Written Answers Nos. 501 to 519
501. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding replacement tags for unregistered animals (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30877/15]
View answerThe issues raised concerning the above named herd keepers, which date back to 2001 have been the subject of previous correspondence to my Department. The matters have also been extensively examined by the Agriculture Appeals Committee and the Office of the Ombudsman and the decisions taken by this Department have all been upheld by the aforementioned offices.
In relation to bovine tags I understand that a letter issued to the first named person on 9 October 2001 from the local District Veterinary Office (DVO) in Ennis informing him that he received 77 tags between 1999 and 2001 and that he had registered only 56 animals. He was also informed that he had to account for the 21 tags not used before he could order any more tags.
The EU Single Payment Scheme which operated from 2005 to 2013 was determined on entitlements based on the average number of animals, and/or the average number of hectares in the case of Arable Aid, on which payments were made in the three reference years 2000, 2001 and 2002 multiplied by the 2002 rate divided by the average number of eligible hectares declared during the same reference period. In this regard, the first person named established 43.74 entitlements at €168.55 net unit value, giving a total net value of €7,598.51. The second person named established 31.27 entitlements at €133.59 net unit value giving a total net value of €4,177.36.
In 2004 the holdings previously farmed separately by the first person named and by the second person named were amalgamated and consequently it was necessary to amalgamate the entitlements held by each party under the Single Payment Scheme.
These entitlements were then amalgamated in their joint account giving a revised total of 75.01 entitlements at €171.73 net unit value with a total value of €12,881.46 (This is inclusive of a net Dairy Premium allocation of €1,331.72).
In addition, an application was made to the National Reserve in 2005 under Category B which caters for farmers who made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 – 2002. This application was in relation to investment in land and was successful. A total of 5.15 new entitlements at €239.46 net unit value and a total net value of €1,233.22 was allocated from the National Reserve.
The persons named submitted applications to consolidate their entitlements in 2006 and again in 2009 so that in the latter year they held 49.15 entitlements with a unit value of €269.41 and a total value of €13,241.50.
A reply to the representations that were forwarded to my office on 23 June 2015 will shortly issue.
502. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway had their single farm payment for 2014 reduced by over €1,000; the options that are open in terms of appealing that reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30879/15]
View answerAn application under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 23 April 2014. Full payment issued in the respect of this application, the first instalment issuing directly to his nominated bank account on 16 October 2014 and the balancing payment issuing on 1 December 2014. Unlike in previous years there was no modulation reduction applicable to the 2014 scheme year payments. However, a linear reduction of 10.49% was applied to entitlements to bring their total value into line with the 2014 financial ceiling from which all payments are made. As a consequence of this the net unit value of each of the 25 standard entitlements held by the person named was reduced from € 289.92 in 2013 to € 259.51 in 2014.
An official from my Department has been in contact with the person named to explain how his payment under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme was determined.
503. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulations in place governing the sale of domesticated and wild animals at markets and car boot sales; and the penalties in place for breach of any such regulations [30926/15]
View answerThe Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which was commenced in March 2014, strengthened laws on the welfare of animals during sale and places clear obligations on persons who have possession of an animal for sale or supply. Specifically, Section 21 of the Act provides that an animal being offered for sale is kept in suitable accommodation, has access to a ready supply of suitable food and drink and is not sold at an age that is likely to cause unnecessary suffering to the animal.
Section 21 also includes provisions safeguarding the animal at time of sale against fire, environmental or other hazards. Section 22 of the Act regulates the sale of animals to minors and prohibits the sale of an animal to a person aged under 16 years. The Act provides significant powers to authorised officers to inspect any premises where animals of any species are kept. A person who commits an offence under Section 21(2) of the Act is liable, on summary conviction, to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to both, or is liable, on conviction on indictment, to a fine nor exceeding €250,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or to both.
504. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to meet all shareholders in the dairy industry to discuss the challenges facing milk producers as the milk price continues to drop. [30943/15]
View answerBoth I and officials of my Department retain ongoing contact with dairy sector stakeholders with a view to ensuring that all issues that need to be addressed are brought to the fore. More specifically, as the Deputy is aware, earlier in 2015 I announced my intention to establish a forum to address the key issues arising in the dairy sector in a post quota environment. I envisaged that this group would adopt a strategic perspective and that it would comprise relevant stakeholders, including farm organisations, processors and cooperatives, state and semi state bodies, banks, environmental and other stakeholders.
Such a forum is appropriate as a means of engagement on critical issues such as market developments, sustainability, animal health, milk quality and price volatility.
This forum will meet next week with the agenda envisaged to focus on some or all of the aforementioned issues. I look forward to continued cooperation to ensure that the Irish dairy sector can harness the opportunities and address the challenges that the future will bring in the context of quota free production.
505. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reconsider applications for sheep fencing in the recently announced TAMS scheme. [30944/15]
View answerThe range of investment items included under the various TAMS measures was informed by the SWOT and needs analyses undertaken as part of the development of the new Rural Development Programme, as well as by an extensive consultation process with the various stakeholders. The funding of sheep fencing did not emerge as a priority from that process. However, I will keep the matter under review.
506. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has conducted an evaluation of the practices of halal and kosher butchery in terms of animal welfare; and if not, his plans to do so. [30967/15]
View answerSlaughter of animals for meat for human consumption is subject to compliance with relevant EU regulations, which are designed to ensure inter alia that food is safe, to protect human health and to safeguard animal welfare at time of slaughter. Ritual slaughter is carried out under the supervision of my Department. Food business operators who wish to carry out slaughter without pre-stunning must be approved to do so by my Department and must meet detailed procedural requirements laid down by the Department.
In addition, slaughterhouse operatives must be certified by my Department as being competent under a number of headings which include, where appropriate, having reached the required standard in relation to slaughtering in accordance with Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 (i.e. ritual slaughter).
507. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase funding for organisations such as the Blue Cross, which provide low-cost veterinary services, in order to create a system, along the lines of the United Kingdom's People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, whereby comprehensive low-cost veterinary care is widely and easily accessible and based on ability to pay. [30999/15]
View answerMy Department has provided funding to animal welfare organisations, such as the Blue Cross, since 1995 to assist these organisations in providing a valuable service in the area of animal care and welfare. To date, the Blue Cross has been awarded funding amounting to in excess of €712,000, including an amount of €70,000 awarded in December 2014 to support its work. Applications for funding are assessed by my Department and awards are made on the basis of certain criteria, including the level and type of assistance provided by the organisation in the delivery of care and welfare services to animals, the level of expansion of activities together with the level of funding raised by organisations from other sources to support welfare activities. The Blue Cross has submitted an application for funding this year setting out the charity’s current and future plans for promoting animal welfare and this is currently being processed by my officials. A decision on funding levels will be made in December 2015.
509. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken an analysis of the number of animals that may not receive appropriate veterinary care due to a lack of financial means by their owners; if he would consider a fund to assist animal owners with limited means with veterinary bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31029/15]
View answerOwnership of animals imposes on the owner a legal responsibility to protect the health and welfare of the animals. It is important that people acquiring animals ensure that they have the capacity to take appropriate care of them. However, I am aware that, occasionally, persons owning animals do not have the means to ensure their health and welfare. Accordingly, since 1995 my Department has provided funding to animal welfare bodies to assist with their work in caring for animals. These organisations provide much needed assistance to animals (and by extension the owners of animals) in their local communities including providing appropriate and necessary veterinary care to animals at subsidised rates. Funding amounting to €1.867m was allocated in December 2015 to 142 animal welfare charities. Applications for 2015 are currently being processed by my officials and a decision on funding levels will be made in December.
I should also mention that, in the context of the recently introduced dog microchipping legislation which makes it compulsory as of 1 September 2015 to microchip all dogs born after 1 June 2015 and which will apply to all dogs post-31 March 2016, I have made funding available to animal welfare charities to subsidise the cost of microchipping for any dog owner who finds it difficult to afford the full cost of complying with the legislation i.e. social welfare recipients, those on State pensions, etc. Details of how to make an application for funding is available on my Department's website at:http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/dogmicrochipping/Microchippingfunding040915.pdf.
510. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an application for a farm safety grant by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31035/15]
View answerAn application for payment from the person-named has been processed and is scheduled for payment shortly.
511. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive agri-environment options scheme payments in view of the fact that this delay has caused serious financial hardship; if he will outline the position of the ongoing review; when it will be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31053/15]
View answerMy Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for greater amounts than actually paid by the participants. Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly from the National Exchequer. There is a requirement and obligation to ensure that the expenditure claimed by scheme participants reflects the reality of what took place. For that reason my Department wrote to participants requesting alternative proof that the amounts claimed were in fact the amounts paid.
The person named was written to on 8 June 2015 regarding the non-productive capital investment claim that he had submitted. This letter requested the submi ssion of alternative verifiable proof to support one of the invoices that was included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 12 June . My Department officials are now examining this case; a decision will issue to the person-named shortly.
512. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 405 of 14 July 2015, the status of an application for the disadvantaged area scheme and agri-environment options scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Clare; when payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31132/15]
View answerMy Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for greater amounts than actually paid by the participants. Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly from the National Exchequer. There is a requirement and obligation to ensure that the expenditure claimed by scheme participants reflects the reality of what took place. For that reason my Department wrote to participants requesting alternative proof that the amounts claimed were in fact the amounts paid.
The person named was written to on 8 June 2015 regarding the non-productive capital investment claim submitted. This letter requested alternative verifiable proof for one of the invoices included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 3 July. My Department officials are now examining this case; a decision will issue to the person-named shortly.
The payment of the 2014 Disadvantaged Area Scheme issued in full on 15 October 2014.
513. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31147/15]
View answerA claim for payment by the person-named has been processed by my Department and was credited to his bank account on 28 August 2015.
514. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase the age of cattle for slaughter from 30 months to 36 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31215/15]
View answerThere are no national rules that require animals to be slaughtered under 30 months of age. Specifications applied to beef animals slaughtered in establishments, and the price paid for different categories of animal are a commercial matter.
However certain retailers and third countries have a preference for beef derived from animals slaughtered before 30 months of age. I hope that, over time, it will be possible to increase the flexibilities in specifications for third country markets, but this is a matter for competent authorities in those countries and will depend on other factors including our OIE status at the time.
In my role as Minister I have used the Beef Roundtable as a mechanism to bring producers and the meat industry together to discuss all of the strategic issues impacting on the sector, including as regards animal specifications. One of the outcomes from this process has been the development of Beef Production System Guidelines. These guidelines, which are being officially launched this week, consider 14 different beef production systems within the context of the various market specifications which apply. These Guidelines should assist farmers in identifying the system best suited to each individual case and highlight management areas that may need to be further addressed.
In the meantime, my Department will continue to provide an array of supports to the sector, including through Ireland’s Rural Development Programme, with an investment of some €300 million in the Beef Data and Genomics Programme for beef farmers and a dedicated Knowledge Transfer Programme for beef farmers.
515. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of appeals to penalties issued to farmers under the Land Parcel Identification System reviews; if those appeals requiring on-site land inspections will receive them promptly; the number of site visit inspections outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31358/15]
View answerTo date, some 10,932 appeals have been received, of which 9,927 applications have been finalised or in the final stages of processing. In addition, 1,005 cases are in the process of either ground verification visits or administrative validation. To date, 652 cases have been referred to the LPIS Appeals Committee for consideration. My Department is bound, under EU Regulations, to maintain the accuracy of the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) which underpins the direct payments. At the start of each year, my Department issues colour maps of all land parcels declared by farmers in the previous year together with a covering letter. In that letter, farmers are informed of the need to carefully examine each map carefully and to identify and exclude from their application all unfarmed land, ineligible features such as buildings, farmyards, scrub, roadways, forests, lakes etc. included in the land parcels. There is, therefore, an onus on all farmers to ensure that the area of land declared by them as eligible for payment under the Direct Payment Schemes is accurate. They are also given the means to do so by making the ortho-photos available to them on an annual basis. These requirements are also made clear in the Terms and Conditions of the Schemes, which accompanies the pre-printed application form issued to all farmers.
In the letters which issue where ineligible areas have been identified, considerable detail regarding the issues and maps to advise of the particular over-claims, are provided, in addition to which farmers are also informed of the appeals process, should they disagree with my Department’s findings. The appeals process I have introduced is both robust and comprehensive; in the first instance, applicants are entitled to have their case reviewed by submitting their appeal on the form provided by my Department. If they are not satisfied with the outcome of the review, they can appeal their case to the independently-chaired Land Eligibility Appeals Committee.
516. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding Teagasc; his plans to approve the hiring of further advisers by Teagasc; if he will provide funding for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31360/15]
View answerI very much appreciate the important contribution that Teagasc advisers make in providing advice and support to farm families. My Department has been actively working with Teagasc to ease staffing difficulties in the organisation. We recently secured approval for Teagasc to proceed with four priority appointments in the advisory service including the appointment of a drystock advisor in West Cork. New arrangements for managing public service staff numbers are currently being finalised, and they will provide public bodies like Teagasc with greater discretion over staff appointments. It is expected that the arrangements will permit Teagasc to replace staff as they retire, but strictly within an overall pay framework. Within the parameters of that overarching policy, the question of allocating additional resources to particular regions remains an operational matter for Teagasc.
Teagasc is also re-configuring the way in which it delivers advisory services. Actions include greater use of discussion groups, sub-contracting the delivery of non-core work and establishing strategic alliances with private providers. The primary objective of such arrangements is to maintain the strong focus of Teagasc advisers on knowledge transfer activities while also providing a scheme-support service to farmers.
517. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is possible to reduce the lock-up period of herds suspected of being infected with tuberculosis by the expeditious development of cultures to determine their status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31366/15]
View answerHerds containing animals in which tuberculosis is suspected at post-mortem examination are restricted in accordance with Directive 64/432/EEC which requires that “Appropriate post-mortem, laboratory and epidemiological examinations shall be carried out on the carcase of the suspect animal. The status of the herd will remain suspended until such time as all laboratory examinations have been completed”. These examinations can include culturing of the suspect samples. In practice, it is not always necessary to proceed to the “culture” stage and, using figures from 2014, an histopathological examination in the laboratory was sufficient to confirm TB in 54.5% of lesions and the herdowner was informed that his herd remained restricted as required by the Directive. In 22.4% of submissions, histopathological evidence was sufficient to determine that the suspect lesion clearly was not a tuberculous granuloma or was due to something other than M.bovis and, in these cases, the restriction was lifted and the herd was de-restricted (normally with 3-weeks of the detection of the TB-suspect lesion). In less straightforward cases, accounting for about 23% of cases, where histopathology does not suffice to make a final determination of the TB-status, the samples must be cultured. However, M.bovis is a particularly fastidious and slow growing organism in the laboratory and it can take up to 10 weeks from the time of slaughter of the animal until final culture results are available in conformity with OIE requirements.
My Department makes every effort to ensure that the culturing process in the laboratory is completed as expeditiously as possible in order to ensure that herds are not restricted for longer than necessary.
518. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total value to date of meat exports to the United States of America; the projected sales announced by him when the market opened; the progress made to date in getting the USA authorities to accept ground Irish beef; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31367/15]
View answerFeedback from exporters eligible to export beef to the US indicates that exports to date had reached approximately 330 tonnes by early September. This would have an approximate value of €2.1m. This is a very encouraging start to this trade particularly given that the trade to date is confined to the market for intact cuts as we currently await approval to ex port beef intended for grinding. It must be remembered that only two plants were eligible to export up to mid-May and June respectively. There are now six plants approved to export and my understanding is that this momentum in exports will continue and grow right through to the end of 2015. As with any new market it takes time to build reputational brand and a customer base and the real time to assess its value is when these are bedded down. More importantly the relatively high prices available for beef in Europe this year means that US buyers are priced out of the market and Irish exporters are choosing to send product to more valuable markets in the UK and on the continent. Exports to the UK are up 4,000t compared with the same period in 2014 which was already up 9,000t on 2013. The fact that the rise this year also coincides with a reduced kill overall (back about 10% year on year) highlights further the strength of Irish beef exports in the UK. This of course is helped by a strong sterling and weak euro.
Overall, 2015 has been a very positive year for beef prices in Ireland with the yearly average to date 10% up on last year (€4.07 compared to €3.70) in 2013 (10% increase). Prices last week are 13% up on the same week last year notwithstanding recent price decreases. Ireland is currently at 104% of the EU 15 price and 107% of the EU 28 price.
My Department continues to engage with the relevant authorities in the United Stated in order to agree on a protocol which would allow the export of beef intended for grinding from Ireland to the United States and some progress has been made towards this objective. However, it would appear that the USDA will not make any decision on this issue until the audit currently being carried out on US-approved plants in Ireland by the Food Safety Inspection Service has been completed and the report finalised.
519. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for the green low-carbon agri-environment schemes, GLAS and GLAS+, that have been processed to date; the number of people that are eligible for the scheme; the average payment per annum that will be approved for these applications; when it is intended to give formal approval to these applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31368/15]
View answerUnder European Commission regulations all applications must be administratively checked before any application can be approved into the scheme. Almost 27,000 GLAS application s were submitted and final checks will be carried out in October and farmers will then be notified in writing of the outcome of their application. Until this process is complete it is not possible to determine precisely the number of eligible applic ations or the average payment. Details of the exact individual payments to be made will only be known following completion of pre-payment checks, which will commence after approvals have issued in October and contracts have been accepted.
