Written Answers Nos. 307-317
307. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the skillset and qualifications available to the inspectorate of his Department for those charged with the carrying out of ground inspection visits of commonage type land, in determining its eligibility for payment under the schemes administered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14801/15]
View answerEU Regulations governing the Direct Payments Schemes and other area-based schemes requires my Department to ensure that all eligibility requirements are complied with. The regulations require that a minimum of 5% of applicants must be inspected each year to ensure that the land declared for aid, including commonage type land, is eligible for payment. My Department has a dedicated Inspection Unit to undertake these inspections. This unit interprets the governing EU regulations as they relate to inspection requirements and implements an inspection process to meet these requirements. The inspections are subject to repeated audits by the European Commission and European Court of Auditors which ensures an independent verification that inspections are conducted in full compliance with the legal requirements. The inspection process has been amended over the years to reflect changes in the governing regulations and also to reflect comments and findings contained in the various audit reports.
Inspecting officers in my Department are regularly trained in inspection procedures, with a process of continuous oversight by supervisors and random verification inspections to ensure a consistent approach. In addition, the Inspection Unit participates fully at various meetings and workshops organised by the European Commission on land eligibility , where Commission experts and experts from other EU member states share their knowledge. In this way the Inspection Unit has and continues to build up extensive corporate knowledge on land eligibility. This ensures that the EU regulatory requirements are being fully met and also that the training of the inspecting officers on inspection procedures is kept up-to-date.
308. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a reply will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [14812/15]
View answerThe person named submitted an application for AEOS 3 but was unsuccessful following the selection process as set out in the Terms and Conditions. The person was notified in writing of the outcome of his application and the reasons were outlined.
It is, however, open to the person named to apply for the GLAS Scheme through an approved GLAS advisor. The closing date for the submission of online applications for this first tranche of GLAS is 22 May, 2015. After the first tranche closes, all GLAS applications received will be assessed and approved in line with the priority environmental assets and pre-determined selection criteria. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application.
309. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that the €40,000 ceiling is preventing farmers from getting into the new single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14848/15]
View answerThe 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. After consultation with this Committee in recent months and in the context of the limited funding available to the National Reserve, it was decided that an off farm income limit of €40,000 would be applied to all applicants. The corresponding off farm income limit under the previous National Reserve was €30,000. Applicants under the 2015 National Reserve also have the flexibility of choosing either the 2013 or 2014 tax year, whichever is more advantageous. Applicants must comply with all eligibility criteria including off farm income criteria in order to be deemed eligible to qualify for an allocation of entitlements under the National Reserve. By increasing the off-farm income limit and granting a choice of reference years, I have granted the maximum possible flexibility regarding income limits for the National Reserve.
310. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 293 of 10 March 2015, in which he acknowledged that no radical change in the aquaculture sector was to be expected from the Seafood Development Programme 2007 to 2013, the reason he is continuing with this policy of directing scarce resources into an industry that cannot, and will not, provide significant direct employment, that is dividing communities, that is destructive to the environment, and that is clearly in decline. [14916/15]
View answerI said in my response to Question No. 293 of 10 March 2015 that no radical change in the aquaculture sector was to be expected as a result of the modest investment supported through the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013. Clearly a larger programme of supports would have incentivised more productive investments. Despite that, and the particular issues faced by the sector over the period, BIM advised me that the value of the sector held steady over the period, as did the overall employment although volume of production did fall for specified reasons as set out in my reply of 10th March 2015. I believe that significant growth can be anticipated in the coming years through increased investment. The potential for growth and job creation in the aquaculture sector has been widely recognised internationally over a number of years. The Maritime Agenda for Growth and Jobs (Limassol Declaration) adopted on 8 October 2012 by European Ministers for maritime policy and the European Commission placed a particular emphasis on the potential of the Blue Economy to contribute to economic recovery in the EU. The Agenda focused in particular on 5 areas of high potential, including aquaculture. From a national perspective, Food Harvest 2020 recognises the potential of the seafood sector, in particular aquaculture and seafood processing, to contribute to employment growth and aims to increase employment in the seafood sector from 11,000 to 14,000 by 2020. This potential is echoed in Action Plan for Jobs 2015.
On 27 March 2015, I announced plans for a new €241 million development programme for the seafood sector for the period up to 2020, co-funded by the EU through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. I am inviting submissions on that draft Programme by 1 May 2015. The draft Seafood Development Programme 2014-2020 proposes investment of €30 million in a number of measures specifically intended to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. Those investment plans will be supported by a new National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture, which I am finalising with Bord Iascaigh Mhara and will publish for public consultation shortly. Through that National Strategic Plan and targeted investment under the Seafood Development Programme I will be seeking to identify all of the issues affecting the sustainable growth of the sector and the policy actions and supporting investment needed to address those issues. Strategic Environmental Assessments will accompany both the National Strategic Plan and Seafood Development Programme.
311. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 290 of 10 March 2015, the experts from whom he is seeking the very detailed scientific and environmental advice on the Galway Bay licence application; the way this advice will relate to advice from the Marine Institute on the application; and if the advice sought relates only to the Galway Bay application. [14917/15]
View answerAs the Deputy has been advised the specific aquaculture licence application from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for the cultivation of finfish in Galway Bay is under active consideration by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. The assessment process reflects the full engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects of the application.
The main scientific input to my Department’s assessment of the application is provided, in the normal way, by the Marine Institute and other relevant Statutory Consultees. The assessment process will, of course, also take into account relevant scientific and environmental inputs received as part of the public consultation stage of the process.
As the application is under active consideration by my Department as part of the statutory process it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on it at this time.
312. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 291 of 10 March 2015, how the way in which he and his Department act as aquaculture licence regulators and decision makers for the Shot Head licence application could be in any way deemed transparent and independent, in view of the detailed contacts that his Department has had with the applicant company. [14918/15]
View answerAs the Deputy has already been advised, Marine Harvest Ireland has submitted an application to my Department for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish at Shot Head, Bantry Bay. All marine aquaculture licence applications are considered by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. The legislation provides for a period of both statutory and general public consultation on each application received.
There is always a strict separation between my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed.
In the normal course of official business, my officials and I meet with representatives of the aquaculture industry and individual companies on an ongoing basis to discuss licensing and industry development issues.
These interactions with industry do not conflict with my role or the role of my Department in relation to licensing, which is set out in legislation.
313. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual production outturn for marine finish aquaculture and, separately, for marine shellfish aquaculture for each of the years 2004 to 2014, inclusive. [14919/15]
View answerThe information requested by the deputy is set out in the table.
IRISH AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION 2004-2014 VOLUME (tonnes)
|
Year |
Shellfish |
Finfish |
Totals |
|
2004 |
43,091 |
15,263 |
58,354 |
|
2005 |
47,454 |
15,384 |
62,838 |
|
2006 |
44,696 |
12,726 |
57,422 |
|
2007 |
41,266 |
11,238 |
52,504 |
|
2008 |
33,887 |
11,119 |
45,006 |
|
2009 |
33,865 |
13,842 |
47,707 |
|
2010 |
29,744 |
17,216 |
46,960 |
|
2011 |
30,843 |
13,942 |
44,785 |
|
2012 |
22,718 |
13,723 |
36,441 |
|
2013 |
24,044 |
10,586 |
34,630 |
The decline in production as illustrated by the table has occurred because of a shortage of seed mussel availability in the Irish Sea Fishery due to weather related conditions and also, due to a drop in the volume of output from salmon farming because of an unexpected health challenge to the stocks in 2012.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) estimates that 2014 will mark a low point in the volume output from the sector and that the outturn from the sector will begin to increase once again in 2015 and beyond. This is because there has been a substantial recovery in the seed mussel fishery in the Irish Sea in 2014 which will begin to feed through into increased harvest volumes in 2015 and 2016. Also, the salmon industry has developed techniques and technologies to deal with the health challenges it was encountering with stock and the indications are that output from this sector will also increase in 2015.
In addition, the economic value of the sector has stayed at a relatively high level due to increased prices and increased market demand for the product.
314. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons directly employed in the operation of marine salmon farms; if the employment is seasonal; and if employment is full-time or part-time. [14920/15]
View answerAccording to the 2013 Annual BIM Employment and Production Survey of the Irish aquaculture sector, there were 416 people employed directly in the salmon farming industry. Of these, 230 were full-time year round employees and 186 were classed as part-time employees. Food Harvest 2020 recognises the potential of the seafood sector, in particular aquaculture and seafood processing, to contribute to employment growth and aims to increase employment in the sector from 11,000 to 14,000 by 2020. This potential is echoed in Action Plan for Jobs 2015.
On 27 March 2015, I announced plans for a new €241 million development programme for the seafood sector for the period up to 2020, co-funded by the EU through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. I am inviting submissions on that draft Programme by 1 May 2015. The draft Seafood Development Programme 2014-2020 proposes investment of €30 million in a number of measures specifically intended to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. Those investment plans will be supported by a new National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture, which I am finalising with Bord Iascaigh Mhara and will publish for public consultation shortly. Through that National Strategic Plan and targeted investment under the Seafood Development Programme I will be seeking to identify all of the issues affecting the sustainable growth of the sector and the policy actions and supporting investment needed to address those issues. These initiatives can be expected to contribute significantly to achievement of the employment creation targets for aquaculture specified in Food Harvest 2020.
315. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the dramatic increase in sea lice infestation in certain marine salmon farms, if he regards his Department's sea lice management programme as adequate; and the specific measures he is taking to tackle this increase which is causing so much damage to wild salmon. [14921/15]
View answerThe control protocols for the management of sea lice are operated by the Marine Institute on behalf of the State and are more advanced than those operated in other jurisdictions for the following reasons:
- the inspection regime is totally independent of the industry
- data obtained as a result of inspections is published
- treatment trigger levels are set at a low level
Aquaculture operators are required to comply fully with directions from the Marine Institute regarding lice control. In situations where treatment has not been sufficient to bring lice levels below treatment trigger levels the operators are directed to take additional measures. These actions include additional sustained treatments, early fallowing of sites and accelerated harvesting.
These control protocols have been the subject of detailed investigation and testing by the EU Commission which has confirmed that it regards the sea lice protocols operated in Ireland as representing best practice internationally.
316. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dividend paid to the Exchequer for each year from 2000 to 2014 by Coillte; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14933/15]
View answerThe table lists the dividends paid to the Exchequer by Coillte for each year from 2000 to 2014.
|
Year |
Dividend Paid |
|
2000 - 2007 |
No dividend paid |
|
2008 |
€2.6m |
|
2009 -2010 |
No dividend paid |
|
2011 |
€10m |
|
2012 |
€2m |
|
2013 |
€2m |
|
2014 |
€4m |
317. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list of the semi-State commercial companies under his control, the policy of a dividend payment to the Exchequer from each company, the dividend paid by each company to the Exchequer for each year from 2000 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14958/15]
View answerThere are four commercial bodies under the aegis of my Department; Coillte, Bord na gCon, Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish National Stud. With regard to Coillte, one of the Government’s overall current policy objectives for Coillte is that the company should maintain financial policies and a capital structure that facilitate the payment of dividends to its shareholders. Coillte and its Board are in the process of developing a formal dividend policy, which is to include the method by which the dividend payable each year will be calculated in the context of the company’s financial performance. Active engagement with NewERA is anticipated in the process of concluding a formal dividend policy.
The table lists the dividends paid to the Exchequer by Coillte for each year from 2000 to 2014.
|
Year |
Dividend Paid by Coillte |
|
2000 - 2007 |
No dividend paid |
|
2008 |
€2.6m |
|
2009 -2010 |
No dividend paid |
|
2011 |
€10m |
|
2012 |
€2m |
|
2013 |
€2m |
|
2014 |
€4m |
Neither Horse Racing Ireland, its subsidiaries, Bord na gCon nor the Irish National Stud paid a dividend from profit generated or retained during the period in question.
