Written Answers Nos. 132-141
132. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his ongoing progress in establishing new markets for the Irish food sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26657/15]
View answerAgri-food exports to non-EU markets grew to a record €3.1 billion in 2014, an increase of 15% over 2013, with particularly strong growth in exports to Asia (+36%) and the Gulf States (+39%). Non-EU markets accounted for 28% of total Irish agri-food exports last year, with significant potential for further growth.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have led several successful trade missions to facilitate trade promotion and market access to markets outside the EU, including to the United States, China, the Gulf States and Algeria. These visits provided the numerous Irish companies who accompanied me with an opportunity to increase their profile in new markets and build upon existing trade relationships. My visits to China and the US were also instrumental in helping to re-open these valuable markets to Irish beef.
To date this year, I have:
- led a successful trade mission to the US in February to launch beef access to this very valuable market;
- welcomed Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Agriculture Minister Han Changfu on a farm visit in Mayo, which proved an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate the best of Irish farming to the Chinese Government and the Chinese media;
- hosted meetings with Ministers and high level delegations from several non-EU countries.
I am presently finalising plans to lead trade missions to the US and to Asia, including China, in the last quarter of 2015. I will also lead a trade mission to West Africa. This mission will offer Irish food companies an opportunity to showcase their produce to a large and emerging market outside of our more traditional destinations.
133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that farm families will continue to benefit from Common Agricultural Policy reform in a fair and equitable fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26658/15]
View answerI am satisfied that farm families in Ireland will continue to benefit from the reformed CAP in a fair and equitable fashion.
The 2013 reforms agreed to the Common Agriculture Policy set the policy framework for Irish and European agriculture for the period up to 2020 and are of central importance in shaping the future of agriculture policy for the rest of this decade. The outcome has a crucial bearing on the development of the Irish agri-food sector in accordance with the Food Harvest 2020 strategy. It also makes an important contribution to the achievement of the objectives in the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to deliver smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The changes are consistent with the smart, green, growth objectives of Food Harvest and provide farmers and the agri-food sector with stability and policy certainty to 2020.
There were three key aspects to the 2013 reforms:
1. Greater emphasis has been placed on sustainability through the “greening” of direct payments and the requirement to support agri-environment measures in rural development programme.
2. New and enhanced supports have been introduced for young farmers under both pillars on the CAP.
3. The reformed CAP has continued the movement towards greater market orientation, through the phasing out of production quotas for key products, the provision of safety-net supports in the case of severe market disturbance and the introduction of flexible measures that can be mobilised promptly and effectively to deal with crises.
Already the additional flexibility to manage crises has allowed the EU Commission to introduce additional market support measures to address the effects of the Russian import ban on EU agri-food products. The changes made to the direct payments system, including the provisions on greening, come into force this year and I am convinced that the reforms will help the agri-food sector in Ireland to achieve its full potential. Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) was formally adopted by the EU Commission at the end of May and marks the next step in the roll out of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy. Implementation has commenced of a number of key schemes contained in our RDP and the continued roll out of RDP schemes and supports will help to underpin economic growth and development throughout rural Ireland.
In short, I believe that the reforms agreed under Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union underpin the sustainable intensification of production in the years ahead, will support environmental stewardship and contribute to the maintenance of a vibrant rural economy.
135. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual savings to his Department and the bodies under its aegis in reducing all commercial semi-State bodies' chief executive officers' pay by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26911/15]
View answerThe total amount of the salaries of the Chief Executive Officer's of the four commercial semi-state bodies under my aegis is €648,126; 10% of this figure would be €64,812.
|
Bord/Agency |
Salary |
|
Coillte |
€191,014 |
|
Bord na gCon |
€132,920 |
|
Horse Racing Ireland |
€190,773 |
|
Irish National Stud |
€133,419 |
136. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual saving to his Department if spending on education and training was reduced by 2.5%, 5% and 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26914/15]
View answerTotal Savings on Education and Training in 2014 if spending was reduced by the percentage indicated by the Deputy are as follows:
2.5% = €20,368
5% = €40,736
10% = €81,472.
137. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual saving to his Department if spending on professional fees, including but not limited to legal, IT-related, accountancy and other advisory and consultancy fees, was reduced by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26942/15]
View answerIt is not possible to provide this information in the time available. I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
138. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual saving to the Exchequer if the Minister's special advisers' salaries were capped at the first point of the principal officer grade, that is, €75,647; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26956/15]
View answerTwo Special Advisors are employed by my Department as Temporary Unestablished Civil Servants at Principal Officer level and receive remuneration based on an incremental pay scale system. This is consistent with remuneration for all Civil Servants. If the remuneration for Special Advisors was capped at the first point of the relevant Principal Officer pay scale, the incremental savings to date for the current Advisors would be in the region of €9,060.
139. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual saving to his Department and the bodies under its aegis if all the fees for all State agency, non-commercial State-sponsored bodies and commercial semi-State board members were reduced by 25%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26971/15]
View answerThe authorised fees to the chairpersons and board members are outlined in the following table. If no board member waives their fee, the total cost to the state bodies would be €783,572. Therefore 25% of that figure would be €195,893. No fees are payable to serving public servants.
|
Body/Agency |
Authorised Board Fees per Annum |
|
Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board |
Chair: €8,978 Board member: €5,985 |
|
An Bord Bia |
Chair: €20,520 Board member: €11,970 |
|
Bord Iascaigh Mhara |
Chair €11,970 Board Member €7,695 |
|
Bord na gCon |
Chair: €21,600 Board member: €12,600 |
|
Coillte |
Chair: €21,600 Board member: €12,600 |
|
Horse Racing Ireland |
Chair: €21,600 Board member: €12,600 |
|
Irish National Stud |
Chair: €12,600 Ordinary member: €8,100 |
|
Marine Institute |
Chair: €11,970 Board Member: €7,695 |
|
National Milk Agency |
Chair: €8,978 No remuneration is paid to Board members, only expenses. |
|
Teagasc |
Chair: €20,520 Board member: €11,970 |
|
Veterinary Council |
No remuneration is paid to Board members |
140. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence if he will confirm reports that the community of Kildare will now not receive ten acres of land from the site of Magee Barracks; that there was a long-standing agreement with Kildare County Council and the community of Kildare that his Department would provide ten acres of the site for the community of Kildare, or the value thereof, when the site went for sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26526/15]
View answerIn July 1998, the Government approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six army barracks considered surplus to military requirements. Magee Barracks was one of the barracks identified for closure and disposal. On 1st July 2003 the Government decided the former Magee Barracks in Kildare Town would be among the State lands released to Kildare County Council for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative. On foot of this Government decision Kildare County Council prepared a local area plan for the site which encompassed a range of uses including community use. Following discussions between the Department, Kildare County Council and the then Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government, and in accordance with the terms of the Housing Initiative, it was agreed that the entire site would be transferred to Kildare County Council. A final Contract for transfer was issued to Kildare County Council in January 2009. However, the Council advised the Department that it no longer wished to take possession of the property.
In September 2011, the Department, in response to a request from the Council seeking submissions for the proposed Local Area Plan for Kildare Town, advised the Council of the intention to sell the site. The Department also advised the Council that it recognised the site provides a unique opportunity for the development of Kildare Town and remains prepared to facilitate this subject to achieving a satisfactory return for the property in order to provide revenue for reinvestment in the Defence Forces. The Kildare Town Local Development Plan 2012-2018 has made provision for substantial community developments on the barracks site which undoubtedly will be reflected in the value of the site to a developer.
It is now proposed to dispose of the remaining c.54 acres of the Barracks by public auction later this year. It is my view that the obligation to community development was met by the offer to transfer the full site to Kildare County Council and the subsequent Local Development Plan which makes provision for community developments on the site.
Also, eight acres on the Barrack site is currently being developed for local schools. Officials from my Department recently met with the CEO from Kildare County Council. Discussions included the Department’s intention to dispose of the remaining c. 54 acres of the site by public auction. In the interim, the Department remains open to proposals from the Council, subject to achieving a satisfactory return for the property.
141. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Defence the annual saving to his Department if spending on education and training was reduced by 2.5%, 5% and 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26917/15]
View answerThe following table outlines the information requested by the Deputy:
|
- |
% |
% |
% |
|
Training & Development Budget 2015 * |
2.5% Savings |
5%Savings |
10%Savings |
|
€129,000 |
€3 ,225 |
€6,450 |
€12,900 |
*This figure does not include Departmental Training Staff costs.
My Department is committed to Training and Development and is at all times conscious of maximising value for money.
