Written Answers Nos. 492 - 514
492. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding agri-environment option scheme payments in respect of a person (detail supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16309/14]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2011 and full entitlements have issued in respect of the 2011 and 2012 Scheme years. The application of the person named was selected for a ground inspection which took place on 4 October 2013, following which the person named was notified of non-compliances found. The file was further reviewed and all issues found on inspection have now been satisfactorily resolved. The current position is that the application has successfully completed the prepayment checks in respect of the 2013 Scheme year and I expect 75% payment to issue shortly. The balancing 25% payment will then follow.
493. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the capital expenditure, both Exchequer and EU, on the various schemes funded under his Department's on-farm capital investment programmes on an annual basis from 1997 to 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16316/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is being collated at present and will be forwarded to him as soon as possible.
494. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on an application for the dairy equipment scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16329/14]
View answerThe person concerned is an applicant under the TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme and submitted an application in the final tranche which closed on 31 December 2013. My Department has already acknowledged the receipt of the application and I expect a decision to be made in relation to the application in the near future.
495. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Cork regarding single farm payment penalties; on foot of this correspondence the action he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16352/14]
View answerI have received the correspondence in question and will be replying directly to the person named. It is opportune, however, to take the opportunity to outline the position regarding the ongoing review of the data contained on my Department’s Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) database. Under the Terms & Conditions of the Direct Aid Schemes, which includes the Single Payment scheme, farmers are obliged to declare only eligible land when making their applications and are to exclude ineligible features such as roads, buildings, farmyards, dense scrub, etc. These claims are then recorded on the Department’s Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS). Given the importance of the LPIS database in underpinning direct aid payments worth in excess of €1.5 billion annually, my Department is obliged under EU Regulations to ensure its accuracy.
Following consultation with the EU Commission, as part of the normal Accounting process, my Department was requested to undertake a complete review of the LPIS database. This has resulted in the necessity to adjust parcels of a significant number of applicants, where it was established that some ineligible features had been included. In certain circumstances these adjustments are giving rise to penalties.
The LPIS Review process initiated by my Department consisted on a review of all of the eligible land parcels in the LPIS database, which was declared by farmers under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and other Direct Payment Schemes. In total, the Review covered in excess of 132,000 applicants and the land parcels declared by them as eligible for payment under one of more of the above-mentioned Schemes
A comprehensive review and appeals process has been implemented to ensure that the cases of individual farmers are fully scrutinised. In the first instance, a farmer, who finds himself or herself in this position, can seek a review of the original decision by Department officials. If they are not happy with the outcome of the review, they can submit an appeal to the Independent LPIS Appeals Committee , chaired by Mr Pádraig Gibbons. To date, 90 cases have been forwarded to the Agriculture Appeals Committee on receipt of appeals from the applicants concerned. The committee has not as yet adjudicated on these appeals.
It is important to note that there are some positive outcomes of the current Review from a farmer’s point of view. In the first instance, I announced recently that the number of payment entitlements, which farmers will be granted under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015 will be based on the 2013 eligible land or in 2015 if it is lower. This means that farmers, who have ineligible land deducted in 2013 as part of this Review, will be protected under the new Regime as their entitlements will be based on the actual eligible land in 2013. In addition, it also means that farmers, who are contributing to the convergence process by having reductions applied to their entitlements, will not see part of the funds used to make payments on ineligible lands.
A deliberate decision was taken late last year not to delay payments to those farmers whose payments were due to be subject to reduction following the outcome of the Review; rather, the payments issued with the sums in question deducted, the farmers concerned being then advised of the reductions and the appeals process. This course of action was specifically designed to ensure that there was no undue delay in issuing payments, while also ensuring that farmers were aware of the appeals process.
496. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if financial support will be provided to a person (details supplied) in Country Kerry whose forestry was completely destroyed in the recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16359/14]
View answerThe storm earlier in the year has indeed been damaging to Irish forests particularly in the south of the country. In order to establish the most appropriate response for forest owners and the forest industry a taskforce, chaired by Mr. Tom Hayes TD, Minister of State, and comprising of the Irish Forest and Forest Products Association, the Irish Timber Growers Association, the Irish Farmers Association, Coillte Teoranta and Teagasc has been put in place to assess the damage nationally and to identify the various issues arising.
The taskforce has issued a guidance note for forest owners, laying down the steps to consider in safely harvesting and selling the fallen trees and giving advice on a range of other associated issues. Teagasc forestry advisers are available to discuss the issue with forest owners affected and Teagasc, in association with Coillte and my Department, have organised a number of field events for forest owners. Forest owners are also urged to get professional advice from qualified foresters to guide them through this process and to attend these windblow field days. While direct financial support is not being provided to those whose forests were destroyed in the storm, I can confirm that any premium payments that have not yet been paid for 2014 will be paid even if these forests have been affected by this windblow event.
497. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of payments received by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo from his Department for the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16411/14]
View answerIn order to receive payment under the Single Payment Scheme applicants must be active farmers and also hold single payment entitlements. The person named has been leasing out both his entitlements and land since 2007 so under these circumstances no payment is applicable. An Official of my Department has made direct contact with the person named to explain the situation.
498. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the point system in respect of serious fisheries infringements as set down in SI 3 (2014) that applies to fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16430/14]
View answerS.I. no. 3 of 2014 gives effect to the requirements of Article 92 of EU Council Regulation 1224/2009 and Commission Implementing Regulation 404/2011. In accordance with the EU Regulations, the SI gives full effect to a point system for the Licence Holder of a sea-fishing boat. The points system applies where a serious infringement of the Common Fisheries Policy by an EU Fishing vessel is detected within the Exclusive Fishery Limits of the State or for an Irish vessel, wherever it may be. In my reply to question number 14/13995 of 26 March 2014, I stated that the regulation and SI also applies to third country fishing vessels, this is not accurate as the scope is confined to EU fishing vessels.
The purpose of the EU Regulation stated in the recital is to create a level playing field in fisheries control across the EU. All Member States have given effect to the Article 92 of the Council Regulation in respect of the points system to apply for license holders. The accumulation of points for persistent serious infringements of the Common Fisheries Policy will lead to the suspension of a sea fishing boat licence for a period from 2 months to one year. In extreme cases persistent serious fisheries infringements could lead to the permanent withdrawal of a licence. It should also be noted that I have, in the Statutory Instrument, made provision for a robust and effective appeals process. This process will deliver on the requirements in Article 126(4) of the Commission regulation to deliver an effective system.
499. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments due under the REP scheme will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16494/14]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in August 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 payments can issue. This process has now been completed for 2013 payments and the above named has been authorised for payment. The 75% and 25% payments will issue shortly.
500. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is any payment due under the REP scheme, the single farm payment scheme or the disadvantaged area based scheme as a result of underpayment to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; the reason for this underpayment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16495/14]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in August 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 payments can issue. This process has now been completed for 2013 payments and the above named has been authorised for payment. The 75% and 25% payments will issue shortly. There are no issues in relation to Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments, or Single Farm Payment Scheme.
501. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there was a clawback of €170 due as a result of a mapping error in respect of the REP scheme assessed against a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; if this issue has since been resolved; if this clawback is due to be repaid to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16496/14]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in August 2008 and received payments for the first five years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the 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. A claw back issue had been identified but this issue has now been resolved and arrangements are being made to repay the claw back amount in this case.
502. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a dhéanfar íocaíocht faoin Scéim um Chosaint na Timpeallachta Tuaithe 4 le feirmeoir i gContae na Gaillimhe (sonraí tugtha), cén fáth a bhfuil moill leis an íocaíocht seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [16564/14]
View answerChuaigh an duine ainmnithe isteach sa Scéim REPS 4 i Meitheamh 2008 agus fuair íocaíochtaí don chéad chúig bliana den chonradh. Is beart faoin gClár um Fhorbairt Tuaithe 2007-13 é REPS 4 agus tagann faoi réir Rialacháin AE. Éilítear seiceálacha riaracháin mionsonraithe ar gach iarratas sula ndéantar aon íocaíocht. Aithníodh sa chás seo go bhféadfadh aisghlámadh a bheith i gceist agus tá foireann na Roinne á scrúdú sin. Chomh luath is a réiteofar an cheist, déanfar socrú chun íocaíocht a eisiúint sa chás seo.
503. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the costs to his Department to process and respond to a priority, an oral and a written Parliamentary Question. [16584/14]
View answerThe cost of answering a Parliamentary Question and indeed the time taken to answer all questions will vary considerably according to the nature of the question asked. No staff in my Department are assigned full time to dealing with Parliamentary Questions. Parliamentary Questions are dealt with, as the need arises, by the staff in the sections dealing with the particular issue raised in individual Parliamentary Questions. The number and level of staff and the time spent on an individual answer depends on the complexity and importance of the issue raised the form in which the information exists in the Department and whether an oral or written is required. As the processing of individual Parliamentary Questions is undertaken as part of the normal day to day work of individual sections within Departments it would be unnecessarily burdensome to isolate the administrative costs of processing Parliamentary Questions from the overall administrative costs of each Department.
504. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be a cap for new young farmers of farm income under the new national reserve scheme in order to be eligible for single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16600/14]
View answerThe National Reserve will be established in 2015 using 3% of the ceiling allocated to the Basic Payment Scheme while in subsequent years it is replenished by the reversion of unused entitlements. Decisions relating to allocation of entitlements under the National Reserve element of the Single Payment scheme have previously been made following consultation with the Single Payment Advisory committee which included members of Teagasc and the farming organisations. I intend to continue this process under the new regime. Decisions regarding objective criteria such as income limits will be decided following consultation with this group. The terms and conditions of the 2015 National Reserve scheme will be published in due course.
505. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date on which new young farmers will be eligible to apply to the national reserve scheme for single farm payments; if there are any options open to young farmers who commence farming in 2014 to claim for a single farm payment for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16601/14]
View answerPersons who intend to participate in the new Scheme as ‘young farmers’ must be setting up an agricultural holding for the first time as head of the holding or have already set up such a holding during the five years preceding their first submission of an application under the Basic Payment Scheme. As the value of unused funds has been decreasing over recent years, it has not been possible to operate a National Reserve for the 2013 or 2014 scheme years.
Persons who commence farming in 2014 and receive a holding or part thereof by way of inheritance or gift for the 2014 scheme year will simply ‘step into the shoes’ of the transferor. In such cases they may draw down payment in 2014 and will also benefit from the allocation right established by the transferor, if any. Persons who commence farming in 2014 and who enter into a lease agreement for the 2014 scheme year may be able to enter into a Private Contract Clause with the lessor whereby leased land is transferred to the lessee in 2015 along with the newly established entitlements. However both parties to this agreement need to be active farmers in 2015.Persons who do not hold an allocation right for the new scheme are advised against purchasing entitlements for the 2014 scheme year as they would not have the right to carry forward such entitlements to 2015.
Before entering into any agreements relating to the transfer of entitlements in 2014, I recommend that the parties concerned contact the CAP Information Centre at 0761 064438 or by email at CAPdirectpayments@agriculture.gov.ie to discuss their individual circumstances.
506. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applying for a top up under the national reserve scheme for a single farm payment for a young farmer, if it is the date they activate their new herd number or the date they receive their herd number that dictates the date they started farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16604/14]
View answerThe date to be used to determine when the ‘young farmer’ established their holding will be the start date for the herd number. This date is assigned to the farmer by the Department’s local office following completion and approval of the ER.1 herd number application form.
507. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a land parcel identification system, LPIS, appeal instituted by a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16606/14]
View answerAs you may be aware my Department is currently examining land parcels declared under the Single Payment Scheme and other area-based Direct Payment Schemes. As part of this review an ineligible area was identified and removed from a parcel declared by the person named. The person named was notified of this decision and of his right of appeal. Following an appeal from the person named my Department has carried out a review and has rejected the appeal submitted by the person named. The person named has been written to in this regard and advised of his further right to appeal to the independently-chaired LPIS Appeals Committee.
508. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the entitlements for 2015 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16609/14]
View answerThe person named owns 22.5 Single Payment entitlements with a unit value of €359.52. These entitlements have been leased out on a yearly basis since 2007 including for the scheme year 2013. As the person named did not receive a direct payment in 2013 he does not have an automatic allocation right and will not be allocated entitlements in 2015 under the Basic Payment Scheme. When calculating the value of entitlements in 2015, the value of entitlements leased out in 2014 is attributed to the owner of the entitlements. However as the person named does not have an allocation right, he is not in a position to carry forward the value of entitlements he owns to the new scheme in 2015. There is a danger that the value of these entitlements will be lost unless they are transferred permanently to a person who holds an allocation right. Such a transfer needs to be notified to the Department before 15 May 2014. My Department has written to the person named informing him of the status of his entitlements and his option to transfer them permanently under the 2014 scheme year.
509. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures in place to assist horse owners with disposal of the animal if necessary due to the high costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16633/14]
View answerMy Department has procedures in place to facilitate the humane disposal of at-risk horses on farm by way of licensed knackeries and has also indicated that it is in a 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 can contact my Departments helpline Lo-call 1850 211 990 for assistance. In addition, the on-going 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 continues to stress that it is the responsibility of horse owners to ensure the welfare of horses in their ownership and/or their care 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 dispose of the animal.
510. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend invitations to the Animal Rights Action Network to the Animal Welfare Conference on 16 May; and if he will also extend invitations to other animal welfare groups. [16673/14]
View answerInvitations to the Animal Welfare Conference on 16 May next will be extended to up to 140 voluntary organisations involved with animal care. Regulatory bodies including An Garda Síochána will also be in attendance.
511. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an agri environment option scheme 3 payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16685/14]
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 AEOS 3 in respect of 2013 will commence shortly.
512. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement of his Department with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and agencies such as Enterprise Ireland in assisting Irish food producers to commence or increase exporting, with a particular view to increasing the number of destination countries and thereby reduce dependancy on the British market. [16765/14]
View answerThe UK remains the largest export destination for Irish food and drink with 42% of exports worth an estimated €4.2 billion in 2013. Exports of food and drink to other EU markets increased by 11% in 2013 reaching €3.2 billion with the key markets of Germany, France and the Netherlands all recording double digit growth. Strong exports to Asia, and to a lesser extent Russia, contributed positively toward an increase of 6% in the value of trade to international markets, which exceeded €2.6 billion in the period. My Department works very closely with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia to assist Irish food producers to identify new markets and/or increase market share of existing markets.
Action Plan for Jobs
My Department liaises closely with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in relation to the Action Plan for Jobs. The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 includes 29 headline actions to be undertaken by my Department and relevant agencies on:
- developing agri-food and marine SMEs;
- supporting sectors of high growth potential;
- improving Ireland’s agri-food sustainability performance; and
- reviewing agri-taxation measures to ensure maximum benefit to the sector.
Progress on implementation of these actions is monitored by the Food Harvest High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC). The HLIC, which I chair, consists of the senior officials of all state agencies involved in the agriculture, food and fisheries sector. In 2013 Irish food and drink exports reached €9.9bn and are on track to meet the Food Harvest 2020 target of €12bn by the end of this decade. The launch of the Bord Bia Sustainability Development Programme Origin Green in 2012 positions Ireland and the Irish food and drink industry as a world leader in sustainable food production.
Enterprise Ireland
My Department has an extensive and long-standing relationship with Enterprise Ireland (EI), which is focused on supporting the growth and development of the agrifood industry and the expansion of export opportunities. In order to export successfully, and meet the targets set out in Food Harvest 2020, the food industry’s capacity and capability to develop and deliver products and services in line with customer requirements are vital. This Department and Enterprise Ireland work together, sharing expertise, to support developments in a variety of areas. Contacts vary from formal participation across a range of committees which progress different policy areas to ongoing daily informal contacts.
Bord Bia
My Department also assists Irish food producers to commence or increase exporting through its engagement with Bord Bia – the State Body charged with the growth of success of Irish food and horticulture who act as a link between Irish food, drink and horticulture suppliers and existing and potential customers throughout the world. One of Bord Bia’s objectives is to strengthen and extend the ability of Irish food and drink companies, driven through market insight, to build profitable share in selected high-potential export markets. Seafood promotion on domestic and international markets is also now included in their brief.
In 2013, the Irish food and drink sector continued the strong export performance of recent years despite the ongoing competitive nature of most markets. The strongest performers were dairy, meat and livestock and prepared foods. Whiskey also continued to perform very strongly. Seafood saw a levelling off in exports following a rise of almost 65% over the 2009 to 2012 period.
513. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine following the fodder crisis of winter-spring 2013, if his Department has drawn up plans to be enacted should such a serious crisis occur again particularly on account of the losses and hardship experienced by farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16766/14]
View answerAfter a very difficult spring in 2013, weather conditions resulted in excellent production of high quality fodder across all fodder types last year. Both yields and quality of later cut hay and silage were good, while yields of specialist crops such as fodder maize and beet were well above average. Excellent conditions last Autumn provided an opportunity for farmers to extend the grazing season. The indications are that there is a satisfactory supply of fodder available at present and with many farmers now turning out their animals, it is anticipated that adequate supplies of fodder will be available. Supplementary concentrate feeding has fallen significantly in cost since last year and adequate volumes of fodder continue to be advertised on farming media and associated websites. At my request, Teagasc have prioritised the continued need for budgeting of fodder stock on farms through the media, discussion groups and one to one advisory contacts.
514. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17098/14]
View answerWhilst the volume of correspondence received in the Minister’s Office militates against me dealing with all issues arising personally, all correspondence in relation to alleged criminal wrongdoing or other such serious matters would be deemed appropriate to be brought to my personal attention. In the usual course of events such correspondence would subsequently be sent to the appropriate division for consideration of the issues arising and the drawing up of a draft reply for relay to the relevant correspondent.
