Tuesday, 24 Mar 2015

Written Answers Nos. 341-355

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Questions (341)

Michael Ring

Question:

341. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a payment under the agri-environment options scheme 3. [11479/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named was approved for participation in the 2012 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from the 1st May 2013 and full entitlements have issued in respect of the 2013 Scheme year.

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 full payment has issued to the person named – 75% payment issued on the 10th March 2015 and the balancing 25% payment issued on the 11th March 2015.

Sheepmeat Sector

Questions (342)

James Bannon

Question:

342. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will liaise with the relevant section of his Department to provide a sheep flock number in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11497/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department has no record of receiving an application for a sheep flock number from the person named. My Department has now issued the relevant application form to this person and, on return, the application will be processed as soon as possible.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (343)

Seán Kyne

Question:

343. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received a payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11508/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application under the 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2014. Processing of this application has recently been finalised and payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is due to issue directly to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (344)

Seán Kyne

Question:

344. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the basis on which his Department decided a person (details supplied) in County Galway was overpaid under the disadvantaged areas scheme 2013; the lands deemed ineligible; the reason the same aerial photograph was used in the 2013 and 2014 applications to outline the person's lands; the reason these were dated differently, that is, 8 November 2013 and 22 February 2014; the reason an updated photograph has not been used to identify the present farm lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11513/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme and 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme revealed that two of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features, which in this case included a farm yard, a stream, a farm road and areas of scrub. However, while the person named was notified of this decision and of his right of appeal on two separate occasions, firstly on 15 November 2013 and secondly on 12 June 2014, no appeal has been received. These area reductions resulted in a reduction between 3% and 20% to the area payable under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme.

The ortho-image from the Land Parcel Identification System database used to review the lands declared by the person named was captured on 16 May 2012. The dates referred to relate to the dates the maps were generated to issue to the applicant. The imagery involved was the same in both sets of maps.

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Questions (345)

Martin Ferris

Question:

345. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of the single farm payment for 2014, per county. [11522/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Please see on a per county basis the latest figures in tabular form:

County	Num eligible SPS applications	Num Paid	Amt Paid
CARLOW	1596	1584	€23,711,200.13
CAVAN	4658	4646	€33,793,793.07
CLARE	5961	5929	€45,303,176.72
CORK	12714	12641	€160,931,389.27
DONEGAL	7897	7834	€46,299,042.12
DUBLIN	606	598	€8,699,092.10
GALWAY	11679	11581	€75,856,324.04
KERRY	7510	7439	€55,740,751.00
KILDARE	2025	2011	€30,550,632.32
KILKENNY	3396	3389	€52,949,053.00
LAOIS	2873	2866	€39,272,491.99
LEITRIM	3312	3294	€16,839,647.01
LIMERICK	4981	4954	€49,641,207.70
LONGFORD	2298	2284	€18,857,440.67
LOUTH	1463	1459	€19,231,860.26
MAYO	11200	11083	€57,252,311.63
MEATH	3659	3646	€53,488,393.42
MONAGHAN	3897	3868	€29,019,319.49
OFFALY	2965	2946	€35,088,852.95
ROSCOMMON	5565	5521	€38,808,096.86
SLIGO	3849	3838	€21,776,902.77
TIPPERARY	6805	6761	€97,108,289.65
WATERFORD	2369	2345	€37,466,287.60
WESTMEATH	2868	2851	€32,255,240.85
WEXFORD	3944	3932	€58,945,958.81
WICKLOW	2050	2039	€26,867,453.85
Total	122140	121339	€1,165,754,209.28

Over 99% of herd owners have now been paid a total of €1.165 billion under the 2014 SPS. Payment runs will continue to be made on a regular basis as outstanding queries on the remaining cases are cleared.

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Questions (346)

Jim Daly

Question:

346. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to a proposal submitted to his Department by Teagasc for the recruitment of 20 extra adviser posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11527/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The announcement by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in Budget 2014 in relation to delegated sanction for staffing arrangements provides greater discretion to Government Departments and State agencies over staffing levels within an overall pay framework. In this regard, Government Departments are first required to submit a 2015 Pay and Staff Numbers Strategy to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for approval. The purpose of the Strategy is to ensure a consistent approach is taken across Departments and agencies to managing the pay bill and staff numbers and to ensure that expenditure is managed in line with Departmental and Agency budgets.

My Department has submitted its Pay and Staff Numbers Strategy to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for consideration in respect of the state bodies that operate under the aegis of the Department including Teagasc. It is expected that delegated sanction arrangements will be finalised shortly and will provide some flexibility to fill critical posts within agreed pay ceilings.

Until such time as a delegated sanction is issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the existing Moratorium and ECF arrangements continue to apply.

Milk Quota Data

Questions (347)

Gabrielle McFadden

Question:

347. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that need to be put in place in the event of Ireland facing a substantial milk superlevy fine in the order of €100 million, if Ireland stays at over-quota when the milk quota ends on 31 March 2015; if those measures could include reaching agreement with the European Union that farmers could spread the cost of the superlevy fine over a number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11536/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The end of February 2015 milk quota position, which is the latest currently available, shows that Ireland is an estimated 5.07% over quota, when account is taken of the butterfat content of the milk deliveries. While this figure continues a downward trend in the over-quota position, coming down from 7.15% in October, indications are that Ireland will still end the milk quota year in the region of 5% over quota which equates to a superlevy bill of about €80m.

As the Deputy is aware I have, on numerous occasions, called on the Commission to take action to mitigate the impact of superlevy fines, e.g. via utilisation of an adjustment to the butterfat coefficient, as this would not have required an amendment to existing regulations. Unfortunately, there was no realistic prospect of any movement on the superlevy or on the butterfat adjustment at EU level given the level of opposition of MS who did not share our views on this matter.

However, in recent weeks the Commission has acceded to a request from Ireland and other Member States for an instalment facility to pay the superlevy. The Commission has come forward with a Regulation which introduces an instalment facility over a three year period, for farmers who are facing a superlevy liability. Ireland voted in favour of the proposal when it came before the Management Committee earlier this month. The Department will be required to pay the superlevy in full to the European Commission by the standard deadline of 31 November 2015, with the terms of the scheme requiring farmers here to repay a minimum of one-third of the payment this year and two thirds by next, with the remainder payable in 2017. My officials are working out the practicalities of implementing this scheme in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

I welcome the Commission's initiative on the basis that it can help to reduce the burden on dairy farmers entering the post-quota era in full readiness for the opportunity which awaits. We are now in the final few days of the quota regime before they are gone forever and the Irish dairy sector can start to realise its full potential.

GLAS Eligibility

Questions (348)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

348. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 10 March 2015, if he will confirm that all lands will be effectively designated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11537/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As previously advised under Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 10 March, 2015, those Hen Harrier lands which attract a €370 per hectare payment under GLAS are lands notified to my Department by the National Parks & Wildlife Service. These lands include areas formally designated by NPWS, or otherwise identified by them as important for the preservation of the hen harrier. Within GLAS, which is a completely voluntary scheme, all such lands must be farmed to a prescription which preserves the bird habitat. However, this in no way changes the status of the lands one way or another, nor does it mean that additional lands are now formally designated.

Control of Dogs

Questions (349, 350)

Clare Daly

Question:

349. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the exclusion of greyhounds from the legislation requiring the compulsory micro-chipping of dogs travelling out of the country. [11556/15]

Clare Daly

Question:

350. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the interests of transparency and animal welfare, if he will ensure that information is publicly available relating to the compulsory micro-chipping of greyhounds and the fact that they must be ear tattooed, given that this data is held by the Irish Coursing Club and the Irish Greyhound Board. [11557/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 349 and 350 together.

The Pet Passport (No. 2) Regulations 2014 and the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 apply to all breeds of dog.

Under the Pet Passport (No. 2) Regulations 2014, (S.I. No. 602 of 2014), any dog (including a greyhound) being moved off the island must be accompanied by a pet passport showing that it has been identified by a microchip or by a tattoo (where the tattoo was applied prior to 3 July 2011) and has been immunized against rabies. Additional requirements apply where dogs are being moved for commercial purposes.

The Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 (SI No. 63 of 2015), which require that all dogs (including greyhounds) be identified by a microchip and registered on an authorised database, will take effect from 1 June 2015 for pups born after that date and from 31 March 2016 for all dogs regardless of age. The dog identification databases are subject to data protection legislation and will not be publicly available.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (351)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

351. 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 Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11563/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and has received payments for the entire six years of their contract. The REPS 4 contract is now complete and there are no further payments to be made.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (352)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

352. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position in regard to an area aid payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11566/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application under 2014 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 8 April 2014. Processing of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application has recently been completed with payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 11 February 2015.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (353)

Martin Ferris

Question:

353. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers under the special designated areas scheme have had their payments or other entitlements under the single payments scheme adversely impacted upon or if they have been penalised because of the designation of their lands. [11567/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Payments under the Single Payment Scheme were made to applicants, who held payment entitlements under that Scheme. In order to benefit from payment under that Scheme, an applicant had to declare an eligible hectare for each payment entitlement held. An eligible hectare must have all of the ineligible areas and features excluded and must have an agricultural activity carried out on it. The same provisions apply to all land declared for payment under the Scheme irrespective of whether the land is designated or not. Therefore, a farmer who declares designated land, which is eligible for payment and on which he or she is carrying out an agricultural activity, will receive payment under the Basic Payment Scheme in the normal fashion. The Basic Payment Scheme replaced the Single Payment Scheme in 2015.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (354)

Martin Ferris

Question:

354. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of the single payment scheme, to designated areas, by county, from 2008 to 2014. [11569/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The amounts by county, paid to all beneficiaries under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS), who declared at least one Natura parcel for the period from 2008 to 2014 are outlined in the following tabular statements.

	SPS 2008 (€)	DAS 2008 (€)	SPS 2009 (€)	DAS 2009 (€)	SPS 2010 (€)	DAS 2010 (€)
Carlow	8,997,367.75	962,861.66	9,137,755.51	837,321.14	8,895,312.91	825,124.10
Cavan	5,632,338.01	2,845,652.58	5,917,414.82	2,465,048.25	5,924,092.20	2,458,912.87
Clare	19,678,924.73	6,107,877.12	19,967,820.59	5,262,188.91	19,875,788.27	5,232,539.03
Cork	35,758,029.10	5,824,771.89	35,942,823.99	4,995,508.80	35,858,366.60	4,988,524.98
Donegal	19,484,459.50	9,874,773.18	19,977,746.79	8,511,644.37	20,168,424.60	8,441,786.76
Dublin	1,056,137.13	114,269.08	1,048,187.07	95,695.23	1,038,225.39	90,492.63
Galway	30,078,880.94	12,748,001.69	30,457,996.03	11,172,777.74	30,154,792.38	11,065,572.05
Kerry	32,264,570.67	12,134,410.03	32,935,497.69	10,276,041.54	32,604,277.94	10,239,379.08
Kildare	5,008,882.05	179,321.14	5,015,158.11	156,717.39	5,097,058.54	157,308.17
Kilkenny	14,533,124.63	1,073,512.32	14,825,148.52	918,806.47	14,657,314.40	909,054.81
Laois	11,953,630.09	1,492,831.32	12,184,830.80	1,308,707.57	11,986,017.84	1,303,586.04
Leitrim	4,453,075.52	2,112,310.54	4,530,172.81	1,788,243.62	4,478,782.80	1,764,720.01
Limerick	12,682,610.36	3,121,663.12	12,965,550.29	2,750,500.34	12,925,860.31	2,749,872.99
Longford	2,109,287.24	548,162.50	2,158,351.05	485,334.68	2,202,019.94	481,744.32
Louth	2,740,007.61	499,431.18	2,783,047.43	439,707.28	2,753,545.50	424,330.77
Mayo	24,064,163.98	12,547,180.61	24,758,107.72	11,010,277.93	24,699,702.43	10,928,091.92
Meath	9,811,032.80	366,924.21	9,747,794.86	319,702.94	9,846,263.00	319,862.78
Monaghan	612,617.71	224,698.29	634,771.06	205,603.44	662,880.80	207,319.34
Offaly	6,260,233.24	1,171,580.68	6,325,255.14	1,032,774.06	6,134,827.68	1,043,217.26
Roscommon	9,923,714.44	2,863,454.53	10,037,038.57	2,565,361.09	10,004,690.02	2,574,846.33
Sligo	8,296,675.40	3,440,265.81	8,441,936.54	3,007,060.84	8,447,371.66	3,022,350.32
Tipperary	25,740,684.10	3,487,204.37	26,179,767.47	2,976,006.98	25,811,304.93	2,985,595.28
Waterford	13,989,641.27	1,289,951.07	14,083,309.15	1,091,842.44	13,882,129.64	1,083,920.67
Westmeath	6,608,505.65	1,033,009.81	6,627,435.96	892,746.92	6,743,904.59	911,533.50
Wexford	14,822,046.01	832,137.03	14,842,350.40	722,589.45	14,724,779.97	726,558.16
Wicklow	7,560,015.33	1,400,026.06	7,576,810.73	1,112,126.66	7,519,265.13	1,117,604.65

	SPS 2011 (€)	DAS 2011 (€)	SPS 2012 (€)	DAS 2012 (€)	SPS 2013 (€)	DAS 2013 (€)
Carlow	8,982,636.10	825,654.97	8,755,681.88	736,043.40	8,545,498.73	686,984.23
Cavan	5,918,744.24	2,465,099.46	5,818,877.05	2,310,409.82	5,734,266.86	2,172,826.48
Clare	19,951,932.23	5,284,588.15	19,406,691.95	5,030,205.59	19,092,316.63	4,588,473.95
Cork	36,249,702.05	5,030,891.27	35,200,173.11	4,604,069.94	34,424,120.67	4,288,857.83
Donegal	20,308,965.94	8,618,169.60	20,160,974.98	8,060,296.54	19,907,643.05	7,833,934.05
Dublin	1,041,933.97	99,327.65	1,036,787.01	88,867.72	1,028,845.21	82,203.19
Galway	30,214,062.86	11,206,110.21	29,549,338.61	10,349,534.74	29,057,306.52	9,834,993.20
Kerry	32,691,385.80	10,343,235.72	32,200,104.00	9,867,286.73	31,514,404.07	9,271,463.98
Kildare	5,090,075.07	161,200.49	4,833,816.46	120,712.24	4,793,165.21	110,524.55
Kilkenny	14,633,560.65	903,617.15	14,347,053.65	795,469.72	14,049,245.03	732,118.35
Laois	11,862,303.60	1,308,377.07	11,551,370.45	1,202,541.62	11,354,563.78	1,090,516.48
Leitrim	4,558,498.61	1,822,980.26	4,470,471.76	1,724,203.47	4,385,150.47	1,696,256.88
Limerick	12,916,488.58	2,780,329.42	12,604,442.90	2,565,289.29	12,300,191.98	2,321,463.31
Longford	2,222,325.77	486,770.15	2,159,604.33	476,012.62	2,120,644.35	434,946.45
Louth	2,879,275.82	432,726.43	2,622,191.35	405,959.23	2,525,330.86	385,361.95
Mayo	24,922,318.76	11,127,046.84	24,663,030.20	10,541,457.71	24,282,977.44	10,148,860.99
Meath	10,005,571.12	338,979.89	9,742,906.27	277,926.44	9,445,937.40	247,527.91
Monaghan	668,420.59	211,899.62	668,222.15	190,552.53	645,222.15	171,006.70
Offaly	6,240,272.23	1,060,093.33	6,139,577.60	986,919.73	6,155,640.05	898,591.47
Roscommon	10,061,475.74	2,588,463.00	9,902,461.92	2,513,487.53	9,683,890.15	2,317,706.70
Sligo	8,429,694.99	3,029,636.23	8,282,015.58	2,877,644.82	8,202,803.28	2,717,310.88
Tipperary	25,874,481.77	3,001,594.51	25,126,423.11	2,760,385.40	24,740,260.35	2,561,636.69
Waterford	13,921,300.41	1,101,513.98	13,666,703.53	917,657.89	13,261,678.30	860,480.14
Westmeath	6,753,556.18	919,675.76	6,600,838.97	853,321.70	6,374,169.97	766,700.64
Wexford	14,909,084.14	723,995.61	14,503,017.46	612,028.64	14,013,714.45	569,115.29
Wicklow	7,551,097.22	1,127,701.77	7,347,063.34	1,042,848.25	7,193,706.62	989,157.81

	SPS 2014 (€)	DAS 2014(€)
Carlow	8,501,475.62	678,548.45
Cavan	5,526,398.52	2,153,499.04
Clare	18,452,610.46	4,560,428.62
Cork	33,662,224.57	4,218,379.64
Donegal	19,354,618.86	7,495,359.09
Dublin	1,009,206.94	71,225.15
Galway	28,039,858.34	9,508,269.05
Kerry	30,503,438.08	9,216,625.75
Kildare	4,748,136.03	111,370.50
Kilkenny	13,760,204.18	727,122.35
Laois	11,078,771.06	1,082,605.95
Leitrim	4,258,038.56	1,669,158.80
Limerick	11,918,016.10	2,314,329.32
Longford	2,044,268.06	415,847.96
Louth	2,471,512.70	372,673.00
Mayo	23,412,532.19	9,863,899.09
Meath	9,277,142.55	248,172.18
Monaghan	578,025.23	170,470.60
Offaly	5,970,201.95	888,655.28
Roscommon	9,349,801.92	2,284,983.02
Sligo	7,922,508.17	2,663,794.31
Tipperary	24,353,410.26	2,572,624.41
Waterford	13,134,486.70	850,830.87
Westmeath	6,265,551.05	750,144.12
Wexford	13,390,670.24	563,581.09
Wicklow	6,986,350.19	969,158.46

Agriculture Scheme Penalties

Questions (355)

Martin Ferris

Question:

355. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason penalties have been imposed, under the single payment scheme, on a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the reason the remainder of the entitlements were not paid. [11572/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

EU Regulations governing the administration of the Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas scheme require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The holding of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection under the 2012 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas scheme.

This eligibility inspection identified discrepancies between the areas declared and the area found resulting in an over-declaration in area of greater than 50% in respect of the Single Payment Scheme and an over-declaration of greater than 20% but less than 50% under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Based on the terms and conditions of the schemes this resulted in no payments under these schemes in respect of 2012 and the application, under the Single Payment Scheme, of an administrative fine to be offset against any future EU payments. The person named was notified of this decision on 23 October 2012.

The person named sought a review of this decision and the outcome, which was to uphold the original decision, was notified by letter of 25 July 2013. The person named was also notified of the right to appeal this decision to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. My Department understands that no appeal has been submitted to that office to date.