Skip to main content
Normal View

Wednesday, 15 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 678-695

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Questions (678)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

678. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal did not receive a disadvantaged areas payment in 2013 and also received a reduced single farm payment for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1467/14]

View answer

Written answers

A review of the land declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme revealed that the eligible area of several land parcels was over-declared. An official from my Department will carry out a land verification check to determine the eligibility issues. A letter has issued to the person named advising him of the position.

Payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2013. Under the 2013 Scheme, in addition to maintaining 0.15 livestock units for a minimum retention period of seven consecutive months, applicants were also required to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the 12 months of the scheme year.

An exercise to take account of December 2013 data, which has recently become available, is currently ongoing and is scheduled to be completed before the end of January, thereby establishing the definitive position of the holding of the person named and other similarly affected scheme applicants. Should that re-validation confirm that the holding has satisfied the Scheme requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment issuing at the earliest possible date thereafter.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (679)

Pat Breen

Question:

679. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a REP scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1492/14]

View answer

Written answers

The person named commenced REPS 4 in January 2010 and received payments for the first three 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 payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification (LPIS) Review an area discrepancy was identified. This issue is currently being investigated and the Department will notify the person named of the outcome.

Fallen Animal Collection Scheme

Questions (680)

Michael P. Kitt

Question:

680. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there has been a review of the charges for disposal of dead animals; when it was decided to increase the charge by €5 per animal; his views on the implications of the increase in charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1519/14]

View answer

Written answers

The TSE (Fallen Animal) Subsidy Scheme is an essential element of the infrastructure underpinning Ireland’s successful livestock and meat processing industries, which had an estimated combined export value of almost €3.0 billion in 2012. The Scheme ensures that fallen bovine animals over 48 months, which must be BSE-tested in accordance with EU legislation, are disposed of in compliance with all animal and public health and environmental regulations.

The Scheme subsidises the collection by animal collectors of fallen cattle over 48 months from farms and their transportation to Category 1 rendering plants. The rendering and disposal costs of over 48 month fallen cattle in Category 1 plants are fully covered by the Scheme. The subsidy has two components, €30 paid to the animal collector and €58 paid to the Category 1 renderer in respect of each animal. The collection charge to the farmer is capped at €54.03, including VAT.

The operation of the Subsidy Scheme has been examined in the Department and a number of changes have been introduced. These include enhanced compliance provisions and putting some limits on the distance material can be carried while maintaining choice. This examination took into account a number of factors, including budgetary considerations, TSE testing requirements, Animal By-Product (ABP) regulations, the need to maintain competition and the need for an adequate collection and disposal infrastructure. It is important to note however that the rates payable under the Scheme have not changed and the maximum collection charge to the farmer remains at €54.03.

These conditions only apply to material collected and disposed of under the TSE (Fallen Animal) Subsidy Scheme. Bovines under 48 months are outside the remit of the scheme and their collection and disposal is a matter for commercial arrangement.

Single Payment Scheme Applications

Questions (681)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

681. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1528/14]

View answer

Written answers

An application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2013. On processing the application seven land parcels declared by the person named were found to have been over-claimed. The person named was notified of these over-claims, in writing, with maps highlighting the issues also supplied. He was also afforded the right of appeal and the case will be reviewed in the event of an appeal being submitted to my Department. In the meantime, payment, excluding the reduction (representing less than 1% of the payment due), will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named in the coming days.

Congested Districts Board Records

Questions (682)

John O'Mahony

Question:

682. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the records of the Congested Districts Board will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1548/14]

View answer

Written answers

There are no plans at present to make the records of the Congested Districts Board generally available to the public. My officials regularly access these records in conjunction with the records of the former Irish Land Commission to service queries from the public relating to current and past transactions. Limited access to these records may be made available following application to the Legal Services Division of my Department but access is subject to the restrictions for inspection and delivery of these documents laid down in the Land Purchase Acts Rules and in the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (683)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

683. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a REP scheme payment will issue to persons (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1566/14]

View answer

Written answers

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (684)

Paul Connaughton

Question:

684. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the REP scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1578/14]

View answer

Written answers

The person named commenced REPS 4 in January 2009 and has received payments for the four 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 administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification (LPIS) Review an area discrepancy was identified. This issue is currently being investigated and the person named will be notified of the outcome.

Forestry Sector

Questions (685)

Joe Carey

Question:

685. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a forestry contract (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1579/14]

View answer

Written answers

Following a site inspection the Department’s Forest Service inspector reported that remedial works are required on this site. A remedial works letter issued to the applicant on 13 January 2014 detailing the work required. The applicant should notify the Department on completion of works to allow an inspection to be carried out. The matter will be re-considered as soon as the site is up to the required Departmental standard.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (686)

Tom Fleming

Question:

686. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite a REP scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1593/14]

View answer

Written answers

The person named commenced REPS 4 in July 2009 and has received payments for the four 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 administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification (LPIS) Review an area discrepancy was identified. This issue is currently being investigated and the Department will notify the person named of the outcome.

Animal Welfare Bodies

Questions (687)

Clare Daly

Question:

687. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason he allocated an animal welfare organisation grant to the Irish Red Grouse Association. [1594/14]

View answer

Written answers

My Department provides ex gratia funding to organisations working with animals. Applications for funding are considered against a number of criteria including the impact, real and potential of the services to animals in the locality in which the organisation is based. In 2013 my Department received an application for funding from the Irish Red Grouse Association and awarded funding on the basis that it meets the criteria under the scheme. The Irish Red Grouse Association is working towards reversing the decline of one of Ireland’s native game birds (the red grouse) and has a significant impact in the care and welfare of red grouse in the South East and beyond.

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Questions (688)

Jim Daly

Question:

688. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1645/14]

View answer

Written answers

The person named undertook to take over the entire holding of the original applicant for payment under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme.

As processing of all relevant documentation required under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Rural Development Programme Funding

Questions (689)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

689. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for an introduction for installation aid for young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1659/14]

View answer

Written answers

The new EU policy framework for rural development for the 2014-2020 period has now been finalised and my Department has received a large number of submissions from interested parties in regard to the possible design of the next rural development programme for Ireland.

In the announcement I made yesterday regarding support for the agriculture sector for the 2014-2020 period, I have provided, in particular, for a 25% top-up on direct payments, subject to certain limits, for young farmers and a separate investment scheme for young farmers with an enhanced grant-rate of 60 per cent.

Beef Industry

Questions (690)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

690. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the crisis in the beef industry where producers are finding it impossible to have animals slaughtered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1660/14]

View answer

Written answers

I understand that the Deputy is referring to the price differentials applicable to animals that do not meet processor specifications which reflect the requirements of their retail customers. Cattle prices are determined by the dynamics of supply and demand in the marketplace and I have no function in relation to private commercial transactions between beef producers and processors.

In relation to cattle supplies, throughput at Department-approved plants in 2013 increased by almost 7% compared to 2012. Looking at the prime cattle supplies, steer and heifer production grew by 13% and 6% respectively but young bull output fell by 10% year-on-year. These trends reflect a market preference for steer and heifer meat and a concomitant lower demand for young bull beef arising from the increased availability of other prime cattle categories. Consequently, young bulls comprised 25% of the aggregate male kill (excluding calves) in 2013 compared to 29% in 2012.

Milk Quota Cessation

Questions (691)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

691. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is considering the potential for transitional arrangements to the milk quota post-2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1661/14]

View answer

Written answers

The 2008 CAP ‘Health Check’ provided for the abolition of milk quotas in April 2015, with the transition eased by increasing quota for all Member States in the remaining years. However, these increased quotas have proven insufficient to accommodate increases in milk production in Ireland – driven mainly by supply and demand dynamics.

As a result I have, over the last number of years, been extremely active in seeking to secure a more appropriate soft landing for Member States in the lead-up to April 2015. I have discussed the matter extensively with other EU Agriculture Ministers, including bilateral meetings with my Danish, French, German, Estonian and Finnish counterparts. Furthermore, officials from my Department have raised this issue at EU level meetings and at bi-lateral meetings with other Member States.

However the Commission has, to date, resisted all attempts to reconsider this issue, and in the two Reports published by it on the operation of the soft landing it has concluded that there is no need for further intervention.

This view is supported by a number of Member States, some of whom are firmly against any further adjustment to the Health Check agreement. It is also the case that only a minority of Member States are adversely affected by the current quota restrictions and therefore persuading a qualified majority to agree to an adjustment of the current regime represents a significant challenge.

Given that there are no signs of a breakthrough in this regard I am reminding farmers that it remains critically important that they continue to have regard to the quota system in managing their enterprises until the expiry of the milk quota regime on the 31 March 2015.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Questions (692)

Jim Daly

Question:

692. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding headage payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1663/14]

View answer

Written answers

Payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not yet issued as the holding concerned had not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2013. Under the 2013 Scheme, in addition to maintaining 0.15 livestock units for a minimum retention period of seven consecutive months, applicants were also required to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the 12 months of the scheme year. However, the holding has recently been confirmed as having satisfied these Scheme requirements, on submission by the person named of relevant horse passports, thereby allowing processing of the file in question to be finalised. Payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (693)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

693. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason payment under REP scheme has not issued to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1669/14]

View answer

Written answers

The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2009 and received payments for the first four 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 payments can issue. Following the administrative check an area discrepancy was discovered between the Single Farm Payment application for 2013 and the REPS Agri-Environmental Plan which has resulted in the necessity for further clarification. This issue is currently being investigated and the Department will be in contact with the person named in due course.

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Questions (694)

John O'Mahony

Question:

694. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an agri-environment options scheme 2 payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1690/14]

View answer

Written answers

The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2011 and has received full payment in respect of the 2011 and 2012 Scheme years.

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. During these checks in respect of the 2013 Scheme year, an issue was identified regarding the parcel use for one of the selected actions. This issue has been successfully resolved and payment of 75% for 2013 will issue next week, with the 25% to issue shortly afterwards.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Questions (695)

Pat Breen

Question:

695. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason single farm payment has not issued to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1692/14]

View answer

Written answers

The matter raised by the Deputy relates to the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme - the person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted upon 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; the person named was informed accordingly and was advised of his right to pursue the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman. However, given the circumstances as outlined by the Deputy, I have arranged to have the case reviewed, as part of which an official of my Department will make direct contact with the person named.

Top
Share