Thursday, 16 Jul 2015

Written Answers Nos. 326-344

Departmental Reports

Questions (326)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

326. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when his Department's annual report for 2014 will be published. [30206/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Department’s Annual Report for 2014 was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on Friday 10th July 2015 and is available on The Department’s web site at http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/publications/2015/

Live Exports

Questions (327)

Denis Naughten

Question:

327. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to engage with the European Union Commission to have current failures in the Common Market surrounding the export of live cattle to Northern Ireland and Britain addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30223/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Under the rules governing the free movement of goods and services within the EU, all Irish beef producers have ready, unimpeded and equal access to all EU Member State markets without restriction.  Articles 34 to 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prohibit Member States from maintaining or imposing barriers on intra-EU trade in goods. These provisions give rise to the principle of mutual recognition whereby each Member State is obliged to accept onto its market products which are legally manufactured or marketed in another Member State.

I attach considerable importance to the live export trade and my Department has been very proactive during my time as Minister in facilitating both the cross border live trade and shipments abroad. Live exports to the UK including Northern Ireland so far this year stand at 34,698 head which represents a 20% increase compared to 2014. Looking at the figures in more detail live exports to Northern Ireland have increased by 8,698 animals from 20,920 to 29,618, an increase of some 41%.

I also have regular engagement with my Northern Ireland counterpart, Minister Michelle O’Neill, on trade and labelling issues to ensure that trade on the island continues to flourish and that there are no regulatory barriers to its development. This is in addition to the substantial interaction which my Department and I have with purchasers of Irish beef on an ongoing basis and I will continue to pursue opportunities for exports of beef and live cattle at every opportunity.

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Questions (328)

Denis Naughten

Question:

328. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when farmers in Counties Roscommon, Leitrim and Longford and in east Galway whose payments under the agri-environment options scheme have been held up due to an investigation, will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30224/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A Department review of the non-productive capital investment claims submitted by applicants under AEOS was undertaken in 2014.  This review identified irregularities with documentation submitted for reimbursement in some of these claims. A full Department investigation was then initiated, which in turn led to the matter being referred to the Gardaí.  Payments to applicants under review were deferred pending the outcome of the investigation.

My Department wrote to the farmers with payments held in June 2015 requesting satisfactory alternative proof that the amounts claimed for the purchase of trees and hedging plants under the capital investment action were correct. Satisfactory proof would include a certified copy (by the issuing bank) of the cheque used to pay for the trees and hedging plants supported by a bank statement and/or documentation submitted to Revenue when making returns to that Department.

Cases where suitable proof of payment has been received will be processed as soon as possible with a number of cases already forwarded for payment. Other cases, where satisfactory proof has not been received will be examined on a case by case basis on their merits and in light of any replies received. Participants will be informed in writing, as soon as possible, when decisions have been made in these cases.

Single Payment Scheme Administration

Questions (329)

Denis Naughten

Question:

329. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that a penalty is not applied to an application under the single payment scheme (details supplied), where the calf registrations were not recorded due to a glitch with the online inputting of data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30239/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In order to comply with EU requirements, the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application of the person named was one of a number selected for a Bovine Identification & Registration (IDR) inspection.

The results of this inspection are currently being finalised and the person named will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the inspection results they will have the option to seek a review from the District Inspector. I will bring the content of your question to the attention of the relevant inspecting officers.

Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme

Questions (330)

Denis Naughten

Question:

330. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 210 of 19 May 2015 and following the adoption of a recommendation by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the steps he will take to ensure that forgotten farmers have access to the national reserve and to enhanced benefits under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30250/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The 2015 National Reserve closed for receipt of applications on 29th May 2015. The National Reserve fund in 2015 is based on 3% of the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling, which is estimated at providing approximately €24 million in funding. Based on the level of applications, with some 6,500 having been received, it is expected that there will be considerable demand on the National Reserve fund in 2015. With regard to the group commonly referred to as ‘Forgotten Farmers’, analysis carried out by my Department shows that there are some 3,900 farmers who are under the age of 40, who established their holdings prior to 2008 and who hold low value entitlements. An estimation of the cost of increasing the value of existing entitlements to the National Average for these 3,900 farmers stands at €12.288 million. Further analysis by my Department shows that 898 of these 3,900 farmers availed of Installation Aid available at the time.

The farmers in this group will benefit from an increase in the value of the entitlements under the convergence process between 2015 and 2019, whereby farmers who hold entitlements with an Initial Unit Value below 90% of the Basic Payment Scheme national average will see the value of their entitlements increase gradually over the five years of the scheme.

With regard to qualification for the enhanced 60% rate of aid under TAMS, the definition of ‘young farmer’ laid down for the purposes of any capital investment schemes is quite explicit: farmers must be below 40 years of age at the time of application and have been set up in farming within the previous five years. These qualifying criteria are laid down by EU regulation and I have no authority to vary them. Unfortunately, this means that some farmers will not qualify for the enhanced rate of aid under TAMS. However, any young farmers who do not qualify for the enhanced rate of aid under the dedicated Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme will be prioritised for aid under the various other new TAMS schemes which offers grants of 40% of investment costs. The following investments have been identified as priority areas to be targeted in the new TAMS schemes:

- a young farmer capital investment scheme,

- dairy equipment,

- low emission spreading equipment,

- organic capital investment,

- animal housing, animal welfare and farm safety and farm nutrient storage, and

- pig and poultry investments in energy, water meters and medicine dispensers.

I have already launched the new Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme and the Dairy Equipment Scheme, and Terms and Conditions for both are available on my Department’s website. The other TAMS II schemes will be rolled out as soon as possible and will be open to all farmers, irrespective of age.

Animal Identification Schemes

Questions (331)

Denis Naughten

Question:

331. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 394 of 24 March 2015, the progress to date in discussions with An Post regarding access to the online calf registration system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30251/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department is in contact with An Post to explore possibilities to facilitate online registration of bovines on behalf of keepers that do not have access to the internet.

My Department strongly favours the online registration of calf births and will continue to explore with An Post the practicalities of using its services to facilitate this.

Grant Payments

Questions (332)

Michael Ring

Question:

332. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the direct payments that have issued to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30284/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The application under the 2014 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas Schemes of the person named was received on 7 May 2014. The payments due to the applicant under these Schemes are set out in the following table.

Scheme	Date Paid	Amount
Disadvantaged Areas Scheme	13 October 2014	€1,324.66
Single Payment Scheme – advance payment	16 October 2014	€952.82
Single Payment Scheme – balancing payment	1 December 2014	€952.82

As the person named was over-paid under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the amount of the over-payment (€1,714.38) was offset against the above mentioned payments as outlined in the following table.

Scheme	Date Paid	Amount offset	Amount paid to applicant
Disadvantaged Areas Scheme	13 October 2014	Nil	€1,324.66
Single Payment Scheme - advance payment	16 October 2014	€952.82	Nil
Single Payment Scheme - balancing payment	1 December 2014	€761.56	€191.26

Aquaculture Licence Applications

Questions (333)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

333. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the granting of a licence (details supplied) in County Donegal; if, in granting the licence, the impact on locals to use the nearby beach was considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30384/15]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The licence application referred to by the Deputy was considered in the normal way by my Department under the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 and the Foreshore Act 1933. Statutory and public consultation on the specifics of the application took place fully in accordance with the applicable legislation.

A full screening assessment of the application was carried out in accordance with the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directives. This included consideration of all environmental aspects including public access to recreational and other activities on the beach.

The application was also screened for compliance with the EU Directives governing Birds and Habitats.

Beef Industry

Questions (334)

Paul Murphy

Question:

334. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the kill numbers at the Dunbia meat processing plant in Slane in County Meath for the years 2010 to 2014 and for the first half of 2015. [30394/15]

Written answers

Departmental Strategies

Questions (335)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

335. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence his Department's priorities for the remainder of this Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29582/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

Since my appointment as Minister for Defence a key priority for me has been the preparation of a new White Paper on Defence. I am pleased to have met this target and a draft White Paper was submitted to and approved by Government earlier this week. I am currently making arrangements to have the document published.

Following its publication, the key priority will be the implementation of the provisions of the White Paper. This will ensure a flexible and adaptive response to a dynamic security environment and ensure that the Defence Forces continue to have the capabilities to discharge the roles assigned by Government.

Defence Forces Deployment

Questions (336)

Robert Troy

Question:

336. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Defence the number of persons employed in the Athlone Army barracks in County Roscommon. [29647/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

I am informed by the military authorities that on the 30th of June, 2015, 947 military personnel were employed in Custume Barracks, Athlone. I am further informed that preparations are underway for the induction of 40 army recruits into the barracks in August 2015.

Custume Barracks is and will continue to be an important operational military barracks. There are no plans to change this.

The following revised reply was received on 4 November 2015

New recruits are not being trained in Custume Barracks as the contingent for the German Battlegroup - amounting to some 166 personnel - is being concentrated and trained there. As a result, there is limited capacity to train recruits in Athlone at present. Irrespective of where new recruits are trained, once they have passed out they are assigned to different barracks. As such, the question of whether recruits are trained in Athlone or not, is immaterial to the numbers serving in Athlone at any particular times.

Defence Forces Reserve

Questions (337, 338, 339, 340)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

337. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the reason the Defence Forces are relying on private sector general practitioners, who are outside of the control of the Defence Forces, for the completion of AF 14c forms, which must be obtained by members of the Reserve Defence Force to complete their Reserve Defence Force full-time training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29822/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

338. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Reserve Defence Force who have been refused a medical by their general practitioner in order to complete their AF 14c form; the number of documented cases that exist where the reservists in question reported that they have had to pay for this medical themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29823/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

339. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence his plans to put a mechanism in place to reimburse individual reservists who were forced to pay for their own medical due to the refusal by a general practitioner to conduct one to complete a AF 14c form under the conditions of agreement in operation by his Department and the Irish Medical Organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29824/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

340. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of training hours lost, in terms of Reserve Defence Force members who did not attend Reserve Defence Force full-time training, as they had failed to have their AF 14c forms completed in the required time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29825/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 to 340, inclusive, together.

I am informed by the military authorities that it is not possible to provide the information sought by the Deputy in the time available. I shall provide the information sought directly to the Deputy once it comes to hand.

National Emergency Plan Implementation

Questions (341)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

341. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence when the next meeting of the national emergency coordination committee will take place; the number of meetings that have taken place in 2015 to date; the number he has chaired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29875/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

I chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, which includes senior officials of Government Departments, senior officers of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces and officials of other key public authorities, which have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning.

The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning meets on a regular basis. The next meeting will take place on Thursday, 23 July 2015. So far this year there have been two meetings of the Task Force. I chaired the first meeting on 26 February while the meeting on 30 April was chaired by Mr. Maurice Quinn, Secretary General of the Department of Defence. The Task Force held 7 meetings during 2014. While the details of matters discussed at meetings of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning are confidential, I can confirm that the Task Force examines current risks and supports coordination arrangements for emergency planning across Government.

The Task Force is regularly briefed on such matters as the current security threat, which is provided by An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, as well as receiving regular updates on topical matters from the relevant lead Government Departments such as Ebola.

This includes the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which chairs the National Steering Group under the Framework for Major Emergency Management, along with having the lead Government Department role and responsibilities in eleven of the forty two emergency scenarios set out in Annex A of the “Strategic Emergency Planning Guidance” (SEPG).

The Task Force regularly addresses other emergency planning issues ranging from risk assessment to training and exercises as well as receiving regular briefings on current issues from the various lead Government Departments on their specific roles and responsibilities and their associated work programmes. The Task Force establishes Subgroups from time to time to specifically look at particular areas of emergency planning that may need to be addressed.

Defence Forces Strength

Questions (342)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

342. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the most up to date figures for the strength of the Permanent Defence Force with regard to all three services and all ranks; the gender break-down of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29876/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

The following tables set out the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of 30th June, 2015, the latest date for which figures are available, across all three services and ranks, broken down by gender. The figures provided are for whole time equivalent posts.

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Lieutenant General	1	0	1
Major General	2	0	2
Brigadier General	4	0	4
Colonel	33	0	33
Lieutenant Colonel	100	3	103
Commandant	233	25	258
Captain	228	42	270
Lieutenant	173	35	208
Sergeant Major	29	0	29
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	32	0	32
Company Sergeant	104	1	105
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	161	2	163
Sergeant	868	57	925
Corporal	1,205	114	1,319
Private	3,618	174	3,972
Cadets	15	4	19
Total	6,806	457	7,263

Air Corps

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Brigadier General	1	0	1
Colonel	2	0	2
Lieutenant Colonel	10	0	10
Commandant	30	1	31
Captain	51	5	56
Lieutenant	24	1	25
Sergeant Major	7	1	8
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	4	0	4
Company Sergeant	53	0	53
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	14	0	14
Sergeant	117	6	123
Corporal	136	8	144
Private	233	9	242
Cadets	18	0	18
Total	700	31	731

Naval Service

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Brigadier General	1	0	1
Colonel	2	0	2
Lieutenant Colonel	13	0	13
Commandant	43	5	48
Captain	39	17	56
Lieutenant	27	4	31
Sergeant Major	6	0	6
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	7	0	7
Company Sergeant	74	0	74
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	9	0	9
Sergeant	195	6	201
Corporal	135	8	143
Private	413	18	431
Cadets	9	1	10
Total	973	59	1,032

The total serving strength across all three services as of 30 June 2015 was 9,026. The overall establishment figure set for the Defence Forces is 9,500 and it is the Government’s intention that ongoing recruitment campaigns will strive to maintain the serving strength at or close to this figure.

Defence Forces Reserve Strength

Questions (343)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

343. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the most up to date figures for the strength of the Reserve Defence Force; the gender break-down of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29877/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

The following tables set out the effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force as of 30 June, 2015, the latest date for which figures are available, in both the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve broken down by rank and gender.

Army Reserve

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Lieutenant Colonel	5	0	5
Commandant	44	0	44
Captain	58	3	61
Lieutenant	170	30	200
Sergeant Major	7	0	7
Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant	7	0	7
Company Sergeant	56	0	56
Company Quartermaster Sergeant	62	3	65
Sergeant	284	19	303
Corporal	335	80	415
Private	767	169	936
Total	1,795	304	2,099

Naval Reserve

Rank	Male	Female	Total
Lieutenant Commander	4	0	4
Lieutenant	4	0	4
Sub-Lieutenant	5	1	6
Senior Chief Petty Officer	1	0	1
Chief Petty Officer	9	0	9
Petty Officer	11	1	12
Leading Seaman	23	4	27
Sea Man	43	18	61
Total	100	24	124

I believe that the Reserve Defence Force is an important asset to the State. I value the contribution of all of its members who volunteer their time and service so willingly and I am fully committed to its ongoing and future development.

Defence Forces Deployment

Questions (344)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

344. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the number of overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are involved; the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29878/15]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

As of 06 July 2015, Ireland is contributing 497 Defence Forces personnel to 13 missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas including the lead organisation for each mission are listed in the following tabular statement.

The most recent deployment overseas was the despatch of the Irish naval vessel, L.É. Eithne, to assist the Italian authorities in humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean.  A crew of sixty-seven (67) personnel of the Permanent Defence Force, augmented by two (2) medics of the Permanent Defence Force, was deployed to the Operation. The LÉ Eithne, which has completed its deployment, and is en route back to Ireland, was involved in 22 rescue operations resulting in the rescue of 3,377 migrants. L.É. Niamh has deployed to the Mediterranean to continue Ireland’s contribution to the search and rescue mission. L.É. Niamh will be deployed on the high seas in international waters between Sicily and Libya, which is where most migrant activity and search and rescue incidents have occurred.

The current contribution of some 497 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.

MEMBERS OF THE PERMANENT DEFENCE FORCE SERVING OVERSEAS AS OF 01 JUNE 2015

-	Overseas Missions	No.
1.	UN MISSIONS
	UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ	9
	UNIFIL 49th Infantry Group	186
	UNIFIL Sector West HQ	4
	UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel and Syria	12
	MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)	3
	MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo)	4
	UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast)	2
	UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) HQ, Golan Heights Syria	8
	UNDOF 48 th Infantry Group	130
	TOTAL	358
	UN MANDATED MISSIONS
	EUFOR (EU led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina)	7
	EUTM Mali (EU led Training Mission)	10
	KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) HQ	12
	RSM (Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan)	7
	TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS	394
2.	OTHER DEPLOYMENTS
	UK EBOLA TREATMENT CENTRE (Sierra Leone)	2
	Naval Service Humanitarian Mission in Mediterranean (L.E. Eithne)	69
	TOTAL NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL OTHER DEPLOYMENTS	71
3.	ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)
	OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina	2
	Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group Vienna	1
	TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING OSCE	3
4.	EU MILITARY STAFF
	Brussels	5
5.	NORDIC BATTLE GROUP 2015
	FHQ Sweden	14
6.	MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF
	Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York	1
	Military Adviser Irish delegation to OSCE, Vienna	1
	Military Representative to EU (Brussels)	4
	Liaison Office of Ireland, NATO/PfP (Brussels)	2
	EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium	1
	Irish Liaison Officer to SHAPE & Military Co-Op Division, Mons, Belgium	1
	TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS	497