Written Answers Nos. 81-89
81. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in making a payment to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under the area-based payment and the single farm payment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35046/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 14 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
Advance payments under the Basic Payment Scheme will commence issuing to eligible applicants from 16 October 2015.
The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being processed with the intention of issuing any payment due under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
82. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when decisions will be issued to farmers who have applied for forestry grants and who are awaiting assessment of the possible effects of afforestation on hen harrier habitats; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35062/15]
View answerThe Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is currently developing a Threat Response Plan (TRP) for Hen Harriers. That Department has also established an Inter-Departmental Steering Group, incorporating representatives from key Departments, to assist in the development of the Plan. The TRP is focusing on a number of key pressures which have been identified as impacting on the conservation of the species, the three main pressures, forestry, intensive agriculture and windfarm development. In this regard the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has established a Consultative Committee, comprising relevant representatives from the forestry, agriculture and wind farm sectors, to contribute to the formulation of the Plan and discussions are now progressing, with further information to be provided by the results of the 2015 National Hen Harrier Survey. The intention of the TRP will be to bring clarity to farmers, forest owners and other landowners about future land management activities in the SPAs, by setting out the measures identified as being necessary to preserve, maintain or re-establish suitable Hen Harrier habitats. In relation to forestry, it is envisaged that the TRP will determine, inter alia, the circumstances in which afforestation, if any, might be accommodated in Hen Harrier SPAs without impacting on the conservation of the species. In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is not in a position to grant approval for any afforestation projects in those areas, until the TRP has been completed and measures identified as being necessary to preserve, maintain or re-establish suitable Hen Harrier habitats have been determined.
83. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce measures to address the income difficulties in the sheep sector, including a new direct payment scheme to replace the sheep grassland scheme; if sheep farmers will receive priority access to the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme to replace income lost due to the ending of the rural environment protection scheme in 2015; his plans to reinstate the sheep handling and fencing grant under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme II; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35064/15]
View answerWhen determining the Initial Unit Value of a farmer’s entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015, Regulation 1307/2013 gives Member States the option to take into account any payment the farmer received in 2014 under schemes such as the Grassland Sheep Scheme. This option is only available where the Member State is not applying voluntary coupled support to the sector concerned under the new CAP. Accordingly, while the legal basis for the former Grassland Sheep Scheme is no longer in place under the new regulations, these payments have been taken into account under the new Basic Payments Scheme. Many sheep farmers will also benefit significantly from the model of convergence to be applied in Ireland where those with a low Initial Unit Value will see their entitlements increase over the period of the new Basic Payment Scheme. In addition, in negotiating and developing the new Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020, I have included a number of schemes that will be of direct benefit to sheep farmers . For example, a strong commitment to continuation of funding under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (formerly the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme), a range of supports under the new Capital Investment Scheme TAMS II, the prioritisation afforded to commonage farmers under GLAS, and support for a specific Knowledge Transfer Group for sheep farmers will be of particular benefit in this regard.
The Green, Low-carbon, Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) will shortly re-open for applications. Those farmers who wish to apply may do so by engaging an approved GLAS Advisor to prepare their application. Tier 1 applicants will receive first priority access to the Scheme, followed by Tier 2 then Tier 3. Many sheep farmers will also be commonage shareholders and as such they would receive priority access to the scheme. In relation to the possibility of funding sheep handling facilities and fencing under TAMS 2, I am pleased to say that sheep-handling facilities are already included as eligible investments. I am also keeping the possibility of funding sheep-fencing under review.
84. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the controls he has put in place to monitor carcass trimming in meat plants; if this work is being monitored by agricultural officers in real time, particularly as it is done prior to the weighing of carcasses on which farmers are paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35065/15]
View answerOfficials of my Department carry out unannounced inspections at beef slaughtering plants to ensure that Carcase Dressing (Trim) is carried out in accordance with EU Regulations. To date in 2015, over 38,500 carcasses were inspected during 350 inspections. The number of carcasses inspected is up almost 5% on this time last year when the number of carcasses inspected was almost 15% higher than 2013 inspection figures and significantly exceeds the legal requirement for the minimum number of inspections set down in EU legislation. Un-announced inspections are carried out by authorised officers according to an inspection schedule in an Annual Control Plan, as a follow up where infringements may have been noted during a previous inspection visit or where a complaint to the Department warrants an immediate inspection.
During the course of such an inspection the following duties are performed by the authorised officer:
- Examination and evaluation of classification performance
- Evaluation of standard of dressing (trim) during the production process in real time when possible and on cold carcasses
- Examination of records concerning use of check weights
- Comparison of hot and cold weights
- Scrutiny of labelling particulars
- Examination of relevant records or processes, as appropriate
An inspection report form is furnished to factory management on completion of each inspection and, where appropriate, factory management is required to address any deficiencies noted.
All inspecting officers are provided with ongoing training to ensure compliance with the Carcase Dressing (Trim) specification in accordance with the legislation.
In January 2015, Industry was circulated with guidelines on inter alia carcase dressing specifications under the current legislation. In addition, during the Spring of 2015, the Department engaged in a series of regional meetings with factory management where the obligations imposed by current legislation regarding carcase presentation (trim) were re-iterated. The Department also distributed a booklet to industry outlining acceptable and unacceptable levels of trim for reference by factory operatives.
85. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the report of the review of the aquaculture licensing regime will be published as provided for in Foodwise 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35066/15]
View answerThe action item referred to by the Deputy is the subject of ongoing examination within my Department with a view to implementation at the earliest possible opportunity. The Deputy will appreciate that in view of the wide ranging nature of the proposed review including legislation, resource and logistical aspects and also the involvement of all key stakeholders, the exercise is complex.
Every effort is being made to expedite this matter as a priority.
86. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the locally led targeted agri-environment output scheme will be rolled out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35067/15]
View answerA number of distinct agri-environmental schemes are planned under a new locally-led measure, which is under negotiation at present with the EU. The new measure is designed to complement the approach taken under GLAS and to explore different ways of tackling specific environmental challenges at local level. Each new scheme requires to be brought in by way of a formal amendment to the Rural Development Programme, which in turn means that each separate scheme has to be very substantially evolved before it can be presented to the Commission for consideration. The first of these schemes will build on the success of the various Burren Life programmes and will be fully operational in 2016. The remaining schemes will be designed over the coming months in consultation with key stakeholders and presented to the Commission early next year.
87. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have qualified for the first phase of the green low-carbon agri-environmental scheme (GLAS) and GLAS+ by county; the average annual payments granted to farmers by GLAS and by GLAS + by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35068/15]
View answerUnder European Commission regulations all applications must be administratively checked before any application can be approved into the scheme. Almost 27,000 GLAS applications were submitted and final checks are currently being carried out 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 applications for GLAS/GLAS + 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.
88. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when approvals will commence for young farmers under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme II; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35069/15]
View answerThe closing date for receipt of applications under the first tranche for the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme was the 25th September 2015. All applications received are being examined and approvals will commence when all of the required checks have been undertaken.
89. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of targeted agricultural modernisation scheme I funding that will be spent as part of the 2007 to 2013 rural development programme by sub-measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35070/15]
View answerThe following table indicates the expenditure to date and the estimated remaining spend on Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 1) projects approved under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme:
|
Scheme |
Expenditure to Date €m |
Estimated Expenditure to end 2015 €m |
Total Expenditure €m |
|
Dairy Equipment |
29.793 |
9.750 |
39.543 |
|
Loose Housing Sows |
11.971 |
0.170 |
12.141 |
|
Poultry Cages |
11.067 |
- |
11.067 |
|
Sheep Handling |
2.393 |
1.785 |
4.178 |
|
Rainwater Harvesting |
0.035 |
0.020 |
0.055 |
|
Farm Safety Scheme |
0.320 |
3.965 |
4.285 |
