Written Answers Nos. 342-352
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Written Answers Nos. 342-352
342. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue under the 2013 single payment scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20030/14]
View answerA review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that one of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. As the person named applied submitted an application for a review of my Department’s decision, a visit by a Department official to verify the position was necessary to progress the matter. This verification visit was conducted and the file is being processed. The applicant will be informed of the findings of the verification visit as soon as possible.
343. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an appeal of single farm payment for 2013 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20081/14]
View answerIn order to comply with EU requirements, the 2013 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application of the person named was selected for a Ground Eligibility/Cross Compliance inspection. The Cross Compliance inspection identified breaches in relation to sheep identification and registration requirements, resulting in a 3% penalty being applied to the 2013 payments. The person named was notified of this decision on 17 October 2013.
The Ground Eligibility inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found, resulting in an over-declaration in area of greater than 20%. Based on the Terms and Conditions of the scheme, this resulted in no payment issuing in respect of the 2013 Single Payment Scheme. The person named was notified of this decision on 3 January 2014.
The person named has appealed the inspection decision and this request is currently being examined. As part of the review process the person named has recently been asked to submit additional documentation in support of their case. The person named will be notified of the outcome of the review as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
344. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their AEO scheme payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20087/14]
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 Scheme year. During a 2012 inspection, the person named was found to have non-compliances in respect of the Traditional Hay Meadow, Laying of Hedgerows and Establishment and Maintenance of Habitats actions. An appeal was lodged on behalf of the person named by his planner and following a review of the file, the decision to apply a penalty in relation to the Laying of Hedgerows and Establishment and Maintenance of Habitats actions was upheld. The penalty in relation to the Traditional Hay Meadow action was withdrawn by my Department.
The application was processed on this basis in order to make the 75% payment. There were some issues in finalising the 75% payment which have now been resolved and I expect payment, less penalties due, to issue shortly. The balancing 25% payment will follow on. Once payment for 2012 issues, the payment for 2013 will be processed as soon as possible.
345. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail the tax implications for farmers arising from his proposal on the transfer of single farm payment under the new Common Agricultural Policy scheme which states that 100% of leased entitlements may be lost to both lessor and lessee unless a permanent transfer or sale is made; if he will take steps to address the significant tax implications associated as a result of these sales-transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20108/14]
View answerMy colleague the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, has announced his intention to provide a capital gains tax (CGT) exemption in this year’s Finance Bill to certain farmers who dispose of their single farm payment entitlements on the basis of advice from my Department to transfer those entitlements before 15 May. This issue, which had been the subject of detailed discussions between our two Departments, arose due to a necessary technical adjustment arising from the recent changes in the Common Agriculture Policy regulations and affected those who had been leasing out all of their farmland and single farm payment entitlements. This decision is important in that it maintains confidence in the long-term leasing of farmland and its contribution towards achieving the goals set out in Food Harvest 2020 and it will put an end to the uncertainty facing those farmers who would have been adversely affected.
346. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an official from his Department will contact a person (details supplied) in County Limerick in respect of the single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20125/14]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Area Scheme was received from the person named in my Department on 17 June 2013, thus incurring a 100% late penalty, as per the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme. The decision was reviewed and upheld by my Department and the person named was informed of this and of his right of appeal to the Agricultural Appeals Office on 18 December 2013. The person named has lodged an appeal with the Agricultural Appeals Office who will liaise directly with the person named. An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named regarding this matter.
347. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeline for the completion of any inquires into a case (details supplied); if the reports will be publicly available; the expected publication date; the actions arising from the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20159/14]
View answerInvestigations into allegations relating to possible infringements of the milk quota regulations are still being carried out by officials in my Department. It would not be appropriate to comment on the details of that investigation while it is underway.
348. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on the appeal of a person (details supplied) in respect of the amount of money paid to them under the disadvantaged areas scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20205/14]
View answerA number of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Schemes initially appeared ineligible. Following consideration of the appeal lodged on behalf of the person named, it has now been confirmed that the areas in question are eligible. Accordingly, payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
349. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will make a statement on Food Harvest 2020. [12887/14]
View answerThe Food Harvest 2020 (FH2020) report provided a road map and direction for the agri-food sector up to 2020. It set stretch targets to be achieved by primary producers, by industry and by exporters and also included over 200 actions to be implemented by all the key stakeholders. Its headline targets were to increase by 2020 the value of:
- Primary output in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector by 33%;
- Value added production by 40%;
- Agriculture, food (including seafood) and drink exports by 42%;
In addition, a 50% increase in milk production and a 78% increase in the volume of aquaculture production was envisaged.
Implementation of this report is driven by the High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC), which I chair and which also involves the chief executives of the main state bodies. In addition, the HLIC engages with the agri-food related commitments in the Action Plan for Jobs to provide cohesive direction and focus for the sector.
Annual progress reports on progress are produced, the 3rd and latest being Milestones for Success 2013. On its headline targets, the current position is that the sector has achieved growth in value in excess of 33% for primary production (CSO 2013 advance estimate), 20% in gross value-added output (CSO 2011 data ) and a 24% increase in the value of exports (Bord Bia 2013 data) compared to the baseline period. In addition to noting progress on the main sectoral targets, the 215 recommendations in FH2020 and advance benchmarks set in 2010, the Milestones for Success report (http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/agri-foodindustry/foodharvest2020/Milestones2013110913.pdf) also documented progress on achievements under a range of other initiatives for the sustainable development of the agri-food and fisheries sector. These included improved policy environment outcomes, industry investment, SME credit facilities and case studies on improved competitiveness, sustainability, collaborative working, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The result of this sustained focus on the ‘Smart’, ‘Green’ themes in Food Harvest 2020 is that the agri-food and fishing industry has grown in size and importance. It now plays a very significant role in national economic development, providing the primary employment for 175,300 people or 9.2% of total employment, 12.3% of all merchandise exports and 23% of all industry turnover.
Further opportunities exist to increase our exports to countries such as China, Africa, South East Asia and the Middle East and there will be opportunities arising for increased market access from the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements. I therefore believe that the agri-food and fisheries sector is well placed to meet the Food Harvest targets, and to continue to make a substantial contribution to Ireland’s export-led economic recovery.
350. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2013 single farm payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20312/14]
View answerA review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that several of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. The person named was advised of this in a letter in October 2013. He subsequently sent in a letter of appeal in November 2013 but did not offer any substantive information regarding the ineligible features. To this end, the appeal was rejected and the person named was advised of the outcome in a letter dated 3 February 2014. The person named has been advised of his right to appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. To date there is no record of any appeal.
351. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that only larch trees were removed from Gougane Barra; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20346/14]
View answerCoillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. As advised to the Deputy in March, Phytophthora ramorum was confirmed on Japanese larch trees in Gougane Barra Forest Park, County Cork, earlier this year. To prevent the further spread of the disease, control measures were implemented in accordance with Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine protocols. Felling the infected trees is the appropriate measure with the aim of preventing further spread by limiting spore production.
In relation to the actual removal of trees, Coillte has advised that 70% of the volume felled in Gougane Barra was Larch and that the remaining 30% was made up of Lodgepole pine (19%) and Sitka spruce (11%). I am advised that these areas were felled along with the larch because they were either in intimate mixtures with the Larch or would have been small blocks of these other species remaining isolated in the forest and would have blown over in the first storm event. I understand that, subsequently, there was substantial wind-blow in other parts of the Forest Park after Storm Darwin and Coillte advise that removal of these extra species proved to be the prudent option as going back to harvest these isolated blocks would have proven very difficult.
352. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the tidy up operations after the recent storms and particularly in regard to trees on roadsides and on private lands which were not commercial plantations, the number of felling licences that were issued for health and safety issues and/or other reasons connected to the storms; the record of site inspections prior to issue of licences by Forest Service inspectors; the number of consultations that occurred with the National Parks and Wildlife Service officials where trees were in, or bordered on, ecologically sensitive sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20347/14]
View answerWhere trees are damaged by storms or wind-blow, there may be health and safety concerns at the location of these trees, be it from trees still standing, blown, partially blown, or completely uprooted or snapped. The Department must put the safety of members of the public above all else and therefore facilitates the felling of trees that pose a risk to public safety, regardless of their age or aesthetic value. Safety is a consideration throughout the relevant legislation – the Forestry Act, 1946, has exemptions from the need for a licence for trees “standing within one hundred feet of any building other than a wall or temporary structure” or where “the tree is certified by a local authority as dangerous to road traffic on account of age or condition”. In addition, under the Roads Act, 1993, there is an onus on local authorities and landowners to ensure that roadside trees do not pose a risk to traffic. In this context, it is therefore essential that all tidy up operations after the recent storms, and particularly in regard to trees on roadsides, are performed as quickly and safely as possible.
There have been 134 tree felling licences issued to date in respect of storm damaged trees. Of these cases the majority will have health and safety concerns but 17 applications specifically stated that there were safety concerns. Each application was reviewed by a forestry inspector, resulting in the need for 2 site inspections. 5 applications were referred to National Parks and Wildlife Service for its comments.
