Written Answers Nos. 379-392
379. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form, the annual saving to the Exchequer from a reduction of 5%, 7%, 10%, 12%, 15%, 17% and 20%, respectively, in the cost of travel and expenses for his Department. [30119/14]
View answerUsing my Department’s 2013 outturn of €8,495,088 for travel and subsistence expenses as a base and excluding €509,027 EU Presidency related expenses, the following table sets out the projected savings if the various percentage reductions were applied:
|
% Reduction |
Annual Saving € |
|
1% |
79,861 |
|
5% |
399,303 |
|
7% |
559,024 |
|
10% |
798,606 |
|
12% |
958,327 |
|
15% |
1,197,909 |
|
20% |
1,597,212 |
In the period 2008 to 2013 my Department made total savings in its annual travel and subsistence expenditure of €10,290,307 (56%). These considerable savings have been driven by deploying more advanced technology, improving business processes and rationalising inspections. However it must be borne in mind that much of the Department’s business takes place on farms and other premises, many of which are in remote rural locations. This business in the main relates to inspections and controls which my Department is required to carry out under EU and National legislation.
380. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in a tabular form, the expected carryover of current expenditure savings from 2014 into the next year. [30153/14]
View answer381. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form, the expected carryover of capital expenditure savings from 2014 into the next year. [30168/14]
View answer382. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form, the expected unspent current expenditure from 2014 into the next year. [30200/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 380 to 382, inclusive, together.
The gross Vote funding provided for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2014 is €1,220m broken down as €1,019.2m in current expenditure and €200.5m in capital expenditure (including €16.8m capital funding carried over from 2013). At this point in the year it is not anticipated that there will be any underspend on either current or capital expenditure and that capital funding will not be carried forward into 2015. Carryover of unspent current expenditure from one year to the next is not permitted.
384. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider aid towards the cost of replanting in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30299/14]
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, in association with Coillte and my Department held two very successful events on managing storm damage in farm forests. These events were attended by over 400 forest owners. Teagasc forestry advisers continue to be available to discuss the issue with forest owners affected. Forest owners are also urged to get professional advice from qualified foresters to guide them through this process. In relation to the specific point regarding whether my Department will provide direct financial support for replanting these areas, I can report that while this matter has been give careful consideration, the Department has no plans to provide funds for replanting areas damaged by storms.
385. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legal basis for requiring farmers to buy their cattle tags exclusively from one supplier selected by the Department on the basis of a tender organised by it in view of the fact that farmers - because they pay for them - are the legal purchasers of the tags; his views that this is in conformity with EU law, including competition law; the reason, as they are the purchasers, farmers are not free to purchase tags from any supplier as long as the tags comply with the relevant EU and national standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30341/14]
View answer387. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers are entitled to purchase cattle tags from suppliers other than the supplier contracted by his Department and use them instead of tags from that supplier, as long as the tags they purchase conform to the relevant departmental and EU regulations; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30382/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 387 together.
The position is that the Request For Tender (RFT) document that was published on 29 May 2012, which covers the current supply contract, stated that, following the evaluation of tenders, it was the intention to approve one supplier. The restriction of the supply of bovine tags to a single supplier is designed to ensure that farmers obtain the best tag from a superior quality and price perspective. The approval of one supplier to provide this service is not in breach of EU or national procurement law. The farming organisations have expressed a preference for a single supplier as, contrary to popular view, a single supplier provides a more competitively priced product with scale in the marketplace for Irish cattle farmers.
386. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department received an application under the harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme from Limerick City and County Council for works to be carried out in Glin, County Limerick; and when he expects to make a decision on the funding under this programme. [30381/14]
View answerGlin Pier is in the ownership of Limerick City and County Council and responsibility for its development, repair and maintenance rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. My Department, however, provides funding for the development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities. My Department did receive an application for The Glin Shannon Estuary Riverwall Replacement Project from Limerick City and County Council under this year’s Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. However the application did not meet with the criteria and accordingly was not included in the projects approved under the 2014 Programme.
388. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of public sector workers who are on temporary contracts or other non-permanent contracts of employment in his Department. [30394/14]
View answerThe total number of staff in my Department currently employed on temporary contracts or other non-permanent contracts of employment is seventy.
389. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is concerned by the number of appointments to State boards under his remit that do not go through the Public Appointments Service; his plans to review the manner in which appointments to State boards are made in order to ensure that the most suitably qualified persons fill vacancies that arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30798/14]
View answerSince May 2011, a notification has been placed on my Department’s website inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. This notification was updated most recently on 21 May 2014 with a list of board vacancies. State Board vacancies are also advertised in the national newspapers. In making any board appointments, I am not necessarily confined to those who make such expressions of interest but ensure that all of those appointed have the relevant mix of knowledge and expertise to contribute to the relevant board.
In the case of The Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board, Bord Bia, Teagasc, National Milk Agency, Veterinary Council of Ireland and Horse Racing Ireland, board appointments, while made by me, are not at my sole discretion in that individuals are nominated for appointment by me, as provided for in the relevant statute. In view of the arrangements outlined above I am satisfied that the most suitably qualified persons are selected for appointment to State Boards under the aegis of my Department.
390. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in a tabular form, the annual salaries of the chief executive officers of all commercial State companies under his remit. [30857/14]
View answer391. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in a tabular form, a list of the annual salaries of the chief executive officers of all non-commercial State-sponsored bodies under his remit. [30885/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 391 together.
The details of the salaries of the Chief Executive Officers of the eight Non Commercial State Bodies and the four Commercial State Bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are outlined in the following table.
|
Body/Agency |
Salary |
|
- |
Non-Commercial |
|
Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board |
No CEO |
|
An Bord Bia |
€149,175 |
|
Bord Iascaigh Mhara |
€121,151 |
|
Marine Institute |
€136,496 |
|
National Milk Agency |
€85,845 |
|
Sea Fisheries Protection Authority |
€85,127 (Executive Chair) |
|
Teagasc |
€149,175 |
|
Veterinary Council of Ireland |
€103,716 |
|
- |
Commercial |
|
Bord na gCon |
€132,920 |
|
Coillte |
Vacancy* |
|
Horse Racing Ireland |
€190,773 |
|
Irish National Stud |
€133,419 |
*The position of CEO of Coillte is currently vacant with an Acting CEO having been appointed following the completion of contract of the CEO in March 2013. The Acting CEO has not been given a separate contract of employment by Coillte. The salary of the previous CEO in respect of his last full year of service i.e. 2012, was €265,300.
392. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual saving to the Exchequer if the pay of all ministerial special advisers was capped in his Department at the first point of the principal officer grade. [30904/14]
View answerIf salaries paid to the special advisors employed in my Department are capped at the first point of the Principal Officer standard scale, the annual saving would be €33,582.
