Written Answers Nos. 133-41
133. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget allocated to support afforestation under the native woodland scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10839/15]
View answerThe budget allocated in 2015 to support afforestation under the native woodland element of the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme (2014-2020) is €2,749,500.
134. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an application for a felling licence will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10842/15]
View answerAn application for a General Felling Licence was received from the person named on 27 January 2015. Following an initial inspection of the application by the Department, the application was referred to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) on 26 February 2015 for its observations. NPWS is allowed a 6-week period to respond with its comments; a response is therefore required by 9 April 2015. A decision on this application will be given in a timely manner once a response is received from NPWS.
135. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10856/15]
View answerAn application under 2014 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 28 April 2014. However, as the person named has not established entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme there is no payment due to the applicant under that Scheme.
In order to be eligible for payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria of the Scheme including meeting the minimum stocking density requirement of 0.15 livestock units per hectare. As the person named did not meet the minimum stocking density requirement, he is not eligible for payment under the Scheme.
136. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a payment under the agri-environment options scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10882/15]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 2) with effect from 1 September 2011 and payment has issued in respect of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Scheme years.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks have been successfully completed in respect of the 2014 Scheme year and 75% payment will issue shortly. The balancing 25% payment will follow thereafter.
137. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara an bhfuil sé i gceist aige cruinniú a eagrú i gConamara faoin Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme, agus faoin gcomhbheartas talmhaíochta; an bhfuil sé i gceist aige a chinntiú go mbeidh oifigigh i láthair ag cruinniú mar seo a bheidh in ann plé le muintir na Gaeltachta i nGaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [10885/15]
View answerD’fhógair mo roinn le déanaí go reáchtálfar sraith d'imeachtaí eolais timpeall na tíre, agus beidh na hábhair seo a leanas faoi chaibidil: GLAS, an Scéim Íocaíochta Bhunúsach, an Anaclann Náisiúnta agus Glasú. Reáchtálfar ceann de na cruinnithe sin in óstán Connemara Coast, Na Forbacha, Co. na Gaillimhe an 25 Márta. Tá sé beartaithe go bhfreastalófar ar phobal níos leithne, agus ní hamháin pobal na gcainteoirí Gaeilge; dá bharr sin, reáchtálfar na himeachtaí trí mheán an Bhéarla. Beidh leaganacha Gaeilge de théarmaí agus coinníollacha na scéimeanna uile ar fáil ar shuíomh gréasáin na Roinne go luath, áfach. Ina theannta sin, beidh an Roinn sásta glacadh agus dul i ngleic le ceisteanna trí Ghaeilge tríd an líne chabhrach le haghaidh GLAS ar an suíomh gréasáin: glas@agriculture.gov.ie.
138. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his officials will engage with local community representatives to discuss a capital project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10916/15]
View answerCromane is owned by Kerry County Council and responsibility for its development, repair and maintenance rests with the Local Authority. Therefore, I would direct the local community representatives to first contact the Local Authority in regard to this matter.
Under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme my Department has, in previous years, provided funding to Local Authorities for the development and repair of their harbours, piers and slipways subject to the availability of exchequer funding. Any application submitted by Kerry County Council in respect of Cromane pier under a future Local Authority capital programme, will be given consideration in the context of the criteria set out, available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
139. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has received complaints or expressions of concern from persons involved in the greyhound industry regarding the operating implications of recent changes to rules governing greyhound export; if so, the common difficulties; if the matter will be tweaked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10918/15]
View answerMy Department is aware of the concerns expressed by persons involved in the commercial export of greyhounds about the implications arising from the implementation of EU legislation governing the commercial movement of greyhounds, notably Directive 2013/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013) and Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 which came into effect on 29 December 2014 and which have been transposed into Irish law under the Pet Passport (No 2) Regulations 2014.
There have been a number of meetings between my officials and representatives of the greyhound industry including the Irish Greyhound Board in connection with this issue. These meetings and discussions have concentrated on finding mutually satisfactory solutions to the logistical difficulties that exporters are experiencing with regard to getting the necessary health certification which must accompany all dogs moving off the island for commercial purposes.
My Department has endeavoured to smooth this process as much as possible by having dedicated veterinary personnel on standby at the sales venues to prepare the health certificates for dogs sold there or for dogs that are sold privately and brought to the venue. In addition, my Department has invited the private veterinary practitioners and greyhounds transporters to be trained in processing the initial part of the certification to further streamline the process and to reduce the time taken for official certification.
I am confident that, with ongoing co-operation from all interested parties, the difficulties arising from the implementation of the new EU legislation can be resolved to the satisfaction of all involved.
140. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the situation of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be reviewed to facilitate a more helpful approach to that person's farming efforts from his Department in view of the fact that the person is currently being penalised for being a proactive young farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10926/15]
View answerIn accordance with relevant EU Regulations, to be eligible under the Young Farmer priority category of the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme an applicant must meet the following conditions:
S/he is participating in the Basic Payment Scheme in the year in which s/he submits an application;
S/he is aged no more than 40 years of age at any time during the calendar year in which s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme;
S/he has successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture giving rise to an award at FETAC level 6 or its equivalent. Alternatively s/he must commit to commencing such a course by 30 September 2016;
S/he is setting up an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application.
In addition to the young farmer provision, the National Reserve also provides for a second priority category of ‘new entrant’. In order to be eligible for the category of new entrant, an applicant must have commenced their present agricultural activity in the 2013 calendar year or any later year, and not have had any agricultural activity in his/her own name and at his/her own risk in the five years preceding the start of the present agricultural activity. Applicants must also meet the eligibility criteria in respect of participating in the Basic Payment Scheme in the year of application and educational qualifications that apply in respect of the young farmer category.
As the above named person commenced their agricultural activity in 2006 and actively farmed in 2010, it would appear that he falls outside the scope of the two priority categories of the National Reserve and also the Young Farmers Scheme. However, I have requested an official from my Department to contact the person named directly to discuss his position. The person named will receive a telephone call in the coming days.
141. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if applicants under the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme looking to stack entitlements or to share plans, for example, a father and son on the same scheme, will not have payments delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10927/15]
View answerFor the purposes of GLAS where the herd number is held in joint names, e.g. father and son, the GLAS application can be submitted and processed in the normal manner. The annual Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application is also the application for payment under the GLAS Scheme and once the areas declared for BPS are verified the necessary checks required for the GLAS payment can be completed.
