Written Answers Nos. 90-97
90. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form, the total value and tonnage of landings of all fisheries from all vessels for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 in the port of Castletownbere, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7479/15]
View answerThe Sea Fisheries Protection Authority is the body within the State responsible for data recording and reporting on the landings of sea fish by Irish Sea Fishing Boats. I have asked the Authority to respond directly to the Deputy with the data requested.
91. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the implications of recent progress on entitlements under the old young farmers scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who was denied installation aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7481/15]
View answerI am aware that there is a group of young farmers who established their holdings in 2008 and 2009 and who missed out on the Installation Aid scheme which closed to applications in 2008. I intend to prioritise their applications under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation scheme (TAMS), with grant-aid payable at 40%, being introduced under the new RDP. EU Commission approval is awaited on the proposed schemes under TAMS.
Under Pillar 1 the Regulation provides that young farmers and new entrants are priority categories under the National Reserve. It also provides scope to include an optional provision whereby Member States may use the National Reserve to allocate new entitlements or give a top-up on the value of existing entitlements for persons who suffer from a 'Specific Disadvantage'.
As a result of my direction and with the recent agreement of the Commission the group of young farmers who established their holding in 2008 and 2009, but who missed out on both the Young Farmer Installation Scheme which closed to applications in 2008, and the Young Farmer priority category under the National Reserve which includes young farmers who commenced since 2010, can be considered as a 'group suffering from specific disadvantage'. This development means that these young farmers will be eligible to apply under the 2nd phase of the National Reserve to be given new entitlements or be given a top-up on the value of existing entitlements.
Application forms will be made available in early April 2015. This is a very welcome outcome that I feel will address an anomaly in the system and allow for fair and equal treatment for this particular category of young active farmers.
92. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a hardship grant relating to tuberculosis restrictions will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7499/15]
View answerAn application was received from the herdowner concerned under the TB Hardship Grant Scheme (which applies in the period 1 November to 30 April) following the restriction of his holding on 13 November 2014 as a result of a lesion detected at slaughter plant level. This grant is payable in monthly tranches in arrears where the period of restriction exceeds two months (i.e. the initial two-month period of the restriction is not eligible). Accordingly, in this case, the initial reckonable period for the Hardship Grant is 13 January to 12 February 2015.
The case is currently being processed and, if it is established that all of the conditions of the scheme have been met, payment will be made shortly.
93. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to extending the reconstruction scheme to include plantations destroyed by storm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7509/15]
View answerThe frequency and ferocity of storm events last winter, compounded by waterlogged soils on many forest sites, led to extensive damage on private and State owned forest lands. 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 relevant forestry stakeholders was put in place to assess the damage nationally and to identify the various issues arising. The taskforce 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 your specific point regarding a reconstitution scheme for forests damaged by last winter's storms, I can report that this matter is under consideration.
94. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will increase annual funding to an animal welfare organisation (details supplied) in County Kerry; if he will set out his views on whether animal welfare organisations operate on shoestring budgets, are under-resourced and rely heavily on the work of volunteers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7518/15]
View answerMy Department has provided funding to organisations involved in animal welfare since 1995 in order to enable these organisations provide a valuable service in the area of animal welfare. Applications for funding from animal welfare organisations are assessed by my Department and awards made on the basis of certain criteria, including the level and type of assistance provided by the organisation in the delivery of care and welfare services to animals and the level of funding raised by organisations from other sources to support welfare activities.
I accept that organisations in the voluntary sector face challenges in raising funds and many rely on support of volunteers to assist in the delivery of services. This is one of the reasons why financial assistance is being provided by my Department. Since December 2012, the organisation in question has been awarded funding amounting to almost €22,000, including €7,200 allocated in December last to support its work over the coming year. I am satisfied that this represents a reasonable level of support having regard to the current budgetary constraints.
95. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry received a small amount of milk quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7547/15]
View answerThe named person was an applicant under my Department's recent Animal Disease Scheme.
This Scheme involves the allocation of milk quota, from the National Reserve, to milk producers who have incurred milk quota difficulties as a direct result of animal movement restrictions caused by an animal disease outbreak.
Quota allocations are granted on the basis of recommendations made by an independent Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The tribunal make their recommendations on the basis of the information provided by the applicant, the timing and duration of the restriction, and the producer's historic quota management performance.
It was on this basis that the named person received the allocation granted.
Due to the high number of applications received under the Scheme and the limited volume of quota available for distribution, it is not possible to increase the volumes allocated.
96. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence to provide details on the weapons that two Russian military aircraft which entered Irish-controlled air space in January 2015 were carrying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7470/15]
View answerI am aware that, on 28 January 2015, two Russian military aircraft were in an area for which the Irish Aviation Authority has air traffic control responsibility.
The Air Corps is not tasked or equipped to monitor military aircraft overflying Irish controlled airspace. This position is in accordance with the Air Corps' roles as set out in the White Paper on Defence (2000). Therefore, I am not in a position to provide further information in relation to these aircraft.
97. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if funding will be sourced to establish an art therapy service for children in direct provision accommodation centres (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7416/15]
View answerThe Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the provision of full board accommodation and certain ancillary services to asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision. There are currently approximately 4,300 asylum seekers in 34 centres around the State. Aside from full board accommodation services provided by RIA, services to residents of direct provision centres are mainstreamed i.e. they receive a range of State services - education, health, community welfare supports and so on - in the same way as the general population.
It is not clear if the Deputy has a particular centre in that county in mind. Without further detail it is not clear as to whether the issue is general art therapy provided through the mainstream education system or whether it refers to a service provided by local community groups or NGO's for children in Direct Provision centres. If a specific request is made to RIA the issue can be examined in detail.
As to the issue of services to asylum seekers generally, the Deputy may wish to note the establishment in October, 2014 of an independent Working Group to report to Government on improvements to the protection process, including Direct Provision and supports for asylum seekers. The terms of reference and membership of the Working Group, under the chairmanship of former High Court Judge Bryan McMahon, is published on RIA's website - www.ria.gov.ie. This Group is examining, inter alia, the provision of improved supports to asylum applicants, aimed at showing greater respect for the dignity of persons in the system and improving their quality of life.
