Written Answers Nos. 541-557
541. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick has not received their agri-environment options scheme payment since December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31884/15]
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 11 June 2015, regarding the non-productive capital investment claim that he had submitted. This letter requested the submission of alternative verifiable proof for one of the invoices included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 23 June. My Department officials are now examining this case, a decision will issue to the person-named shortly.
542. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of annual pension payments made by his Department that exceed €60,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31998/15]
View answerAll civil service pensions are paid by the Paymaster General's Office and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is providing these details. My Department is responsible for the payment of pensions to a number of former employees of State bodies under the aegis of the Department which are no longer in operation. None of the pension payments to these former employees exceed €60,000.
543. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the need for a pier at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32040/15]
View answerResponsibility for development, and subsequent repair and maintenance of a pier at Cromane rests with Kerry County Council. The parent Department for that Local Authority is the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. My Department has in previous years, under the annual Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, provided funding to Local Authorities for the development and repair of local authority owned piers and slipways, subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
On the 13th March this year all coastal Local Authorities were invited to submit applications under the 2015 Programme however, no application for funding for Cromane Pier was received from Kerry County Council. However, in 2015, my Department has allocated €183,750 to Kerry County Council in respect of 4 other projects.
Any application submitted under the Programme by Kerry County Council in respect of Cromane Pier, in future years, will be considered in the context of the criteria set out, available funding and overall priorities.
544. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is any monitoring carried out on major commercial spraying, to ensure that all regulations and standards are adhered to; if there is any monitoring in place to ensure that Round Up is not used on crops within seven days of harvesting; if any research has been carried out into the dangers of this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32053/15]
View answerGlyphosate is a herbicide which is sometimes used in cereal crops at the end of the growing season to desiccate the crop, to manipulate harvest date and improve crop quality. This particular use has been approved since products containing glyphosate were first commercialised in the 1970s but only a limited proportion of the cereal crops receive such an application.
All plant protection product uses (including that of pre-harvest glyphosate) are monitored via my Department’s annual pesticide residue monitoring programme. This is a programme that is agreed in conjunction with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the European Commission. The programme involves the sampling of produce at distribution centres, grain assemblers, and other storage and processing premises, additionally, processed food samples are taken. These samples are analysed for up to 400 pesticides including glyphosate. The annual “Pesticides residues in Food” reports can be found on my Department's website; http://www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie/foodsafety/
It is worth noting, that annual reports on my Department's website, show that no cereals of Irish origin breach the Maximum Residue Levels established in the EU. Furthermore, these results indicate that there is no misuse or inappropriate use of glyphosate containing products on cereals and indeed the results prove that there are no indications of misuse of any plant protection products (PPP) on Irish cereal crops and are indicative of responsible PPP use.
In addition, as part of the cross-compliance inspection regime carried out at farm level, checks are carried out to ensure that plant protection products are used by farmers in accordance with their conditions of authorisation.
545. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria and protocol in place for an inspector from his Department when visiting a farm to carry out an on-farm inspection (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32084/15]
View answerIn the context of delivering the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development Measures, my Department is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements, as set down in EU legislation, in the areas of environment, climate change and good agricultural condition of land, public, animal and plant health and animal welfare. The basis for these inspections is governed by EU legislation and there are certain minimum numbers and types of inspections that must be conducted each year. Rules regarding the advance notification of inspections are clearly laid down in the governing EU regulations and must be adhered to by officials in my Department. The regulations allow the Department to give notice for land eligibility and cross-compliance inspections involving SMRs other than those related to food, feed and animal welfare. However this notice must be strictly limited to the minimum time period necessary and shall not exceed 14 days. For checks involving cattle and sheep identification and registration the maximum advance notice is 48 hours. For SMRs dealing with feed, food and animal welfare no advance notice may be given and these inspections must take place on an unannounced basis. Where it is considered that the purpose or effectiveness of any type of inspection may be jeopardised by giving notice, the inspection will take place on an unannounced basis.
Where extenuating circumstances apply at commencement of the inspection process, officials in my Department will examine the issue of proceeding with the inspection on the day, on a case-by-case basis, taking all of the circumstances outlined into consideration.
546. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive his or her AEOS 3 payment; the progress to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32086/15]
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 11 June 2015, regarding the non-productive capital investment claim submitted. This letter requested submission of alternative verifiable proof for two of the invoices included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 16 July. My Department Officials are currently examining this reply and a decision on this case will issue shortly.
547. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for a reduction in a 2013 single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32100/15]
View answerA review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) revealed that a number of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. Following an appeal from the person named, a visit by a Department official to verify the position was necessary to progress the matter. The person named was notified of the outcome of the inspection in a letter issued to the applicant on 25 September 2014. The findings of the verification visit were processed and the additional 2013 SPS payment due was paid on 24 March 2015 and the additional 2014 SPS payment due was paid on 1 April 2015.
548. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position in relation to forestry levies in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32106/15]
View answerThe land identified by the Deputy is the subject of a General Felling Licence granted under the provisions of the Forestry Act, 1946. Under the Forestry Act, a General Felling Licence carries a compulsory replanting condition, which is a legal obligation to replant the felled area. Each General Felling Licence also contains a compulsory condition requiring the landowner to preserve the trees in the replanted area for a period of ten years from the time of planting. There is no provision in the Act to derogate from these conditions. Therefore, my Department has no power to remove or amend the legal obligations that are on the landowner.
Under the terms of his licence, the person is legally obliged to replant the felled area with Sitka Spruce at a stocking rate of 2,500 trees per hectare and, under the law, the replanting must be completed by 7 September 2017.
549. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive his or her payment under the beef data programme. [32129/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2014 Beef Data Programme/Beef Genomics Scheme application on 1 April 2014. Full payment of €350 under the Beef Genomics Scheme issued to the person named on 11 December 2014. Payments under the 2014 Beef Data Programme began issuing on 26 June 2015. The person named received an 80% advance payment of €173.14 under this programme. The remaining 20% balancing payment is scheduled to issue in early November 2015.
550. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a dhéanfar cinneadh maidir le hiarratas ar theidlíochtaí faoin Scottish derogation i ndáil le feirmeoir i gContae na Gaillimhe (sonraí leis seo); cén fáth go bhfuil moill ar an gcinneadh seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [32145/15]
View answerThaisc an duine ainmnithe iarratas faoi bheart maolaithe Albanach den Scéim Bhuníocaíochta ar 8ú Bealtaine 2015. Tá próiseáil d’iarratais Maoilaithe Albanacha faoi shiúl agus tosóidh litreacha ag cur torthaí a n-iarratais in iúl d’iarratasóirí go luath i mí Dheireadh Fómhair.
551. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans he has submitted to the Department of Finance to deal with income volatility for farmers as it pertains to income tax owed, especially dairy farmers in the context of the published national farm survey average dairy farm income figure of €68,887 for 2014 and an estimated Teagasc figure of between €35,000 and €40,000 for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32147/15]
View answerTaxation policy is primarily the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. However I have on-going contact with Minister Noonan to ensure that taxation policy reflects the Government’s commitment to agriculture, as evidenced by our co-operation on the ‘Agri-taxation Review’, which was published as part of Budget 2015. The Agri-taxation Review is a comprehensive taxation strategy for the sector and the Government’s commitment to agriculture was evidenced by the immediate implementation of the majority of its recommendations, including two recommendations aimed at addressing income volatility:
- retaining and enhancing Income Averaging by increasing the averaging period from 3 to 5 years; thus giving more scope for income smoothing within a commodity price cycle;
- allowing averaging to be availed of where a farmer and/or their spouse receive income from an on-farm diversification trade or profession.
Income averaging allows a smoothing of the tax liability in any given year to balance out the income effects of fluctuations in commodity prices that occur from year to year.
However, taxation measures alone will not deal with the issue of income volatility.
I believe that moving up the value chain where possible, in terms of the type of products sold and how they are produced, is a key insulation against volatility. More efficient and sustainable production systems are also important to improving profitability. The new Food Wise strategy, launched in July, contains detailed recommendations aimed at improving value added and productivity at all stages of the food supply chain.
The measures in the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme will provide vital support through farm investment, agri-environment and knowledge transfer schemes.
Direct payments to dairy farmers, estimated by Teagasc at about €20,000 per farm, provide a source of income which is particularly important in challenging years.
The package introduced by the EU Commission last week to address difficulties in the dairy and pigmeat sectors reflects the majority of the demands I presented to them, particularly:
- The increase of more than 100% in the rate of private storage aid for skimmed milk powder.
- The award of almost €14 million in direct aid to Ireland.
- The concession made by the Commission to allow advance payments of 70% under the direct payments scheme and 85% for rural development schemes before completion of controls, which will be of major benefit in easing the cash flow of farmers.
I have regular meetings with the CEOs of the main banks, and I know that all are aware of the difficulties in dairy prices this year, and are planning accordingly in terms of managing dairy loans. The dairy sector is resilient, and banks will have to step up to the plate to assist farmers over what will be a temporary trough in prices.
A key issue that warrants examination, particularly between producers and processors, is whether there is even further scope for longer term fixed price supply contracts for a proportion of farmers’ production and whether such contracts can be backed up by longer term supply arrangements with the buyers of Irish raw materials and ingredients.
Finally and importantly, in terms of super-levy impacts I recognised the difficulty that this caused for farmers here and took the decision to make the 3-year interest free instalment arrangement available to all those affected. This option has been availed of by approximately 3,700 producers and will be of assistance to farmers facing cash flow difficulties arising from super levy in the final year of the milk quota regime.
552. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will indicate the current contract to provide digitised maps to farmers in conjunction with their basic payment application form; the period of the contract and the frequency with which the satellite map must be updated over the period of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32153/15]
View answerAs part of the underpinning of the area based support measures, which deliver some €1.6bn annually to Irish farmers, my Department is required, under relevant EU legislation, to maintain a detailed database of individual land parcels. This is known as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) which currently records, electronically, some 1.3 million individual parcels and which is required to be kept updated, based in particular on individual claims submitted from farmers and the results of inspection activity carried out by my Department for verification purposes. Because of the database’s highly specialist nature, it has been necessary, since the inception of area based direct payments which have and will continue to be critical to the development of the Irish agriculture and food industries, to engage an external contractor to assist in this process. The Department’s systems in this critical area must meet demanding EU and national audit requirements. The LPIS is updated by two companies contracted to carry out updates based on maps submitted annually by applicants under the Basic Payment Scheme, land eligibility inspections and various reviews carried out by my Department. The contracts were awarded to the Mallon Technology Ltd and the ICON Group Ltd on the basis of a competitive tendering process in accordance with standard EU Public Procurement Procedures. These contracts are in place for a period of three years and commenced in 2013.
Over 80% of land eligibility inspections, which are required to be at the level of 5% of all applicants, are carried out using satellite imagery. That imagery is updated annually by the European Commission.
553. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the provision in the 2015 Estimates for all environmental schemes including AEOS, REPS, GLAS respectively; the spending year to date and the variation with the spending profile year to date for each scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32154/15]
View answerThe provision in the 2015 estimates for REPS, AEOS and GLAS and the spend to date is outlined in the following table.
|
Scheme |
Estimate Provision for 2015 |
Spend to Date |
|
REPS |
€47.55 m |
€25.57 m |
|
AEOS2 |
€71 m |
€29.21 m |
|
GLAS |
€20 m |
€0 |
There is no significant variation in relation to the projected spending profile for any of the three Schemes to date. As in previous years the bulk of 2015 Agri-Environment scheme payments will be made towards the end of the calendar year.
554. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the EU and Exchequer funding provision for the beef data and genomics scheme in 2015; the number of applications received; the number of applications withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32155/15]
View answerThe closing date for the Beef Data & Genomics Programme was 05 June 2015 and my Department received 29,531 valid applications for the programme. As of yesterday, 724 applicants have subsequently withdrawn from the Programme which amounts to less than 3% of all valid applications.
The Deputy will be aware that I have provided a package worth over €70 million for the beef sector in 2015. This includes €52 million for the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) which forms part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme, and will involve a budget of some €300m over a six year period. The BDGP is intended to improve the quality of the national suckler herd and deliver an accelerated improvement in the environmental sustainability of the beef herd through the application of genomics technology.
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 participation figures are very positive. Implementation of the scheme is now well underway and my Department and the ICBF are working closely with the scheme participants on the various requirements.
555. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of his Department’s expenditure devoted to supports for small farmers and small fishermen; and the amount to large farmers and agri-food and fishing companies. [32158/15]
View answerA range of supports is provided by my Department to support farmers, fishermen and food companies of all sizes. Total public expenditure on the agri-food sector by my Department was approximately €2.4 billion in 2014. Direct payments to farmers, including the Single Farm Payment, Rural Development and forestry payments, totalled €1.75 billion in 2014.
My Department provides funding for State Bodies including Teagasc, Bord Bia and BIM, which provide a range of training, advisory and research supports for primary producers and food companies of all sizes.
In addition, my Department’s Vote includes funding for measures managed by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Department:
- €3.5 million in food competitiveness measures such as innovation vouchers, lean manufacturing and leadership for growth programmes to assist agri-food companies to improve capability and drive development
- € 2.2 million for payments relating to previous approvals under the Beef and & Sheepmeat Investment Fund to improve meat processing facilities.
The Vote also includes €0.6m for residual payments to small food companies under an earlier Marketing and Processing Scheme.
In all cases, schemes are administered in a fair and equitable manner.
556. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are situations where land eligibility may be inspected without the requirement of a control report being provided to the applicant or their agent; if he will provide a list of such scenarios; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32214/15]
View answerIn the context of delivering the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development Measures, my Department is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements, as set down in EU legislation and national standards. The basis for these inspections is governed by EU legislation and there are certain minimum numbers and types of inspections that must be conducted each year. Each year a minimum of 5% of beneficiaries, under the various area related schemes have to be selected for a land eligibility inspection. These inspections can be carried out either by remote sensing using satellite imagery or classical ground inspections. In either case a report form is completed as required in the regulation. In the case of classical ground inspections a control report is provided to the applicant where non compliance is found. Where the inspection was carried out by remote sensing the applicant is notified of the outcome of the inspection where non compliance is found. Where compliance is found there is no need or requirement to give the applicant a copy of the control report.
In the course of maintaining the Land Parcel Identification System the Department is required to carry out regular checks to ensure that the system is up to date. These checks can result in field verification checks. The reports of such checks do not have to be provided to the beneficiary.
A comprehensive appeal mechanism is in place for all schemes where an applicant who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an inspection can initially seek a review internally within the Department and subsequently has the option to appeal a review decision to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office.
557. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine pursuant to Article 6 of the EU Regulation 1122/2009, if he will provide the defined minimum requirements for good agricultural and environmental condition, on the basis of the framework set out in Annexe III of 1122/2009; his views that each of the characteristics set out in Article 6 have been properly taken into account, as required, as set out in the BPS and past SPST and Cs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32215/15]
View answerThe standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) provided for under Article 6 of Regulation 73/2009 were operational until December 31st 2014 after which they were replaced under the provisions of Article 94 Regulation 1306/2013.
The minimum requirements for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition applicable under Regulation 73/2009 are detailed in the publication ‘Single Payment Scheme – Guide to Cross Compliance March 2005’, a copy of which issued to all Single Payment Scheme applicants. This document is available for downloading from the Department's website at www.agriculture.gov.ie and was referenced in the annual Terms and Conditions booklets.
Article 94, together with Annexe II, of Regulation 1306/2013 sets out the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards under the cross compliance rules which are applicable from January 1st 2015. The following are the minimum GAEC standards now applicable:
- GAEC 1 provides for the establishment of buffer strips along watercourses;
- GAEC 2 concerns the authorisation of water use for irrigation where applicable;
- GAEC 3 concerns the protection of groundwater against pollution such as direct and indirect discharge into groundwater;
- GAEC 4 concerns the requirements for minimum soil cover;
- GAEC 5 concerns land management practices to limit the risk of soil erosion;
- GAEC 6 concerns the maintenance of soil organic matter through the adoption of appropriate practices;
- GAEC 7 concerns the retention of landscape features, including where appropriate, hedges, ditches, trees in line, and including a ban on cutting hedges and trees during the bird breeding and rearing season and, as an option, measures for avoiding invasive plant species.
Recent EU audits have not identified any deficiencies in the implementation of the GAEC standards by my Department.
