief that can be claimed under this measure, combined with a number of other schemes and measures in operation under the EU Agricultural de minimis Regulation, is limited to €7,500. The relief will now commence after the enactment of the Finance Bill giving effect to Budget 2014.
It should be noted that the higher 50% stock relief is only available to registered farm partnerships, which in the case of the 2012 tax year were those persons that participated in a registered Milk Production Partnership.
905. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an area based payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46411/13]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was recently finalised, payment will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
