Written Answers Nos. 301-321
301. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct the Garda Síochána fraud squad to investigate the issue of milk quota irregularities involving a person (details supplied) in County Kildare and a company involving 500,000 l of milk. [36323/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, upon conclusion of the investigation of this case I instructed that the relevant papers be sent to the Chief State Solicitors Office for advice on whether offences had been committed and if so, the possibility and likelihood of a successful prosecution. The CSSO subsequently appointed a Prosecuting Counsel to examine the facts of the case and this Counsel’s report was forwarded to my Department. My Department subsequently met with the Senior Counsel to discuss the report. Having regard to Counsel’s opinion, and to all of the circumstances in this case, including the fact that there was no financial gain for any of the parties involved, my Department recommended that no further legal action be pursued and I accepted this recommendation.
302. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a payment under the area aid scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36181/15]
View answerAn application under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 24 May 2015. Payment has not yet issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements.
Officials in my department have been in contact with the applicant and have requested relevant documentation. Once this documentation is received my officials will correspond with the applicant to advance the application.
303. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the areas of natural constraint scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36206/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 2 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised. Payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
304. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a payment under the single farm area aid and forestry scheme. [36211/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 1 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised. Payments under the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening Payment as well as the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
Forestry grants and premium payments on this afforestation contract have been withheld since 2014 due to outstanding remedial works that had to be undertaken in order to bring the plantation up to the standard required under the afforestation scheme. The Department was notified in August 2015 that these works have been completed and a site inspection by the Department’s inspector is required at this stage. It is expected that this inspection will take place in the next three weeks. The applicant will be notified in advance of the inspection. Payments of the outstanding grants and premium will depend on the outcome of this inspection.
305. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the development of a harbour (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36220/15]
View answerThe harbour referred to by the Deputy is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for its development, repair and maintenance rests with that Local Authority in the first instance and its parent Department, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
That said, under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, my Department provides funding to Local Authorities for the development and repair of their harbours, piers and slipways subject to the availability of Exchequer funding.
No application was received from Cork County Council in relation to the harbour referred to under the 2015 Local Authority capital programme.
Any application submitted by Cork County Council in respect of the harbour under a future Local Authority capital programme, will be given consideration in the context of the criteria set out, available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
306. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received a payment for 2014 to 2015 under the areas of natural Constraint scheme; if the payment will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36221/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 27 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised. Payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
307. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason payments for the Keelderry and Roxborough commonages in the Slieve Aughty area of South Galway are being withheld under the areas of natural constraint scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36222/15]
View answerThe commonages named were included on applications received in my Department under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme. Processing of these applications is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the applications will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank accounts of the persons concerned at the earliest possible date.
308. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive a payment under the single payment and areas of natural constraint schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36225/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 2 March 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised. Payments under the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening Payment as well as the Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
309. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who applied under tranche 1 of the new green low-carbon agri-environment scheme who will qualify for the top-up payments for farmers who are able to avail of two or more priority measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36228/15]
View answerAll required checks on almost 27,000 GLAS applications submitted are now nearing completion and all applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application before the end of October. Until this process is complete and the actions applied on are approved it is not possible to determine the number of farmers who will qualify for additional GLAS+ payment. The level of payments to be made in every case will only be known following completion of all pre-payment validations, which will be undertaken later this year in advance of the first GLAS payment-run.
310. 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 targeted agricultural modernisation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36238/15]
View answerThe applicant concerned submitted his payment claim for Dairy Equipment under TAMS I on the 11th of September 2015 and payment will issue when the required checks are completed. All claims which are cleared for payment will be paid before end of year.
311. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review all levies charged to farmers at meat factories, given the additional €105 billion spending anticipated, owing to better than expected tax receipts, as farmers cannot continue to carry these excessive deductions, which come to €10 on a finished beef animal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36241/15]
View answerA number of EU and national regulations provide for charging of fees to operators of food businesses including meat plants and farmers. Details of such fees are set out below.
Regulation (EC) 882 of 2004, relating to official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules, provides for the recovery of the cost of meat inspection services at approved meat premises. The fees paid are mainly unit fees for animals slaughtered, ranging from €5 for cattle to €0.01 for small poultry. It is important to note that these are the minimum amounts chargeable under the Regulation and that they are not levies on farmers, but rather fees required by EU law to be recovered from meat plants. The amount recovered in 2014 in respect of these fees was €14.5m.
The An Bord Bia Act, 1994, provides for payment to Bord Bia of a levy per head on slaughtered or exported livestock. The current levy rate is €1.90 per head for cattle. There are no plans at this point to review the rate of the levy, which funds market research, intelligence and promotion activities and enables the beef sector to draw down co-funding from within the Bord Bia budget. Income from the cattle levy (including live exports) in 2014 amounted to €5.7m.
Bovine disease levies are collected under the Bovine Disease Levies Acts 1979 and 1996 and are used as the industry contribution to compensation payable under disease eradication programmes. The current rates are €0.0006 per litre of milk processed and €1.27 for each animal slaughtered or exported. There are no plans at this point to review the rate of the levy. The total collected in 2014 was €6.6m, including €3.1m at meat plants/abattoirs and for live exports.
312. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment under the single payment scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36251/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme application on 28 April 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.
The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being finalised 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.
313. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment under the single payment scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36252/15]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Transfer of Entitlement Allocation Right form from the person named on 7th May 2015. The details on the application form received indicated a discrepancy between the land area declared on the transfer application and the land area declared on the Basic Payment Scheme application submitted by the person named.
My Department wrote to the person named on 10th August 2015 to rectify the discrepancy. No reply has been received to date. When a reply has been received my Department will progress the processing of his application.
314. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36281/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme application on 28 April 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.
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.
315. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications he has received under tranche 1 of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; the average expected payment for those who have applied; the amount of the initial funding allocation, that will be required to cover the total payments for those who applied under tranche 1; that will be left unspent; his plans for any unspent funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36326/15]
View answerA total of 26,935 applications were submitted to my Department under tranche 1 of the GLAS scheme. Until we have full pre-payment validations on area committed and lengths involved in linear actions such as hedgerows, it is not possible to know exactly what individual payments will come to. However, I have included €20m in the 2015 estimates for GLAS payments this year, and I expect this to be fully utilised.
316. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in issuing a payment under the area constraints scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36338/15]
View answerAn application under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 7 April 2015. Processing of the application is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
317. 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. [36343/15]
View answerSheol an duine a ainmnítear iarratas ar leithdháileadh teidlíochtaí faoi ‘Maolú na hAlban’ an 8 Bealtaine 2015. Tá an t-iarratas seo á phróiseáil faoin gcatagóir ‘Maolú na hAlban’ (‘Scottish Derogation’) den Chúlchiste Náisiúnta.
Tá próiseáil iarratas ar an gCúlchiste Náisiúnta ar siúl faoi láthair. Tá seiceálacha riaracháin agus feirme agus sonraí talún a seoladh ar aghaidh faoin iarratas ar Scéim Buníocaíochta 2015 a fhíordheimhniú i gceist leis an bpróiseáil. Ceanglaítear go ndéantar na seiceálacha seo faoi Rialachán an AE.
Nuair a chríochnaítear na seiceálacha go léir agus nuair a chuirtear próiseáil na n-iarratas i gcrích, déanfaidh mo Roinn comhfhreagras díreach le gach iarratasóir chun iad a chur ar an eolas ar thoradh a n-iarratais.
Cuirfear tús le híocaíocht faoi chatagóir ‘Maolú na hAlban’ den chatagóir den Chúlchiste Náisiúnta go luath i Nollaig 2015.
318. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment review under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo. [36358/15]
View answerA review of this case was completed by the Regional Inspector on 3 July 2015, which included a detailed examination of the medical evidence as presented by the person named. The issue related to the fact that an SPS application had not been submitted under the relevant time provisions for SPS for 2012 and 2013. The medical evidence presented related to 2009, which was outside the remit of Force Majeure.
The Single Payment unit had previously adjudicated on the same medical evidence and found that the case did not satisfy the Force Majeure provisions. The person named was informed of his right to have the case considered by the Agriculture Appeals Office in the decision letter of the Regional Inspector.
319. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an application under an area based scheme will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36381/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised. Payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
320. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will forward a payment, at an early date, under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36383/15]
View answerAn application under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 23 May 2015. Processing of the application is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
321. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when persons (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a decision on a recently submitted grant application for the upgrading of a milking parlour, as this work will need to be carried out during the winter months when cows are not milking. [36396/15]
View answerMy Department received an application from the applicants named under the Dairy Equipment Scheme of TAMS II on the 6th October 2015. The first tranche of this scheme has only just closed, on 16th October 2015, and all applications received now have to be examined, validated and then ranked and assessed. Approvals will commence when this process is complete.
