Written Answers Nos. 339-355
339. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline his plans to ensure an adequate supply of skilled manpower to focus on the nursery crops and landscape sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18596/15]
View answerHorticultural training and education is provided through various colleges and universities. The main providers are: University College Dublin provides a HETAC level 8 degree in Horticulture as part of its Bachelor of Agriculture Science degree programme. The course covers a wide range of subjects including landscaping, nursery stock, sports turf management along with science and business.
There are 16 final year students on the course. Teagasc Colleges at Kildalton and the National Botanic Gardens provide a range of horticultural courses including FETAC level 5 with most students then progressing to level 6. In conjunction with Waterford institute of Technology, students can progress to the BSc in Horticulture at HETAC level 7. Approximately 50 students per year graduate across the colleges at level 6 and 7.
Cork Institute of Technology, in conjunction with the Teagasc Agricultural College in Clonakilty, provide HETAC level 7 and 8 degrees in Horticulture. Blanchardstown Institutes of Technology also provide their own horticultural degree courses at level 7 and 8 with upwards of 20 graduates per year.
Some other Institutes of Technology are also looking at the opportunities of providing courses in horticulture. Many of the graduates of these courses work in nurseries, landscaping and as managers of horticultural establishments or go on to establish their own businesses.
Overall, there are a significant number of courses and training opportunities for those who are interested in a career in horticulture and I am confident that the Colleges are constantly monitoring the situation to ensure that there is a sufficient number of graduates emerging from these institutions to meet the requirements of industry.
340. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline his views on the current status of the sports horse industry; his plans for any incentive in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18172/15]
View answerI am conscious of the contribution of the sport horse industry to the Irish economy, especially across rural Ireland. While the sector contributes over €700m to the economy and provides the equivalent of 12,500 full time jobs, its full potential has not been reached.
Against that background, last year I launched an initiative by Horse Sport Ireland, Teagasc, the Royal Dublin Society to devise a ten-year strategy for the sport horse industry and in February 2015, I launched their report entitled “Reaching New Heights: Report of Irish Sport Horse Industry Strategy Committee".
The report contains a wide range of recommendations for the development of the sport horse industry over the next ten years, including improving quality through more focussed breeding, developing the education and training structures for the transfer of knowledge to breeders, improving the marketing and sales capacity across the industry, increasing participation in the sector, progressing the health and welfare of horses and deepening the institutional capacity to deliver on the goals of the strategy.
The Strategy Report provides a roadmap to inject greater confidence and professionalism into the industry and will be used as a vehicle to promote and inform policy with particular emphasis on job creation and sustainable enterprise development and the facilitation of export led growth.
In addition to the annual grant and the equine infrastructure grants that my Department provides to Horse Sport Ireland, I allocated an additional sum of €600,000 to HSI for 2015 to facilitate their plans to enhance marketing, to increase prize-money across a range of competitions and to stimulate some innovative events.
One such innovative event organised by HSI in conjunction with Bord na gCon is ‘Jumping in the City’ whereby in the month of June showjumping competitions will take place at three greyhound stadia, Cork, Limerick and Shelbourne Park, with a view to raising the profile of showjumping.
Also I recently launched the Knowledge Transfer measure under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. This is one of a suite of measures included under the Rural Development Programme and will involve the formation and administration of knowledge transfer groups in the equine sector in 2015 which will be a vital part of an enhanced structure for education and training of equine breeders.
341. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a nitrates non-compliance penalty issued to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be waived following the submission of additional information. [18184/15]
View answerThe Department’s records indicate that in 2013, the amount of nitrogen from livestock manure applied to land on the holding of the person named (including that deposited by animals) was 236 kgs per hectare, which exceeded the limit of 170 kgs per hectare set down in the Nitrates Regulations. This figure included the importation of 545 cubic metres of pig manure onto the farm in 2013.
The person named was notified of this decision on 27th February 2015 and of his right of appeal. The person named has recently appealed this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office (AAO), which is an independent body. The AAO will make a determination on the appeal in due course and will notify the person named of the decision in writing.
342. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the position regarding a cross-compliance penalty against a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18187/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 2 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed to ensure compliance with scheme requirements. The application of the person named was selected for a Cross Compliance inspection.
This inspection identified breaches in relation to sheep identification and registration requirements resulting in a 20% penalty being applied. In addition, the inspection identified non-compliances with the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) standards relating to the requirement to ensure a minimum level of maintenance of land, resulting in a 3% penalty being applied.
These non-compliances resulted in an overall penalty of 23% being applied against the 2014 Direct Payment Schemes. The person named was notified of this decision on 20 October 2014. The person named has appealed this decision and this request is currently being examined. The person named will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
343. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will take steps to ensure that a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath is paid a single payment entitlement under the 2014 European Union single payment scheme; if same will be expedited in view of the fact that the person has submitted the appropriate proof of ownership of the lands that are the subject matter of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18199/15]
View answer344. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that appropriate payments are paid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath under the 2014 single payment scheme as an early decision is vital in the context where, due to a dispute, this person is not able to make an application under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, which has to be submitted by 15 May 2015, while this payment situation is unresolved; if he will have same expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18200/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 344 together.
The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 15 May 2014. During initial processing, dual claims were identified in respect of two of the parcels declared. This matter is now resolved and following an investigation the parcels in question were awarded to the person named.
The Terms and Conditions of the 2014 Single Farm Payment Scheme provide that, applicants are required to be a holder of a registered herd number or have applied to the local District Veterinary Office for a herd number on or before 15 May 2014. The person named applied to the local DVO for a herd number on 22 May 2014. As the person named did not have nor had applied for a herd number at date of application he was ineligible for payment in 2014. A letter outlining this decision and offering the person named the right of appeal will issue shortly.
The person named now has a valid herd number and so may apply for Departmental schemes including GLAS in 2015. Eligibility and approval into any schemes applied for will depend on compliance with individual scheme Terms and Conditions.
345. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18205/15]
View answerAn application under 2014 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 7 May 2014. Processing of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application was completed and payment issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 29 April 2015.
346. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out his views on correspondence in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow under the installation aid scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18206/15]
View answerIn accordance with the EU Regulations governing the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme, a young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting that application. Priority under the National Reserve is given to ‘young farmers’ and to ‘new entrants to farming’. A new entrant is defined as a farmer who commenced their agricultural activity during the previous two years. The Regulations governing the operation of 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 who suffer from a ‘Specific Disadvantage’.
Following my Department’s consultation with the EU Commission, I announced in March 2015 that the group commonly known as “Old Young Farmers”, who established their holding between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2009, and who, due to the timeframe of setting up their holding did not benefit from either the Installation Aid, which closed for applications in October 2008, or the Young Farmer category of the National Reserve, can be considered as a ‘group suffering from specific disadvantage’. The result is that this group is eligible to apply to the National Reserve under Phase 2 which opened for applications on 1st April 2015. Successful applicants under the National Reserve will be eligible for an allocation of entitlements at the National Average value on land for which they hold no entitlements (on the basis of 1 entitlement for 1 hectare of eligible land declared). In respect of existing entitlements with a value below the National Average, they will receive a top-up to the National Average value. The allocation of entitlements and top-up to the value of existing entitlements is subject to a maximum of 90.
The person named has been in correspondence with my Department regarding his application under the National Reserve. He had initially applied for the ‘young farmer’ priority category of the National Reserve but subsequently contacted my Department regarding the ‘Old Young Farmer’ category for young farmers who established their holdings in 2008 and 2009. My Department issued the Terms and Conditions for the ‘Old Young Farmer’ scheme to the person named and also notified him that his request to have his application amended has been accepted.
347. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the position regarding outstanding payments under the disadvantaged areas scheme and the single payment scheme in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18232/15]
View answerAn application for 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantage Areas’ scheme was received from the estate of the person named on 6 May 2014. A transfer of entire holding has recently been finalised and monies due under the Single Farm Payment Scheme will issue shortly.
Payment under the 2013 and 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme have not issued as yet, as the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact the person named directly to discuss the outstanding issues.
348. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the position regarding payments under the agri-environment options scheme in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18277/15]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1 September 2010 and received payments in respect of the scheme years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
However, the cross check with the 2014 Single Payment system revealed that two of the AEOS parcels on this persons contract had been declared on the Single Payment Scheme application of another herd owner. Under the Terms and Conditions of the scheme, all undertakings under AEOS must be continued for a minimum period of five years. As this did not happen for the parcels in question they are no longer eligible for payment under the scheme and payments made on these parcels must be recouped.
The person name was informed in writing of this decision. The person named subsequently appealed this decision to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. The appeal is still ongoing.
349. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the position regarding an outstanding payment under the rural environment protection scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18283/15]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the 2012 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1 May 2013.
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.
Officials are currently processing the application and payment in respect of the 2014 scheme year will issue shortly.
350. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the position regarding headage payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18292/15]
View answerThe person named was one of a number of applicants under the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted by the requirement to have had a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare under the 2011 Scheme. My Department wrote to all concerned applicants in August 2012 giving them the opportunity to seek derogation from this requirement.
However, as the person named did not apply for the 2012 and 2013 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme she did not receive the letter already referred to above. I have arranged for an official from my Department to issue the letter relating to the derogation application to the person named.
351. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments due will issue under the 2014 single payment scheme and the disadvantaged areas scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18362/15]
View answerAn application under the 2014 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2014. Initial processing identified a number of issues which following protracted correspondence between the person named and my Department are now resolved. Outstanding payments are due to issue directly to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.
352. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the membership of the land parcel identification system appeals committee; its modus operandi; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18363/15]
View answerThe LPIS (Land Parcel Identification System) Appeals Committee is a temporary ad hoc Committee, which I established to adjudicate on appeals received in respect of the 2013 Review of Eligibility of land parcels. The members of the Committee comprise of an independent chairperson together with Appeals Officers assigned to the Agriculture Appeals Office as required.
Farmers dissatisfied with a decision affecting them under the 2013 Review of Eligibility of Land parcels are entitled in the first instance to request a review of that decision from my Department. In some cases, the review process will include a ground verification check in order to assess the points made by the applicant. Persons dissatisfied with the outcome of the review are entitled to appeal that decision to the LPIS Appeals Committee by completing the appropriate application form and returning it together with all supporting documentation to my Department within four weeks of the date of the review decision.
Following the completion of an assessment of the case, the Committee will make a recommendation on the appeal to my Department. Where a farmer is not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal, he or she can refer the matter to the Office of the Ombudsman.
353. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the delay in processing payments under the agri-environment options scheme to farmers following a penalty review; whether the delays are being attributed to computer overload; and whether departmental staff are unable to confirm the number of weeks or months it will take to process these payments. [18391/15]
View answerWhere penalties have been imposed under AEOS, these must be deducted and recorded by way of dedicated IT functionality, to ensure full compatibility with all EU regulations and to provide an enhanced audit-trail. The additional IT development work has now been completed and has been successfully tested. Processing of all remaining payments will now commence later this week.
354. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the number of complaints received by his Department relating to a pupply farm in County Carlow that are being investigated; the date each complaint was registered with his Department; the action taken on each complaint; if the complaints were forwarded to An Garda Síochána for investigation; if his Department was made aware of complaints made to the local authority in Carlow and to An Garda Síochána; if these complaints will now be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18424/15]
View answerNo complaints in regard to the premises in question were received by my Department. Matters relating to the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2009 are dealt with by the Local Authorities and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
Following on from the ISPCA/Local Authority inspection, my Department withdrew the transporter authorisation held by the individual concerned as well as his premises registration number under the “Balai” Council Directive 92/65/EEC.
355. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies within his Department funded by or established by his Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18427/15]
View answerMy Department has neither established nor abolished any agency, quango or other body, since March 2011.
Of the forty six bodies listed as candidates for critical review by end June 2012 in the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011 by the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) three from this Department were reviewed for possible abolition or merger;
1. National Milk Agency (NMA) – to consider abolishing or merging with Bord Bia
2. Irish Marine Development Office – functions to be subsumed into the Marine Institute
3. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) – to consider subsuming certain functions into this Department. (The marketing functions of BIM had been transferred to Bord Bia prior to the period in question).
A review group considered abolishing or merging the National Milk Agency with An Bord Bia. As the NMA does not receive any financial support from the State and its functions are quite distinct and separate from those of An Bord Bia, it has been decided not to proceed with this proposal.
As regards BIM, the review group concluded that BIM should continue as a separate entity under the governance of the Department and this recommendation has been accepted.
As the Irish Marine Development Office is already integrated with the Marine Institute from an administrative perspective no further action is required.
