Written Answers Nos. 159 - 167
159. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he is making housing affordable; his plans to introduce another affordable housing scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27804/14]
View answerThe Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2013. Details regarding the review are available on my Department’s website: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/PublicConsultations/. The Government’s recently published Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector aims to build a competitive, innovative, and sustainable construction sector. Action 9 of the strategy provides that the review of Part V will be completed in Q2 of 2014. It is anticipated that any legislative changes required on foot of the review will be incorporated into the General Scheme of a Planning Bill, which is currently in preparation.
161. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department is taking in preparation for the abolition of milk quotas next year; the position for farmers who were unable to buy or lease quota this year and who will be over quota due to the fact that they are building up their herd in anticipation of the abolition of quotas in 2015; if he will consider reducing the fines imposed on those over quota this year in view of the fact farmers need to prepare to increase their production for the lifting of quotas in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27606/14]
View answerThe milk quota regime will come to an end on the 31 March 2015 and under the Milk Quota Regulations all farmers who intend commencing milk deliveries before that date, including those who will commence after 1 January 2015, will require a milk quota. Up to 31 March 2015 milk purchasers cannot accept deliveries from milk suppliers, unless the milk supplier holds a milk quota with that milk purchaser.
Given that the rate of the super levy fine is set by EU Council Regulation it is not possible for me to change that rate without the agreement of both the Commission and all other Member States, and such an agreement is not forthcoming. While I have sought and continue to seek amendments at EU level to improve the ‘soft landing’ for Irish dairy producers in collaboration with like-minded other Member States, unfortunately there is no common position at the Council of Agriculture Ministers and for the moment such an improvement looks unlikely to be achieved. However, I expect the matter to be on the agenda for discussion at July Council where I will once again seek to have the matter progressed in favour of Irish dairy farmers.
In preparation for quota abolition, I have announced a number of significant investments by my Department in the Irish dairy sector particularly at farm level. These include the Dairy Expansion Scheme and the TAMS funding for the dairy sector. The new RDP to commence from next year also contains a number of proposals for additional TAMS funding for dairy farms. These investments complement the excellent work being undertaken by Teagasc and ICBF in preparing dairy fairy farmers to take advantage of the significant opportunity which quota abolition will present.
162. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the transfer of entitlements will be completed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27634/14]
View answerMy Department received a Transfer of Entitlements application from the person named on 15 May 2014 to transfer entitlements by way of sale. The transferee is in the process of obtaining a herd number and the Transfer of Entitlements application will be processed as soon as the transferee becomes a registered herd owner.
163. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the longest running case in the courts taken by the special investigations unit at his Department; and the total legal costs incurred by said case to date. [27636/14]
View answerA number of linked cases arising from investigations by my Department’s Special Investigation Unit in 1999 are still before the courts. The hearing of these cases commenced in 2002 but progress has been delayed as a result of the lodgement of several sets of proceedings by the defendants, including various challenges to the legislation under which the charges were brought. The Department has been successful to-date in defending these challenges. The cases are due before the courts shortly and are therefore sub judice. No legal costs have been incurred by my Department to-date in respect of these cases. Such costs are generally borne by the Chief State Solicitors Office and are a matter for that body.
164. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) has had the amount of work allocated to him reduced significantly in 2014, below the amount provided for in his contract; if he will be compensated for this shortfall in work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27667/14]
View answerThe person named carries out testing under the Bovine TB and Brucellosis Eradication Schemes. He is being allocated testing in excess of my Department’s contractual commitments to him. As litigation is extant, it would not be appropriate to comment any further.
165. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commence detailed discussions on the Common Agricultural Policy Rural Development Plan 2014-2020 which is of critical importance to farm incomes for the next six years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27693/14]
View answerThe new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP) will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, achieving more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas. The process of developing the draft RDP has been a lengthy and complex one. A central element of this process has been ongoing and substantive stakeholder and public consultation. The approach to this consultation has centred on:
- An open call for submissions launched in December, 2012,
- Stakeholder workshops facilitated by the National Rural Network in July, 2013,
- A further open call for submissions and a stakeholder event building on the announcement of proposed RDP measures in January, 2014,
- An open call for submissions based around the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the RDP in May, 2013, and
- Ongoing meetings between officials in my Department and stakeholders as the design of the RDP has progressed.
Having taking into account the results of this extensive consultation, the draft RDP is currently being finalised. The detailed elements referred to by the Deputy will be included in this draft to be submitted to the EU Commission. This draft will then form the basis for detailed negotiations over a number of months with the European Commission. As these detailed negotiations progress, I expect that there will also be further discussion with stakeholders in relation to the finalisation of the RDP.
166. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding new compensation measure for the removal of BVD persistently infected animals. [27694/14]
View answerWhile good progress is being made by farmers in removing persistently infected (PI) animals under the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme, I am concerned with a number of PI animals being retained on a relatively small number of farms. Therefore to further assist and encourage farmers in removing PI animals, I have introduced new funding measures providing for a payment of €120 in respect of the first and subsequent PI calves born in beef herds in 2014. I have also introduced for the first time a support of €75 towards the removal of the second and subsequent PI calves born in dairy herds in 2014. Payment is contingent on disposal of the PI animals in a timely fashion and provided disposal is done through the knackery system.
