Written Answers Nos. 532-552
532. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50332/13]
View answer537. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged areas scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50366/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 537 together.
As processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is now completed, payments under both Schemes will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
533. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an outstanding single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50350/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the husband of the person named (now deceased) on 26 April 2013. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payment under the SPS issued on 22 November, directly to the nominated bank account of the Solicitor dealing with the estate of the deceased.
534. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the numbers of herd owners in receipt of payments under the agri-environment options scheme in Counties Longford and Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50351/13]
View answerThe number of participants in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme for each of the named counties is set out in the following table.
|
COUNTY |
AEOS I |
AEOS II |
AEOS III |
Total |
|
Longford |
117 |
84 |
42 |
243 |
|
Westmeath |
232 |
107 |
58 |
397 |
535. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in the issuing of the single farm payment and area aid payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if the application will be expedited as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50358/13]
View answerAn application under the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 8 May 2013. This application was one of those selected for Satellite (remote sensing) Inspection. Following initial processing an over claim was determined. A subsequent ground inspection confirmed the over claim. As the total area over claim was greater than 20%, no payment is due to the person named for the year in question based on the scheme Terms and Conditions and the relevant EU regulations. A letter explaining the foregoing and also informing the person named of a right to appeal, issued on 18 November 2013.
536. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will have their area aid payment, single farm payment and REP scheme payments processed; the reason for the delay in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50363/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first five years of their contract. Following a Simultaneous Inspection in 2013 involving both REPS and SPS a problem was discovered in relation to the status of a biodiversity habitat. This is currently being investigated with the intention of an early resolution and payment in respect of 2013.
The person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 16 March 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 finalised. Processing of payments under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme have recently been finalised and will issue shortly to the nominated back account of the person named.
538. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50369/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 26 April 2013. Processing of this application has recently been finalised and payment will issue shortly.
539. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants for area aid payments in Counties Longford and Westmeath who to date have not received payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50373/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Single Payment / Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced on 16 October and 25 September respectively, and to date payments worth in excess of €602m have issued in respect of 118,697 applicants, with payments worth in excess of €186.5m issuing to some 87,713 applicants under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Payments are continuing to issue under both schemes as individual cases are confirmed eligible.
The details in respect of payments which have issued to farmers in Counties Longford and Westmeath to date are set out in the following tables.
County Longford
|
- |
Numbers applied |
Number paid |
|
SPS 2013 |
2,322 |
2,247 |
|
DAS 2013 |
2,430 |
2,113 |
County Westmeath
|
- |
Numbers applied |
Number paid |
|
SPS 2013 |
2,889 |
2,758 |
|
DAS 2013 |
2,712 |
2,310 |
540. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite a REPS payment in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50392/13]
View answerThe persons named commenced REPS 4 in November 2008 and received payments for the first five years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payment can issue. This process is nearing completion. Arrangements are well advanced to issue payments in respect of 2013 and I expect that these payments will start shortly.
542. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway was refused payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme and the options open to them in terms of appealing the decision in view of the fodder crisis experienced this spring and the difficulty it created for farmers in complying with newly introduced regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50405/13]
View answerPayment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not yet issued to the person named as their holding has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. As soon as their holding concerned is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment issuing at the earliest possible date thereafter. Applications from Scheme participants for consideration of Force Majeure/exceptional circumstances are considered by my Department. Such applications should be made in writing and should be supported by appropriate evidence.
543. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of registered turkey producers here. [50459/13]
View answer544. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of turkeys imported into the State and exported from the State in the past three years. [50460/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 543 and 544 together.
According to records held on the Animal Health Computer System (AHCS) in my Department, there are 149 registered turkey producers. The majority of these, 144, are registered as commercial meat producers with the remaining five engaged in rearing and breeding.
The total number of turkeys imported and exported into the State in the past three years is set out in the following table. These figures are taken from the European Union's Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES).
|
Year |
No. of Turkeys Imported |
No. of Turkeys Exported |
|
2010 |
1,846,022 |
646,845 |
|
2011 |
1,444,274 |
382,327 |
|
2012 |
1,739,157 |
307,320 |
|
2013 (to end October) |
817,279 |
137,521 |
545. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress being made on the amnesty for unregistered horses. [50461/13]
View answerSince 1 July 2009 it is a legal requirement for each equine to be microchipped and to have a passport issued from an approved studbook or horse passport agency, with the details relating to the animal recorded on a database maintained by the passport issuing body. Horses can be slaughtered for human consumption subject to a number of conditions, including that they have been registered within six months of birth or by 31 December of the year of birth whichever is the later, have not been treated with any prohibited veterinary medicines and are accompanied to the slaughterhouse by the horse passport. Horses not identified within the prescribed period are ineligible for slaughter for human consumption.
It is not open to me to provide an amnesty to horse owners in respect of the foregoing legislative provisions. It is the responsibility of horse owners to ensure the horses in their ownership and/or their care are correctly identified, that the welfare of their horses is not compromised and to dispose of them appropriately. In this context, horse owners are reminded of the advice of 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, in a humane way.
My Department is monitoring the horse welfare situation on farms and I have indicated that emergency funding will be provided to assist horse owners who cannot afford to pay for their humane disposal. Farmers who are facing a critical horse welfare issue over coming months can contact the Department helpline for assistance.
546. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cavan has not received their single farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50503/13]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme has recently been finalised, payment under this scheme is due to issue to the person named in the in the near future, directly to the nominated bank account.
547. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an officer of his Department in County Galway could recommend 90% forest eligibility on land at Kilbeg (details supplied) and then agree with the finding of zero forage on similar type of land at Keelderry commonage, County Galway despite no change in the terms and conditions of the single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50519/13]
View answerThe commonage lands at Kilbeg were subject to an eligibility inspection in 2009. During the course of this inspection ineligible areas, comprising roads, were identified, resulting in a reduction of 10% being applied to the area. The remaining 90% of the land was deemed to be eligible forage land as it was found to be actively farmed, as required under the terms and conditions of the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. While parcels adjacent to this land comprise forestry, no forestry was found within the area subject of the inspection.
The commonage lands at Keelderry were inspected in 2010/2011. During the course of this inspection it was found that 90% of a specific area of this commonage land was ineligible under the terms and conditions of the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme as it contained ineligible areas and the land was not being actively farmed. Two further parcels were deemed ineligible as one comprised scrub and the other comprised bog with heather and both parcels were not being farmed. Finally one parcel, while declared as rough grazing, was found to comprise ineligible forestry, as it did not meet the specific requirements attaching to eligible forestry land due to its having been afforested prior to 2009.
548. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding farm payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50522/13]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Area Scheme is now completed, payments under both Schemes will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
549. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date on which he first learned of issues in relation to TLT International; if there were any levies not paid by TLT International as early as January 2013; if so, the reason he did not alert marts in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50527/13]
View answerMy Department first became aware on 8 November that the live cattle exporter, TLT (International) Ltd, had gone into receivership and informed me of that fact on the same date. As the company is now in the hands of a receiver, it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on the commercial or financial dealings of that company with my Department. As a general principle, it would not be the policy of my Department to advise third parties on the state of ongoing transactions with an individual company which, in themselves, in any event, would not necessarily be an indicator of the overall financial health of the company concerned.
550. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reasons for the delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50566/13]
View answer551. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged areas payment will issue to a a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50567/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 550 and 551 together.
An application under 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 8 May 2013. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payments of SPS and DAS have issued, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 25 November.
552. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in processing a payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [50594/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 13 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/cross compliance 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.
