Written Answers Nos. 476-493
476. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 13 October 2015 if he will provide an update on the status of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38271/15]
View answerAn application under the Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints schemes was received from the person named on 15 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and any payments due under both schemes will issue shortly.
477. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive payments under the single farm payment scheme and the areas of natural constraint scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38272/15]
View answerAn application under the Basic Payments Scheme and the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 6 May 2015. Processing of these applications has recently been finalised and payments due under both schemes will issue shortly.
478. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline his views on the spreading of human waste as slurry or fertiliser on Irish farmlands; the measures in place to protect the environment and human health in respect of this matter and to ensure no negative impact or nuisance is caused to the persons living close to where the human waste is being spread; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38287/15]
View answerResponsibility for land spreading of sewage sludge, including all forms of waste, is a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The land spreading of sewage sludge material as a fertiliser is covered under the Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) Regulations, 1998 and its amendment the Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) (Amendment) Regulations, 2001. Local Authorities have responsibility for maintaining a Sludge Register and for supervision of the supply and use of sludge in agriculture in their functional area. The application of sewage sludge to land must also comply with the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014.
Restrictions to the application of sludge for use in agriculture are imposed where naturally-occurring background levels of heavy metals exceed the maximum levels set out in the Regulations. Furthermore, the Regulations require that sludge is not used except in accordance with a Nutrient Management Plan. Therefore, sludge is only applied to agricultural land in accordance with a Nutrient Management Plan.
479. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to explain the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare only received a payment for 12.2 entitlements under the single farm payment scheme, given that the person has 31 entitlements; when the person will be issued with a top-up payment in respect of a green certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38292/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Transfer of Allocation Right and Reference Value application to transfer 12.26 entitlements by way of gift. The transfer application was processed accordingly. Should both parties wish to amend the application to transfer additional allocation rights to the person named then they should contact the Transfer of Entitlements section of my Department as soon as possible. An application under the 2015 National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme was received from the person named on 30th March 2015. Processing of these applications is underway which involves administrative and on farm checks and verification of land details submitted under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application. These checks are required under EU Regulations. In cases where additional information is required, the Department will correspond directly with the applicant concerned.
When all checks have been completed and processing of applications has been finalised, the Department will correspond directly with each applicant to advise them of the outcome of their application. Payments to successful applicants under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme will commence early in December 2015.
480. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the single payment scheme will issue to a person in County Tipperary (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38311/15]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Private Contract Clause application and a 2015 Transfer of Allocation Right and Reference Value application from the person named. The applications have been processed and payments due under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue shortly. An application under the 2015 Young Farmers Scheme was received from the person named on 29th May 2015. Processing of these applications is underway which involves administrative and on farm checks and verification of land details submitted under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application. These checks are required under EU Regulations. In cases where additional information is required, the Department will correspond directly with the applicant concerned.
When all checks have been completed and processing of applications has been finalised, the Department will correspond directly with each applicant to advise them of the outcome of their application. Payments to successful applicants under the Young Farmers Scheme will commence early in December 2015.
481. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 329 of 16 July 2015 if he will provide an update on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38340/15]
View answerIn order to comply with EU requirements, the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application of the person named was one of a number selected for a Bovine Identification & Registration (IDR) inspection. This inspection identified discrepancies with the tagging and registration of animals resulting in a 9% cross compliance penalty being applied to the 2015 direct payments of the person named. Payments due issued on the basis set out above issued to the nominated bank account of the person in respect of the Areas of Natural Constraint and Basic Payment Schemes on 22 September 2015 and 19 October 2015 respectively.
The person named was notified of the inspection findings on 17 July 2015. The person named has appealed this decision and this request is currently being examined. The person named will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
482. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38346/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 20 April 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
483. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38347/15]
View answerAn application under Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 20 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.
484. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the 2012 suckler cow scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38348/15]
View answerThe person named registered fifty three animals in the 2012 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Payment was made in respect of twenty three animals on the 18 April 2012, fifteen animals on the 29 April 2013 and fourteen animals on the 29 September 2015. The remaining animal is not eligible for payment as the requirements of the scheme were not met for this animal.
485. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim will receive farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38352/15]
View answerAn application under Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 26 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 under both schemes issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
486. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to explain the reason persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny have not received payment under the single payment scheme; if payment will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38355/15]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Transfer of Allocation Right and Reference Value application from the persons named. This application has been processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue in the coming days.
487. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to explain the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare has not been facilitated with a farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38377/15]
View answerThe person named lodged his SPS application form on 28 June 2013. Under the Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, the closing date for receipt of applications was 15 May with an additional period of 25 additional working days provided, during which applications were accepted subject to a penalty. After that period elapsed, on 10 June 2013, a 100% penalty applied. Unfortunately the application of the person named attracted the full 100% late application penalty. An appealed was lodged but was unsuccessful. The person named lodged an application under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme by the deadline of 15 May 2014 and was paid accordingly for the last year of that scheme.
Under Article 24.1.b. of EU Regulation 1307/13, establishing the rules for direct payments to farmers from 2015, it is stated that "Payment entitlements shall be allocated to farmers who were entitled to receive payments ... in respect of an aid application for direct payment .. in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 for 2013".
As the person named was not eligible to receive a direct payment under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme he is not entitled to an automatic entitlement under the Basic Payment Scheme. I have arranged for a further review to be carried out in relation to the appeal lodged by the person named in relation to the late submission of his 2013 Single Payment application form.
488. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a farmer (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38380/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) / Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 10 April 2015. Processing of the ANC application was recently finalised and payment issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 22 September 2015. Processing of the BPS application is also now completed and payment will issue shortly.
489. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment for headage 2015 will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38387/15]
View answerAn application under the Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 7 May 2015. Processing of these applications is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the applications will be further reviewed with a view to payments issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
490. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the steps he will take to ensure that all payments due to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath under the area-based scheme are immediately paid, as the farm in question has been selected for the satellite inspection, which appears to be holding up the payment of the entitlements; if payment will be expedited and issued without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38416/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint 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 payments due under the Direct Payment Schemes as soon as possible to the nominated bank account of the person named.
In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
491. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the number of civil servants under his remit who have been reinstated in recent years after taking a career break; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38719/15]
View answerThe number of staff (and Full-Time Equivalent - FTE ) who returned to work in the Department on the completion of a career break is outlined in the following table below.
|
Year |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 (up to 30-09-2015) |
|
Staff |
14 (FTE 11.9) |
27 (FTE 23.6) |
9 (FTE 6.8) |
3 (FTE 2.1) |
492. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Defence to set out the estimated expenditure of his Department in 2015 in tabular form; the budget for expenditure agreed at the start of the year for 2015; the extra expenditure or savings in this budget during the year to date; when and under what process this expenditure and these savings were approved; and his Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37259/15]
View answerThe Budget Provisions for Vote 35 (Army Pensions) and Vote 36 (Defence) for 2015 and 2016 are as follows:
|
- |
2015 Budget Provision €m. |
2016 Budget Provision €m. |
|
Vote 35 (Army Pensions) |
221 |
224 |
|
Vote 36 (Defence) |
677 |
680 |
|
Overall |
898 |
904 |
While expenditure to date in 2015 is somewhat lower than was profiled for the Defence Vote at the beginning of the year, there are significant spending commitments for the remainder of the year. In addition, the Army Pensions Vote will require a supplementary estimate and this will be offset by savings on the Defence Vote. The supplementary estimate is expected to be submitted for approval before the end of November. It is expected, at this stage, that the overall allocation for 2015 will be substantially spent by year-end.
493. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Defence to outline the allocation for his Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37275/15]
View answerThe 2016 Estimates for Defence (Vote 36) and Army Pensions (Vote 35) reflect the provisions of the Lansdowne Road Agreement, as follows:
- The Defence Estimate ( Vote 36) gross allocation is increased by €1 m under the provision for increases in gross pay;
- The Defence Estimate (Vote 36) Appropriations-in-Aid are reduced by €8 m under the provision for increases applied to the Pension Related Deduction (PRD) threshold;
- The Army Pensions Estimate ( Vote 35) gross allocation is increased by €2.7 m under the provision for easing of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) contributions.
No demographic or inflationary pressures are provided for in the 2016 Estimates.
