Written Answers Nos. 98-104
98. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he took and the discussions held regarding the retention of the International Web Summit in Dublin; the actions taken to address issues raised by the organisers if the event was to remain in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33596/15]
View answerThe international Web Summit event held in Dublin has been a phenomenal success since its inception and my Department, through its agencies, is delighted to have been a partner since its foundation.
The Web Summit event first began in 2010 and had just 400 attendees. IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have been core supporters of F.Ounders/Dublin Web Summit event since the beginning. Both agencies have been sponsors of the Dublin event, as well as other overseas-based events, which are organised by Paddy Cosgrave and his Web Summit team.
The company behind Web Summit, Connected Intelligence, is an Irish success story and has been expanding its events internationally in recent years, running technology conferences in the US and Hong Kong. Earlier this year it held two smaller events in Belfast, while next February it will hold "Surge" for the first time in India. This Irish company continues to operate from their headquarters in Dublin where they employ 130 people.
The number of people attending the event each year has increased rapidly and last year 22,000 people attended the event. It is predicted that this year’s Web Summit at the RDS in November will have approximately 30,000 attendees, with 2,000 start-ups, 1,000 leading investors and 650 speakers due to take part.
In preparation for Web Summit 2015, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland engaged with other governmental stakeholders to discuss a number of issues raised by the Web Summit team. These issues centred on Dublin city services, infrastructure (broadband/Wi-Fi, public transport and accommodation) and the availability of a suitable conference venue of scale.
Ultimately, the decision to move the Web Summit event in 2016 to another location is a commercial decision by the organisers. Both IDA and Enterprise Ireland have enjoyed working with the Web Summit and look forward to continuing their relationship in the future both at home and abroad.
99. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the procedures in place to deal with complaints from farmers regarding the nutritional value of animal feedstuffs purchased and whether his Department will initiate legal action in the event of breaches of the minimum nutritional value of such feedstuffs. [33463/15]
View answerThe EU Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed requires that manufacturers of feed ensure that the product is sound, genuine, unadulterated, fit for purpose and of merchantable quality. In addition, Article 11 of this Regulation provides that the labelling and presentation of feed shall not mislead the user as to, inter alia, its composition, properties, nature or method of manufacture. Furthermore, Annex IV of this Regulation lists permitted tolerances for the compositional labelling of feed materials or compound feed as referred to in Article 11(5). Accordingly, feed manufacturers are required to set out clearly on a label the composition of the animal feed for sale, within the permitted tolerances.
If it is the case that an end-user of animal feeding stuffs is of the view that the composition of a feed is at variance with its label details, they should raise this matter directly with the feed manufacturer in the first instance. Failing a satisfactory resolution or if the end-user sees fit, they also have the option to have a sample of the feed in question independently analysed, at their own expense. The end user may report the issue to my Department. My Department will, if appropriate, follow up the issue separately with the feed manufacturer. In the event that an animal feeding stuff is found to be in contravention of the permitted tolerances, my Department will carry out appropriate follow-up and enforcement action, as required, with the feed manufacturer, in line with Statutory Instrument 432 of 2009 entitled European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations, 2009.
For animal feed, approximately 1,200 inspections are conducted and up to 1,500 samples are taken annually by DAFM officials and sent to accredited laboratories for various analyses, for example to determine the presence of animal proteins, banned or undesirable biological, chemical and physical substances, as well as quality controls such as protein and ash content, etc.
100. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a payment under the agri-environment options scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33472/15]
View answerThe person named is not a participant in AEOS. However, he was a participant in REPS 4 up to the end of December 2014, when his REPS contract was completed. He has been paid his full REPS entitlements and no further payments are due.
101. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the forestry section in his Department will make a decision regarding forest owners whose plantations were adversely impacted by the storms in February of 2014; if a decision is envisaged whereby these lands can be replanted with grant aid from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33473/15]
View answerI am aware of the difficulties that have been created for many forest owners as a result of the storms of 2014. The frequency and ferocity of these storm events, compounded by waterlogged soils on many forest sites, led to extensive damage on both private and State owned forest lands. While estimates indicate that less than 1% of the national forest area (approximately 8,000 hectares) has been blown down, the damage has been extensive at a local level, especially in the south and parts of the midlands where substantial quantities of timber have been blown down.
Financial support for reinstating privately owned forests affected by the winter storms of 2013/2014 is currently being considered by the Department. A final decision on this matter can be expected shortly.
102. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all rare breeds of cattle and sheep will be accepted in applications for the 2015 green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33488/15]
View answerThere is no change to the rare breeds eligible for support under the GLAS scheme.
Priority entry is available to those who were registered with a relevant breed society and had registered livestock with the relevant breed society in 2012 and/or 2013.
In the case of the Galway sheep and the Kerry Bog Pony, registration with the relevant breed society and registration of livestock in 2014 will also be acceptable in order to further encourage the conservation of these breeds.
103. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason only two additional rare breeds will be considered under the 2015 green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33489/15]
View answerThere is no change to the rare breeds eligible for support under the GLAS scheme.
Priority entry is available to those who were registered with a relevant breed society and had registered livestock with the relevant breed society in 2012 and/or 2013.
In the case of the Galway Sheep and the Kerry Bog Pony, registration with the relevant breed society and registration of livestock in 2014 will also be acceptable, in order to further encourage the conservation of these breeds.
104. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if arrangements can be put in place to enable young farmers who have a joint herd number with a parent, and who are suitably qualified, to avail of the higher rate of grant aid under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme to support their entry into farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33514/15]
View answerA Young Farmer who is farming on a joint herd number with a parent can qualify for the higher rate of aid under TAMS 2 if they form a partnership to farm together, or a company for that purpose.
In addition and in order to fulfil the EU requirements for the scheme, a declaration is required that in such circumstances the Young Farmer in question exercises effective and long term control over the partnership, or legal person, in terms of decisions related to management, benefits and financial risks.
