Written Answers Nos. 90-98
90. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the Single Payment Scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reason for delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8516/15]
View answerUnder the terms and conditions of the Single Payment Scheme and other area based schemes an applicant, as well as meeting the scheme criteria, is required to comply with EU regulatory requirements relating to Cross Compliance, including requirements under the Nitrates Regulations. Records available to the Department confirm that the person named applied for a Nitrates Derogation in 2011 and 2012, which would have allowed him to farm up to 250 kgs of Nitrogen per hectare per year, subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Derogation, which include the submission of a Fertiliser Plan, a critical element of the derogation process. The Derogation applications for 2011 and 2012 were rejected as no Fertiliser Plan was submitted for either year. This resulted in non-compliances with the maximum limits of Nitrogen kgs per hectare requirements of the Nitrates Regulations being determined in each of these years. This resulted in penalties being applied against the 2011 and 2012 Direct Payments Schemes.
The Department’s records indicate that in 2013, the amount of nitrogen from livestock manure applied to land on the holding of the person named above (including that deposited by animals) was 198 kgs per hectare, which exceeded the limit of 170 kgs per hectare set down in the Nitrates Regulations. The person named did not apply for a Nitrates Derogation in 2013.
As similar breaches under the Nitrates Regulations had been identified within the previous three years, as detailed above, the regulatory provisions require that rules on repetition must be applied and this resulted in a 100% penalty being applied against the 2013 Direct Payment Schemes.
The person named was notified of this decision on 14 October 2014, and of his right of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. I understand from that office that the person named has not availed of this option.
EU Regulations governing payments under the Direct Payment Schemes require that where overpayments are identified in respect of a scheme year for which payments have already issued, the over-payments must be recouped from any future year’s payments due to the applicant. In this case the 2013 overpayment under the Single Payment Scheme was deducted from the 2014 payment due to the person named under this scheme, resulting in a net payment of €18.43 issuing in respect of 2014 scheme. This payment issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 11 December 2014.
91. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the Irish Greyhound Board will publish its annual reports for 2013, and 2014; the reason the board has not produced those reports, to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8585/15]
View answerBord na gCon submitted the 2013 Annual Report and Accounts for the Bord na gCon Group to my Department for consideration on 20th February 2015. This material is currently being examined by officials within my Department as a precursor to my bringing the 2013 Annual Report and Accounts to Government. After they are noted by Government the 2013 Annual Report and Accounts will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and Bord na gCon can then proceed to publication. Bord na gCon has submitted draft unaudited annual accounts for 2014 to my Department in accordance with the requirements set down in the “Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies” and these are being examined by Department officials. The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) is scheduled to commence his audit of the 2014 Annual Accounts of the Bord na gCon Group in April. Following the completion of the C&AG audit the 2014 Annual Report and Accounts will go through the same process as outlined above, i.e. they will be submitted to the Department for consideration, presented to Government for noting and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. After these steps have been completed Bord na gCon can then proceed to publication.
92. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received feedback in relation to the European initiative FARNET, which covers 10,000 km of inland fisheries in Europe; his views that this needs to be extended to areas where tidal water stops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8589/15]
View answerThe European Fisheries Areas Network (FARNET) brings together Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) and Member State representatives responsible for FLAG schemes under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). Through information exchange and a dedicated support unit, this network aims to assist the different stakeholders involved in the sustainable development of fisheries areas at local, regional, national and European level. Throughout the EU, FLAGs operate both in inland and in marine fisheries areas. In Ireland, we have six FLAGs covering all coastal areas in the State and their fishing communities. These FLAGs regularly work with FARNET, as does my Department.
93. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a BTAP payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if same will be expedited. [8634/15]
View answerThe person named was a participant in the 2014 Beef Technology Adoption Programme (BTAP). In addition to other requirements, participants must attend and sign an attendance sheet at six BTAP discussion group meetings each year or attend four meetings and two national events. The validation process prior to payment includes a check on attendance sheets for BTAP groups. Anomalies in the recorded attendance were identified in relation to the group in which the person named participated. These were detailed in correspondence to the group facilitator with a request for explanation. A response is still awaited. In the absence of a reasonable explanation the person named cannot be credited with fulfilling the minimum meeting requirement and therefore is not eligible for payment under the Programme. A letter detailing this decision as well as options for review has issued to the person named.
94. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the specific disadvantage provision, under the national reserve, to cover young farmers who became established since the closure of the previous National Reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8642/15]
View answerEU Regulations governing the 2015 National Reserve provide that young farmers and new entrants are deemed to be priority categories. A Young Farmer is defined as a farmer aged 40 years or less who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting the Basic Payment Scheme application. Therefore young farmers who commenced their farming activity since 1 January 2010 are included in this category. The Regulations governing the National Reserve also 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 suffering from a “Specific Disadvantage”. Following successful engagement with the EU Commission it has been decided that young farmers who established their holding in 2008 and 2009, who comply with the definition of Young Farmer, but who missed out on both the Young Farmer Installation Scheme and the Young farmer priority category of the National Reserve will be included as a non-priority category under the ‘Specific disadvantage’ provisions of the National Reserve. Applications will be available in early April.
The previous National Reserve closed for applications on 15th May 2012, therefore the eligibility period for the new National Reserve overlaps that of the previous one.
95. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reduce the 90 hectare cap on the National Reserve, to ensure that farmers with an eligible specific disadvantage, can access it on their existing holding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8643/15]
View answerEU Regulations governing the 2015 National Reserve provide that young farmers and new entrants are deemed to be priority categories. A Young Farmer is defined as a farmer aged 40 years or less who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting the Basic Payment Scheme application. The Regulations governing the National Reserve also 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 suffering from a “Specific Disadvantage”. Following successful engagement with the EU Commission it has been decided that young farmers who established their holding in 2008 and 2009, who comply with the definition of Young Farmer, but who missed out on both the Young Farmer Installation Scheme and the Young Farmer priority category of the National Reserve will be included as a non-priority category under the ‘specific disadvantage’ provisions of the National Reserve. Applications will be available in early April.
In accordance with the relevant EU Regulation governing the National Reserve, Member States have the option of applying objective criteria in the allocation of entitlements. The process of deciding objective criteria for the National Reserve is carried out in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies and advisory services.
Having taken into account the views of stakeholders on this Committee, it was decided that a cap of 90 is appropriate to the maximum number of entitlements allocated under the National Reserve.
96. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department plans to use the option, under the permanent grassland rules as set out in article 4(h) of the Direct Payments Regulation 1307/2014, to identify land, which forms part of the established practices, where herbs and grasses are traditionally not predominant in the grazing area; if so, the areas that will be defined as permanent grassland, under established local practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8690/15]
View answerIn accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2014 and of other relevant regulations, Member States may decide that land which can be grazed and which forms part of established local practices where grasses and other herbaceous forage are traditionally not predominant in grazing areas is to be considered to be permanent grassland. The areas as described, excluding established scrub and ungrazed heather will, in general terms, be eligible under the Basic Payment Scheme provided there is evidence of an agricultural activity being carried out. In reality such areas (upland heather) were already eligible in Ireland under the Single Payment Scheme and this remains the position under the Basic Payment Scheme. The agricultural activity required must be appropriate to the type of land involved and should ensure that the area eligible for payment remains in this state.
97. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total severance packages, individually detailed, received by any special advisers in his Department, or those under his aegis, since January, 2014, specifically in respect of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9088/15]
View answerNo severance payments have been made by my Department to the persons listed by the Deputy.
98. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Defence the total severance packages, individually detailed, received by any special advisers in his Department, or those under his aegis, since January, 2014, specifically in respect of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9090/15]
View answerI have not appointed any special advisors in my role as Minister for Defence. Similarly no special advisors were appointed by my predecessor, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D.
However, former Minister Alan Shatter, T.D. engaged the services of a personal assistant who assisted him in constituency matters. A severance payment of €10,958.47, which was in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure & Reform guidelines, was paid to the individual in 2014.
