Written Answers Nos. 112-121
112. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied with the outcome of the recent public consultation on the discussion document on the potential for greenhouse gas mitigation within the agriculture and forestry sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26375/15]
View answerThe Programme for Government included a commitment to publish a Climate Change Bill to provide certainty surrounding Government policy on this topic. My colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, has primary responsibility for the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, which was published on 19 January this year. The Bill provides for the submission of National Low Carbon Transition and Mitigation plans and National Climate Change Adaptation Frameworks to the Government.
In anticipation of this legislation my Department began to prepare an agriculture and forest sector mitigation plan. Following the publication of the outline heads of the Bill in 2013 my Department sought the views of our many stakeholders on what they considered important in formulating such a plan. Since then my Department has continued to take an open consultative approach to the development of the plan. A number of meetings with stakeholders were held during 2014. Following this, a Discussion Document on the Potential for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation within the Agriculture and Forest Sector was opened to public consultation for an eight week period from 27 January to 23 March 2015. Sixteen submissions were received from individuals and organisations including state and semi-state bodies, NGOs, business, farming and environmental groups. A follow-up stakeholder consultation seminar took place in Portlaoise on 15 May to further explore the issues raised. The aim of this consultation process was to stimulate thinking from the public and interested stakeholders on mitigation in the agriculture and forest sector. Their input will now help to inform the preparation of the sectoral mitigation plan which will in turn feed into a national mitigation plan.
The sectoral mitigation and adaptation plans are also being informed by scientific evidence and research findings. They will specify the policy measures to be undertaken for both mitigation and adaption and will be fundamental pillars of future national policy. Given its importance on food production and economic grounds, the Irish agriculture sector must be in a position to anticipate and adapt to the negative impacts of climate change, as well as looking to maximise the benefits for the food production system.
In anticipation of enactment of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, work is already underway on developing the National Mitigation Plan. The primary objective of this Plan will be to track implementation of measures already underway and identify additional measures within the longer term to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and progress the overall national low carbon transition agenda to 2050.
115. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will amend the beef data and genomics scheme in order that a farmer who is in breach of certain conditions in a given year will be liable to pay clawback penalties for that year only and not be liable to pay penalties for any years preceding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26516/15]
View answer116. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that if a farmer sells or leases land due to market fluctuation or a situation where it becomes unprofitable to produce suckler animals, this will be considered force majeure, and the farmer will be able to exit the beef data and genomics scheme without incurring clawback penalties, as was indicated by the assistant secretary general (details supplied) at the most recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26517/15]
View answer117. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that if a farmer wishes to exit the beef data and genomics scheme due to old age, limited physical ability, a decline in mental health or any condition resulting in inability to manage a farm, this will be considered force majeure and the farmer will be able to exit the scheme without incurring clawback penalties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26518/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 115 to 117, inclusive, together.
My Department launched the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) on 5 May and just under 30,000 applications had been received by the extended closing date of 5 June. The Programme forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) and over the next six years will allocate funding of some €300 million to suckler farmers in Ireland. The BDGP builds upon the large investment in data recording and genomics which has been made in recent years, and will ultimately bring about fundamental and strategic improvements to the entire sector by substantially improving the overall genetic quality of the Irish beef herd. It represents a major vote of confidence in the beef sector from this government and the initial figures suggest that the Programme has been fully subscribed.
As regards the penalty system, it is important to note that it includes appropriate tolerances where minor non-compliances occur in the various scheme requirements and no penalty will be applied in these cases. Furthermore, in most cases where reductions in payment are applied, they relate to payment in the year in question rather than clawbacks of payments in previous years. In more serious cases, however, a penalty will be applied and cases of serious non-compliance may result in recoupment of payment from previous years. Further information on this matter is detailed in the Programme Terms and Conditions which were sent to all beef farmers and are available on my Department’s website. I am satisfied that the approach adopted reflects a proportionate response while remaining consistent with the governing regulations.
Force majeure clauses have been included in the Terms and Conditions where withdrawal from the programme is caused by circumstances beyond the applicant’s control, such as illness or animal disease. Without prejudice to the actual circumstances to be taken into consideration in individual cases, the Terms and Conditions note that the following categories of force majeure may be recognised:
- death of the beneficiary,
- long term professional incapacity of the beneficiary,
- expropriation of all or a large part of the holding if that expropriation could not have been anticipated on the day of lodging the application,
- severe natural disaster gravely affecting the holding,
- the accidental destruction of livestock buildings on the holding,
- an epizootic or a plant disease affecting part or all of the beneficiary's livestock or crops respectively.
I have already committed that the Department will examine each application for force majeure on a case by case basis.
My Department has also confirmed that where an applicant sells or leases his/her land, as referred to by the Deputy, or transfers it by inheritance or gift, there will be no clawback of funds. Of course, where an applicant retains sufficient land to fulfil the requirements of the Programme (the maximum payable area), he or she is required to continue to meet its terms and conditions on an ongoing basis.
118. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of anti-social behaviour problems (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26530/15]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that An Garda Síochána have instigated Operation Irene, a policing plan designed to address the sorts of issues referred to. This plan commenced on 1 June 2015 and will run until 30 August 2015.
In relation to Howth Fishery Harbour Centre, I am informed that Operation Irene will provide an increased Garda presence over the summer months. Gardaí will continue to patrol and deal with all incidents as deemed appropriate. In this regard, Gardaí monitor persons disembarking from trains at Howth Dart Station and actively patrol the area, with public order patrols of beaches and public amenities being carried out at appropriate times.
My Department is part of a multiagency approach being pursued with ongoing liaison between An Garda Síochána, Dart Control, Fingal County Council, and Iarnród Éireann with a view to addressing any issues that may arise. I also understand that An Garda Síochána are reminding local shops and businesses of their legal obligations in relation to the sale of intoxicating liquor.
119. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that farmers could end up with penalties of up to 140% of an annual payment under the beef data and genomics programme for failure to meet the 50% four to five star target, even though such failure could be completely outside their control and in reality be due to poor reliability figures from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation; if he will establish a scheme with a six-year contract which would result in a likely clawback of all payments for previous years where farmers decide to change their systems of farming due to income pressures and economic realities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26553/15]
View answerThe Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and allocates funding of some €300 million over the next six years to suckler farmers in Ireland. The Programme builds on the large strategic investment in data recording and genomics which the country has made in recent years. It will ultimately bring about fundamental and strategic improvements to the entire beef sector by substantially improving the overall genetic quality of the national beef herd. This is an objective I believe we all should share.
The replacement strategy is an essential element of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) if the overall objectives of the Programme are to be achieved, i.e. a reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the improvement of the genetic merit of the national beef herd. Twenty per cent of the payment is for the purchase/breeding of 4 and 5 star heifers and this component of the overall payment is made in each year of the programme, starting in year one, although the participant is not required to fully meet the replacement requirement until 2020. Any penalties for non compliance with this element of the Programme will apply only to that 20% component of the payment.
In the event that the participant achieves compliance for the replacement females of between ninety and ninety nine per cent, a proportionate reduction will be applied to that component of the payment based on the actual compliance level. This provides some flexibility whereby farmers who go most of the way to meeting their requirement, but do not achieve 100% compliance, will only have a proportionate reduction applied and no additional penalty will be incurred.
However, if less than ninety per cent compliance is achieved by 2020, no payment will be made for that element of the total payment for that year, i.e. twenty per cent of the total payment. In addition, a penalty of the equivalent amount will be imposed and any payments made in previous years for this element of the payment will be recovered. As 20% of the payment each year relates to replacement females, it is necessary to reclaim this 20% proportion from the payment in later years where this requirement has not been met. This is a central component of the programme and I believe that there is a sufficient lead in time for participants to achieve this requirement by 31 October 2020. In addition, each participant will be provided with tailored BDGP training, together with ongoing information from ICBF which will assist them in developing a replacement strategy that will ensure that the replacement targets can be met with confidence on each holding.
This programme is aimed at committed suckler farmers who are willing to commit to this farming system for a 6 year period and experience from the past indicates that only a minority of farmers change farming practices in any given period. As regards exiting the programme during the 6 year period, force majeure clauses have been included in the Terms and Conditions where withdrawal is caused by circumstances beyond the applicant’s control, such as illness or animal disease. If force majeure circumstances arise, such as death or the long term incapacity of the participant, then payments will not be recovered. My Department has also confirmed that where an applicant sells or leases his/her land, or transfers it by inheritance or gift, there will be no clawback of funds. Of course, where an applicant retains sufficient land to fulfil the requirements of the Programme (the maximum payable area), he or she is required to continue to meet its terms and conditions on an ongoing basis.
120. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine based on applications under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme examined to date, the number of applicants who will be approved for payments of up to €1,000, from €1,000 to €2,000 and so on, in intervals of €1,000 up to €7,000, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26569/15]
View answerAlmost 27,000 GLAS applications submitted will now 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 and I anticipate contracts will commence in October and run until the end of 2020. Based on the total value of applications received, I expect that the average payment will be in the order of €5,000.
It is not possible at this early stage to provide the detailed information sought by the Deputy and this level of detail will only be available following the completion of all checks and the selection of successful applicants for approval into the scheme. However, the qualifying score built into the system for evaluating Tier 3 applicants, i.e. those without Priority Environmental Assets, is based on a reasonable expectation of what can be achieved at holding level, equivalent for example to 10 hectares of low input permanent pasture, 15 Bat Boxes and 6 Bird Boxes. This would generate the applicant a return of €3,365, and I would therefore expect most applications to achieve or exceed this level of return.
121. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that, on average, the number of applicants applying under the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme in respect of commonages is considerably lower than two per commonage, even allowing for the fact that some farmers have shares in more than one commonage and that he recently stated that 4,000 scheme applicants with commonage covered nearly 2,700 commonages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26570/15]
View answerI am very pleased that over half of all commonages in the country are represented in the first tranche of GLAS applications. Further analysis is needed to determine exactly the average number of farmers per commonage in GLAS, as some farmers operate on several commonages.
What is clear is that there are commonage farmers who have not yet applied for the Scheme. Some of these are undoubtedly in AEOS and intend to see out their AEOS contracts, confident in the knowledge that they will receive priority access to GLAS when they do decide to join. Others may have waited in order to see if a commonage management plan is commenced on their particular commonage. This option was open to farmers, given that commonage management plans can be joined at a later date and that priority access remains open to these farmers.
I would expect additional applications from Commonage farmers under the second tranche of GLAS, which opens in the Autumn.
