Written Answers Nos. 163-169
163. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an agri-environment options scheme appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20395/14]
View answerAn application under the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 12 May 2011. The person named selected Form N on the application, indicating that they had designated Natura/Commonage lands. During the checking process on the application submitted, issues were identified in relation to the Natura Owned parcels declared which resulted in this action being ineligible under the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme. Without this action the eligibility requirements of the scheme had not been met and the application was rejected. On 9 July 2012 a letter issued to the person named setting out this decision and providing them with the option to submit an appeal.
The person named unsuccessfully appealed this decision to my Department. A letter issued to the person named on 19 October 2012 notifying them of this and setting out the right of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. An appeal was received in the Agriculture Appeals Office and a decision is awaited.
164. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the figures in a recently published NFI document which indicate that conifers comprise 74.2% of all forestry here and sitka spruce 52% of all species, and in view of the fact that the Irish climate is favourable for the spread of blight-type organisms and the spread of phytophthora ramorum, which is currently decimating Japanese larch, his plans to introduce a programme of planting a wide variety of native trees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20450/14]
View answerWork on the new forestry programme for the period 2014 – 2020 is currently under way. An outline of proposed schemes to be included in this programme was circulated to stakeholders in March 2014 and was followed up by a consultation event in April. Included in the outline document are two schemes related to native woodlands, the native woodlands establishment scheme and the native woodlands conservation scheme. These schemes were also a feature of the previous forestry programme. The extent of planting native woodlands and the planting programme as a whole has not been decided as yet. Any decisions taken regarding planting levels and the programme as a whole will need to take budgetary constraints into account.
165. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if turbary regulations made to a landowner by the Irish Land Commission in 1944 on bogs not owned by the Land Commission will provide authorisation to cut and make turf to the now registered owner (details supplied) in County Kerry who has title to said lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20472/14]
View answerThe Regulations as to Turbary dated 24 October, 1944 which permitted the occupiers of land in the neighbourhood of a bog to cut turf for their own consumption on lands in the occupation of others were a temporary short term arrangement. These authorisations were made in favour of the persons named on the Schedule to the Regulations where a requirement for turf was considered necessary. Turbary Regulations are no longer made.
166. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20477/14]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1 September 2010 and has received full payment in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years. During a ground inspection which took place on the 13 August 2013, the person named was found to have non-compliances in respect of the stone wall maintenance and water trough actions resulting in the termination of his AEOS contract. The person named was notified in writing by letter dated 13 January 2014 of the outcome of the inspection and informed of his right to appeal to the Regional Inspector of the Department.
An appeal was received on 16 January 2014 in respect of the water trough action and following a review the person named was deemed to be compliant with this action on the basis of medical evidence submitted. The person named was notified in writing of the appeal outcome by letter dated 17 February 2014 and was also notified on 18 March of the sanction for non compliance with the stone wall maintenance action. The file is currently being processed for payment and payment will issue as soon as possible.
167. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding alleged censorship of research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20508/14]
View answerBord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is an independent, statutory agency where policy in relation to operational matters, such as this, is a matter for agency itself. Hence, I am of the view that it is best that matters be processed, in the first instance, with that agency. I understand that the BIM Customer Charter provides for the CEO to carry out reviews of matters raised that are of serious concern. I am of the opinion that only when all avenues to mediate/arbitrate the issues raised have been exhausted within BIM that it would be appropriate for me, as Minister, to consider whether or not to become involved or if the matter needs to be addressed in some other way.
168. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the proposal to subsume the sheep grassland scheme into the single farm payment from 2015; if any resultant increase in such payments will be in addition to or instead of any increase resulting from convergence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20564/14]
View answerThe Grassland Sheep Scheme is based on Article 68 of the current EU Regulation 73/2009 which governs direct payments in the form of the Single Payment Scheme. As of 1 January 2015 that Regulation is superseded by EU Regulation 1307/2013 and consequently there is no longer any legal basis for the continuation of the Grassland Sheep Scheme in its present form.
In developing the shape of the new system of Direct Payments in Ireland, I have been very conscious of the needs of sheep farmers, in particular those who farm on hill and commonage land. In general, sheep farmers hold low value entitlements under the current Single Payment Scheme and will benefit significantly from the model of convergence that is to be applied in Ireland where those with a low Initial Unit Value will see the value of their entitlements increase over the period of the scheme.
When determining the Initial Unit Value of a farmer’s entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015, Regulation 1307/2013 gives Member States the option to take into account any payment the farmer received in 2014 under Article 68 schemes such as the Grassland Sheep Scheme. This option is only available where the Member State is not applying voluntary coupled support to the sector concerned under the new CAP.
I have decided to apply this provision in Ireland as a means of safeguarding the value of the payments received under the Grassland Sheep Scheme for those farmers concerned. The Grassland Sheep Scheme is the only Article 68 scheme that is being incorporated into the calculation of entitlements under the new Basic Payment Scheme. If such incorporation does not take place the value of such payments would simply remain in the national fund and would be redistributed generally among all farmers who establish entitlements.
The incorporation of the Grassland Sheep Scheme payment into the calculation of a farmer’s Initial Unit Value in 2015 will obviously result in a higher entitlement value for the farmers concerned from the start of the Scheme rather than relying solely on the gradual process of convergence to increase the unit value over the five year period up to 2019. Our analysis confirms that as a result of this provision the group of farmers who receive the Grassland Sheep Scheme will have an immediate financial benefit in 2015 as part of their payment under the Basic Payment Scheme.
Over the past two years sheep numbers have stabilised and while the breeding flock declined slightly in 2013, a return to growth is expected in 2014. I was pleased to note that for the third consecutive year Irish sheep throughput grew, reaching 2.61 million head, a rise of 7%. These developments led to sheepmeat production rising by around 3% to stand just over 55,000 tonnes. The total value of Irish sheepmeat exports is estimated to have increased by over 4% in 2013 to reach €220m.
169. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 2 April 2014, 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. [20565/14]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in June 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 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €3,074.86 issued for payment on 10 April 2014. The remaining 25% balancing payment amounting to €1,047.66 issued for payment on 2 May 2014.
