Written Answers Nos. 72-81
72. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an application for a changeover of title on a herd number in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Limerick. [32432/15]
View answerThe Regional Veterinary Office has no record of receiving an application form (ER1) for the transfer of a herdnumber from the person concerned. A blank application form has now been issued to her.
73. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not receiving the top rate of payment under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32437/15]
View answerMy Department has not received an application under any of the TAMS I or TAMS II schemes for the person mentioned.
74. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received their payment under the rural environment protection scheme for the past two years of the scheme; if this will affect their payments in respect of the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32438/15]
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 one of the invoices included in the claim. My Department officials are now examining this case on foot of the reply received. A decision on this case will issue to the person named shortly.
To date no approvals have been issued for applications under GLAS.
75. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will be issued with a herd number; the reason for the delay in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32441/15]
View answerProcessing of the application for a flock number from the person concerned will be completed shortly and a letter will issue to him with details of same early next week.
76. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence the consideration that has been given by his Department to additional replacement and further modernisation of the Air Corps fleet. [32390/15]
View answerThe equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and the Naval Service will be considered in the context of the lifetime of the recently published White Paper. The White Paper recognises that there are several new and or enhanced platforms to be procured.
In the context of the Air Corps fleet, this includes the replacement of the Cessna fleet with three larger aircraft suitably equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance tasks. The two CASA 235s Maritime Patrol Aircraft are due for replacement in 2019. The CASA’s will be replaced with consideration of their replacement with larger more capable aircraft to enhance maritime surveillance and to provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks. The existing Pilatus PC9 aircraft are not due for replacement until 2025.
The current EC 135 and AW 139 helicopter fleet in the Air Corps will continue to deliver the required Defence Forces support and other support capabilities over the lifetime of the White Paper.
77. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence the reason the Naval Service turned down a request from An Garda Síochána to assist in a search operation (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason the Naval Service is not automatically involved in every search mission at sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32450/15]
View answer78. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence the number of fishing patrols undertaken by the Naval Service off the north Mayo coast to date in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32451/15]
View answer79. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence the number of occasions the Naval Service was deployed in relation to work associated with the Corrib gas project from 2005 to date in 2015. [32452/15]
View answer80. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence the locations where the Irish Naval Service ships were deployed from 12 September 2015 to 18 September 2015; the person or body who makes the decision in relation to deployment; the circumstances that are taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32453/15]
View answer81. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Defence the number of divers attached to the Irish Naval Service; the protocols they follow when deployed to a dive site, including the time they take to travel to the site and the communications they undertake with emergency services in charge of the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32454/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 77 to 81, inclusive, together.
It should be noted that the primary responder for search and rescue in the State is the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG). The primary role of the Naval Service Diving Section is to support Naval and other Defence Forces operations. However, the Naval Service makes every effort to deploy to assist in maritime search operations following a request from the IRCG or from An Garda Síochána.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, 15 September last the Naval Service received an Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) request from An Garda Síochána for assistance in the search for the missing person in question. The Naval Service was unable to respond immediately due to the unavailability of divers at the time of the request. However, An Garda Síochána was advised that the Naval Service would keep the matter under review and on the morning of Thursday, 17 September, a diving team was dispatched to the area. The team has supported the search since then until it was stood down yesterday when it was determined in consultation with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Coast Guard and in light of the weather conditions, that divers could no longer provide a meaningful contribution to the search. However, the matter is being kept under review.
The Naval Service has undertaken 118 days on fishery patrols off the North Mayo coast up to 21 September 2015. It undertook 64 operational days associated with the Corrib Gas Field in the 10 years from 2005 to 2015. However, the vast majority of these operations were in the earlier part of this period.
During the period 12 to 18 September 2015 three vessels were deployed while a fourth was deployed from 14 September 2015. The ships were deployed on fishery patrols, Aid to the Civil Power and on an overseas mission. Decisions in relation to the deployment of Naval vessels are made on an ongoing basis by Naval Operations Command, in consultation with Operations and Plans Branch in Defence Forces Headquarters, having regard to, inter alia, the security environment, resource availability, patrol plans, weather conditions and any requirements arising from the various roles assigned to the Defence Forces.
While there are 46 qualified divers in the Naval Service, 10 are dedicated to the Naval Service Diving Section. The remaining 36 divers fill various regular (non-diving) appointments in the Naval Service. These personnel are not available on a dedicated ‘call-out’ basis. It may also be noted, that for a variety of reasons, 11 of the 46 personnel are not currently available to participate in diving operations. These reasons include divers undertaking training courses abroad, those deployed in military roles outside of the Naval Service and persons currently unfit for diving duties.
The NSDS can deploy to a dive site on a Naval vessel, or, as was the case in this instance, by road. The time to travel to a dive site is dependent on a number of variables. When deployed in an Aid to the Civil Power capacity, naval divers remain under the operational control of the lead Naval Service officer but maintain close liaison with representatives of An Garda Síochána and the Irish Coast Guard.
