Thursday, 26 Mar 2015

Written Answers Nos. 140-149

Land Parcel Identification System

Questions (140)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

140. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 10 March 2015, the reason, in accordance with Regulation 27 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, his Department did not consider the appropriate assessment process in advance of making significant reference area reductions on the Cloghaun, Kilbeg, Kilnagappagh, Gortnagley, Derrybrien west and Keelderry commonages, located in the Slieve Aughty special protection area in County Galway, especially in view of the precautionary principle; his views on the matter with specific reference to Regulation 27 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12471/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Under the provisions of the governing EU Regulations, in particular, Regulation EU No 1307/2013, my Department is only entitled to make payments under the Basic Payment Scheme, and the Greening Payment on land that meets the requirements of the Regulations. The determinations referred to were carried out to ensure that the regulatory requirements would continue to be adhered to in the processing of applications under the Direct Payment Schemes. The determinations made do not impact on the designated habitats in any way. As a significant element of the exclusions relate to the lack of any agricultural activity being carried out by claimants on the land they are declaring for payment purposes, it is open to the claimants to restore this land to an eligible status for payment purposes by commencing an agricultural activity on the land in question. It is also noted that payment can be made under the GLAS Scheme on those areas which are not currently eligible for payment under the Basic Payment and Greening Payment Schemes.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Questions (141)

Tom Fleming

Question:

141. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine an application under the disadvantaged areas grant for 2014 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, as there is an undue delay in payment and it is required to make that person's farm business viable in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12476/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 17 April 2014. Processing of the application was recently finalised with payment due to issue directly to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.

Land Parcel Identification System

Questions (142)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

142. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that by failing to inform commonage landowners of the presence of his Department's inspectors on their lands, his Department has not accorded these owners the right to refuse inspectors permission to enter onto their lands; his further views that this is non-discriminatory pursuant to the European Union direct payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12499/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In general, the inspections of commonages are undertaken as part of a ground eligibility inspection where the applicant selected for inspection has claimed commonage land or as part of a LPIS Review. If a commonage is being inspected as part of ground eligibility inspection, the applicant is informed in advance in the normal manner.

In addition to carrying out eligibility inspections, my Department is also obliged to carry out assessments of the ortho-imagery held in the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) database. The objective of this review is to ensure that all ineligible land and features are excluded from the land declared by applicants under the various Direct Payment Schemes. The process is normally carried out by visually assessing the latest ortho-images to identify ineligible areas and features in the land parcels declared by farmers. In some cases, however, it is necessary to carry out a verification check on the parcel or parcels under assessment. Such verification visits are not notified in advance to commonage claimants but all claimants are informed of the findings of the verification checks.

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Questions (143)

Martin Ferris

Question:

143. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of the single payment to special protection areas for the years 2008 to 2014, inclusive, in tabular form and by county. [12500/15]

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 statement:

-	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

Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Questions (144)

Martin Ferris

Question:

144. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the single payments or other entitlements of farmers in special protection areas have been adversely impacted upon or if the farmers have been penalised because of the designation of their lands. [12501/15]

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.

Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Questions (145)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

145. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the value of entitlements has been reduced in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12502/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As of the 2014 Scheme Year, no modulation was applied to payments received under the Single Payment Scheme. However, as the national ceiling available to Ireland was reduced proportionately, a linear reduction was applied to the value of all Single Payment entitlements so as to bring their total value into line with the national ceiling that was available for the 2014 Scheme Year.

The person named held 93.53 entitlements at the start of the 2014 Scheme year and a linear reduction of €13.94 was applied to each of these entitlements reducing their net unit value from €132.87 to €118.93. Also, the person named transferred 17.50 entitlements by way of sale for the 2014 Scheme Year leaving him with a balance of 76.03 entitlements at a net unit value of €118.93 each for the 2014 Scheme Year.

Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Questions (146)

Paul Connaughton

Question:

146. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the Scottish derogation in relation to entitlements from the national reserve; if the derogation will be available for farmers who previously held entitlements but had to give them up due to exceptional circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12503/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The “Scottish Derogation” allows for the allocation of payment entitlements to persons who never held Single Payment Scheme entitlements, either owned or leased, but who can produce verifiable evidence that they actively farmed in 2013. The Scottish Derogation will be open for applications in early April of this year and the Terms and Conditions of same, including eligibility conditions, will be available at that time.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme

Questions (147)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

147. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a payment in 2014 under the disadvantaged areas scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has been reduced, compared to the payment in 2013; if an overpayment will be explained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12505/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 12 May 201 4. A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the scheme revealed that some of the land parcels contained ineligible features. The person named was informed of these findings in writing on 29 October 2014. The area reductions resulted in an over-declaration penalty of between 3% and 20% of the determined area. The resulting reduced payment issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 6 November 2014.

Departmental Contracts Data

Questions (148)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

148. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13105/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department has not awarded any contracts to the company named since 1 January 2004.

The awarding of contracts to any company by the State Bodies under my Department's aegis is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves.

Legislative Process

Questions (149)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

149. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Defence the number of pieces of legislation that were submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by his Department since 2011; his plans to allow pre-legislative scrutiny for any upcoming pieces of legislation from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12410/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

To date, one piece of legislation has been submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by my Department since 2011. I referred the general scheme of the Defence Forces (Forensic Evidence) Bill 2015 to the Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on 12 March 2015.

Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Heads of Bills prepared by the Department will be submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny.