Written Answers Nos. 345 to 358
345. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a penalty on a single farm payment will be reviewed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51592/13]
View answerFollowing a review of the land declared by the person named on his single farm payment scheme it was found that two of the land parcels were over-declared. The person named has sought a review of the decision and this review is currently being undertaken. My Department will be in direct contact with the person named regarding the outcome of this review shortly.
346. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reduce the number of wild horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51595/13]
View answerMy Department is keeping the horse welfare situation under review and, in particular, the need for additional welfare measures. There is no evidence of a significant problem in relation to the welfare of horses due to the very good weather during the Summer and well into the Autumn, which has created a very favourable fodder situation. In addition, the continuing work being undertaken by local authorities in conjunction with the Department via the Control of Horses Act 1996 has reduced the numbers of abandoned horses throughout the country particularly in urban areas.
My Department also continues to stress that it is the responsibility of horse owners to ensure the welfare of horses in their ownership, to breed selectively with stallions of higher merit and to dispose of surplus horses as necessary. 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 it was bred, he or she should be proactive in seeking to dispose of the animal, including consideration of the option of humane disposal. The Department is, of course, continuing to deal with any animal welfare issues relating to horses through its existing mechanisms and has indicated that it is in position to provide emergency funding 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.
347. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason payment has not increased in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51598/13]
View answerThere is no correlation between the level of stock maintained by any given participant in the Single Payment Scheme and the payment due to that person under the Scheme. Payments under the Single Payment Scheme are governed by the number and value of Payment Entitlements held.
Under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, while there is a requirement on applicants to achieve a minimum stocking density on their holdings, once this minimum is achieved the level of aid payable does not increase in line with increased stock numbers. The rate payable is dictated by the classification of the land of the individual in question. The Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Scheme advises as follows in this regard:
E. Aid levels
The Disadvantaged Areas Scheme provides for payment as follows:
Mountain Type Grazing: €109.71 on first 10 forage hectares, or part thereof, and €95.99 per hectare on remaining hectares up to a maximum of 34 hectares*.
More Severely Handicapped Lowland: €95.99 per forage hectare up to a maximum of 30 hectares.
Less Severely Handicapped Lowland and Coastal Areas with Specific Handicaps: €82.27 per forage hectare up to a maximum of 30 hectares.
* The top-up of €13.72 on the first 10 hectares of Mountain Type Grazing will only be paid to farmers, who maintain a sheep, cattle or goat enterprise or a combination of these enterprises.
Farmers maintaining a combination of Mountain Type Grazing, More Severely Handicapped Lowland and/or Less Severely Handicapped Lowland and Coastal Areas with Specific Handicaps, will be paid up to a maximum of 30 hectares except where the area of Mountain Type Grazing declared is between 30 and 34 hectares. In these cases, the payment will be based on the number of hectares of Mountain Type Grazing declared.
Booklets containing the Terms and Conditions governing both Schemes are supplied annually by my Department to all Scheme participants. In addition, the Terms and Conditions are published on my Department’s website.
348. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51683/13]
View answerWhile the person named was one of a number of applicants under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme who had unsuccessfully sought derogation from the requirement to have achieved a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011, I can confirm that, following consideration of the recently received medical evidence, derogation has been allowed. Accordingly, payments in respect of both the 2012 and 2013 Schemes will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
349. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2013 agri-environment options scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51716/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1 May 2013.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks are well under way and I anticipate that payments for the AEOS 3 will commence in the first quarter of 2014.
350. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the lack of commercial outlets for willow and miscanthus biomass and the €3.5 million in grant aid, if he has reviewed the cost benefit of planting willow and miscanthus as a biomass crop for alternative energy production as part of achieving the national Kyoto alternative energy production targets; if he has or intends to produce a joint policy statement on the production and delivery of willow and miscanthus for alternative energy production in Ireland with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and if he intends to promote the use of miscanthus and willow biomass in Government buildings heating boilers, given the success of the system in Johnstown Castle. [51738/13]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of the challenging targets Ireland is required to achieve by 2020 under the Renewable Energy Directive whereby 16% of Irelands total final energy consumption must come from renewable sources. The overall 16% target is broken down by sector into 40% renewable electricity, 12% renewable heat and 10% renewable transport. My Department has been providing support to farmers since 2007 to establish the energy crops willow and miscanthus. To the end of 2013 some 3,300 hectares of these crops have been established under the Bioenergy Scheme. It is recognised that the most challenging target to achieve by 2020 will be in the area of renewable heat. Crops such as miscanthus and willow, in addition to biomass from the forestry sector, have the potential to contribute to achieving the renewable heat target in particular.
Officials from my Department have met recently with individuals who have well advanced plans to establish significant areas of willow over the next number of years, beginning in 2014, to be used as a feedstock in large scale Combined Heat and Power plants (CHP). These are the type of developments that have the potential to underpin the energy crop sector in the coming years and for the longer term.
Officials from my Department are also contributing to the development of a Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources National Bioenergy Strategy to be published shortly. This will take account of the various strands of bioenergy that are dealt with within my Department, including forestry and energy crops, with a view to maximising their potential contribution to achieving renewable energy targets for 2020 and beyond.
I am very pleased that Teagasc has installed an excellent example of a biomass boiler operating on a district heating model at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford. The miscanthus fuelled boiler provides heat to the Teagasc buildings, to Johnstown Castle itself, and there are plans to also provide heat to the Agriculture Museum.
As regards the use of biomass heating systems in Government buildings, the Deputy will be aware that this is a matter in the first instance for the Office of Public Works. In this regard, in November 2012 the late Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Shane McEntee T.D., facilitated a meeting between the Irish Bioenergy Association and Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Brian Hayes T.D., with a view to progressing the issue of procurement of renewable heat for public sector buildings.
351. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers here that have been hit with penalties of 3% and upwards in respect of their single farm payments and disadvantaged area scheme payments in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the number that have been hit with 100% penalties for these periods; the loss in income to Irish farmers during these periods; the number of farmers in County Kerry that have been hit with penalties of 3% and upwards in respect of their single farm payments and disadvantaged area scheme payments; the number that have been hit with 100% penalties; the loss in income to farmers in County Kerry during 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013 as a result of these penalties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51742/13]
View answerAs it is not possible to compile the full information requested in the available timescale, I am arranging for it to be provided directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
352. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the disadvantaged area payment will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as a matter of urgency. [51781/13]
View answerPayment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Area Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 7 November 2013.
353. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the REP scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if he will expedite the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51790/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in March 2009 and received payments for the first four years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the Rural Development Programme, 2007-2013, and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before payments can issue.
These administrative checks have now been completed and payments have commenced in respect of 2013. During the administrative check in this case an area discrepancy was discovered between the Single Farm application for 2013 and the REPS Agri-environmental Plan which has required further clarification. This issue is currently being investigated with the intention of an early resolution and payment will issue shortly in respect of 2013.
354. 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; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51799/13]
View answer355. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51800/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together.
As processing of the applications of the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Area Scheme have recently been finalised, payments will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
356. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their agri-environment options scheme payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51801/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1 May 2013.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks are well under way and I anticipate that payments for the AEOS 3 will commence in the first quarter of 2014.
357. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their forestry payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51802/13]
View answerThe person named became the new owner of a grant aided forestry plantation, following the death of the original owner in late 2012, and has confirmed that she wishes to participate in the scheme and receive forestry premia on the lands in question.
My Department has been in correspondence with the solicitors acting on behalf of the person in question, advising them of the documentation required to allow the person named to participate in the scheme and to claim annual premiums. As the scheme is based on ownership of the planted lands, the person named must provide proof of ownership of said lands. My Department wrote to the person’s solicitor on 3 September last setting out the documentation required to prove ownership and a response is awaited.
358. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to ban the docking of the tails of dogs-puppies and the removal of the dew nail, considering that both of these practices are banned by the Irish veterinarians body; if he will consider introducing such a ban in animal welfare legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51826/13]
View answerThe Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 (Section 16) prohibits the carrying out of procedures that may cause pain or suffering to animals, including certain husbandry related procedures, unless provided for under Regulations to be made under the Act. I propose to commence the Act shortly and, in this context, a number of draft regulations covering a wide range of issues are in the course of preparation to coincide with its commencement.
With regard to the specific issue of the docking of dogs’ tails, the current legislation, the Protection of Animals Amendment Act (1965), allows tail docking for all dogs up to one month old by any person. I am currently examining draft regulations under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 relating to this issue. It is my intention that, as a general rule, tail docking of all dogs will be banned, except in circumstances where the welfare of an animal is affected and, where it is permitted, it must be carried out either by a vet or veterinary nurse during the first four days. Veterinary practitioners will be required to make an assessment as to the necessity of carrying out this procedure given the individual animal’s circumstances and taking account of current scientific knowledge when making this decision.
Nothing in the legislation will interfere with a veterinary practitioner’s ability to undertake appropriate therapeutic operations in respect of injured animals.
