Written Replies Nos. 256-278
256. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43928/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 13 July, 2015. This application was received outside the prescribed period for the submission of valid applications. Under the relevant EU Regulations, a 100% late penalty is applied to the application in this case. An official from my Department will be in contact with the person named to advise him of the appeal process in such instances.
257. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding provided to each harbour in County Cork including fishery harbour centres and council owned infrastructure, for each of the years 2011 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43962/15]
View answerMy Department owns, manages and maintains the six Fishery Harbour Centres located at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, an Daingean, Ros an Mhíl and Killybegs. It also has responsibility for North Harbour Cape Clear, and a limited number of piers, lights and beacons in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board Piers, Lights and Beacons Act. The 2011-2014 tables below outline my Department’s expenditure on each of the harbours in County Cork. The 2015 table provides details of the funding allocated for 2015. As part of the Government’s overall response to the damage caused by the storms of 2013 and 2014 my Department funded coastal Local Authorities in 2014 to repair piers and harbours and eligible marine infrastructure, owned by them which were damaged by the storms
I have also allocated €1.4m in 2015 to enable Local Authorities complete storm damage projects approved in 2014, which were unfinished in 2014, due to time and other constraints.
Funding provided to each of the Harbours in County Cork 2011-2015
|
Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2011 |
|
|
Location/Project |
Department Expenditure € |
|
Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre |
2,832,389 |
|
Blackrock |
56,751 |
|
Ballycotton breakwater |
112,500 |
|
Travaud, Travara, Traanimod (Castletownbere) |
67,875 |
|
Cork Harbour |
93,750 |
|
Fountainstown |
104,170 |
|
Keelbeg, Union Hall |
98,625 |
|
Cape Clear |
15,119 |
|
Total |
3,381,179 |
|
Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2012 |
|
|
Location/Project |
Department Expenditure € |
|
Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre |
855,504 |
|
Blackrock |
112,500 |
|
Cork Harbour Access |
55,904 |
|
Allin Quay |
40,672 |
|
Carrigaline-Crosshaven |
37,500 |
|
Pallas/Schull |
5,535 |
|
Keelbeg Pier |
20,137 |
|
Gearhies |
18,689 |
|
Schull |
23,295 |
|
Cape Clear |
164,894 |
|
Total |
1,334,630 |
|
Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2013 |
|
|
Location/Project |
Department Expenditure € |
|
Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre |
949,975 |
|
Pallas/Schull Repair |
51,000 |
|
Carrigaline-Crosshaven |
55,117 |
|
Courtmac sherry/Ballin |
13,658 |
|
Travarra Pier, Castletownbere |
20,078 |
|
Dunworley |
36,696 |
|
Coolmaine |
19,847 |
|
McDonald Quay, Youghal |
54,759 |
|
Kilcatherine, Castletownbere |
24,080 |
|
Dromard, Castletownbere |
2,723 |
|
Baltimore Pier |
37,500 |
|
Cape Clear |
548,891 |
|
Total |
1,814,324 |
|
Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2014 |
|
|
Location/Project |
Department Expenditure € |
|
Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre |
371,651 |
|
Baltimore Pier replace Cush Buoy (Storm Damage) |
29,590 |
|
Cleanderry Repairs to Slipway (Storm Damage) |
20,777 |
|
Courtmacsherry Harbour Aids to Navigation (Storm Damage) |
4,096 |
|
Deelish (Storm Damage) |
27,000 |
|
Dursey (Storm Damage) |
7,233 |
|
Glandore (Storm Damage) |
180,000 |
|
Letter, Kilcrohane (Storm Damage) |
27,000 |
|
McDonald's Quay, Youghal (Storm Damage) |
46,666 |
|
Pallas, Ardgroom (Storm Damage) |
34,300 |
|
Barleycove (Storm Damage) |
31,638 |
|
Travarra Pier (Storm Damage) |
12,131 |
|
Cape Clear (Storm Damage) |
3,014,552 |
|
Durrus Pier |
19,772 |
|
Ballycotton |
€112,500 |
|
Passage |
€75,000 |
|
Baltimore |
€67,500 |
|
Glengarriff Pier |
€14,250 |
|
Total |
4,095,656 |
|
Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2015 |
|
|
Location/Project |
Department Allocation € |
|
Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre |
1,300,591 |
|
Fountainstown |
112,500 |
|
Dock Pier, Sherkin Island |
15,000 |
|
Hare Island |
15,000 |
|
Nealon's Quay, Youghal |
95,250 |
|
Loughanebeg Pier, Cahermore, Castletownbere |
37,500 |
|
Roaringwater Pier, Church Cross, Skibbereen |
22,500 |
|
Carrigillihy Slipway, Union Hall |
51,000 |
|
Rosscarbery Pier |
33,750 |
|
Castletownshend, Durrus and Ring (Clon) Piers |
11,250 |
|
Ballydonegan Pier Allihies |
48,750 |
|
Spike Island, Cork Harbour |
112,500 |
|
Ballinwillig Slipway, Garryvoe |
26,250 |
|
Gortnakilla Pier, Bantry |
18,750 |
|
Lahenagh Slipway,Clonakilty |
42,000 |
|
Travaud Pier, Castletownbere |
18,750 |
|
Sandycove Slipway |
18,750 |
|
Cape Clear |
2,510,000 |
|
Baltimore (Storm Damage) |
6,410 |
|
Total |
4,496,501 |
258. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have been accepted into tranche one of the GLAS; the average annual payment approved and the number of farmers with a start date of 1 October and 1 January 2016, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43979/15]
View answerI am pleased to say that in October 24, 430 approval letters issued to farmers confirming their acceptance into the scheme. The commencement dates of contracts are set out in tabular form on a county by county basis:
|
County |
1 October 2015 Start Date |
1 January 2016 Start Date |
|
Carlow |
256 |
16 |
|
Cavan |
841 |
42 |
|
Clare |
1,518 |
41 |
|
Cork |
1,961 |
130 |
|
Donegal |
1,736 |
146 |
|
Dublin |
55 |
2 |
|
Galway |
2,734 |
241 |
|
Kerry |
1,624 |
67 |
|
Kildare |
242 |
9 |
|
Kilkenny |
374 |
48 |
|
Laois |
352 |
7 |
|
Leitrim |
908 |
64 |
|
Limerick |
926 |
85 |
|
Longford |
473 |
22 |
|
Louth |
137 |
8 |
|
Mayo |
2,322 |
173 |
|
Meath |
399 |
29 |
|
Monaghan |
533 |
27 |
|
Offaly |
437 |
15 |
|
Roscommon |
1,359 |
106 |
|
Sligo |
859 |
43 |
|
Tipperary |
1,028 |
61 |
|
Waterford |
303 |
26 |
|
Westmeath |
572 |
55 |
|
Wexford |
657 |
60 |
|
Wicklow |
292 |
9 |
|
|
22,898 |
1,532 |
An additional 1,600 applications have been approved recently, a county breakdown is not yet available for these cases .
The information sought on the average annual payment will not be available until the pre-payment validations and calculations are completed.
259. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have submitted samples by herd size in intervals of ten, 0 to ten, 11 to 20, and so forth, by county, under the beef genomics scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43980/15]
View answerMy Department is in the process of compiling the requested data, which will be sent under separate cover as soon as possible.
260. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have been approved for tier one, two and three and by county for the GLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43981/15]
View answerIn October some 24,430 approval letters began issuing to farmers confirming their acceptance into the scheme. The number of farmers who received approval to the scheme under Tier 1 is 10,185, Tier 2 is 5,888 and Tier 3 is 8,357. A county by county breakdown of the numbers in each Tier is not yet available. A further 1,600 have recently been approved but a county and tier breakdown for these applications is not yet available.
261. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of completed applications received to date by tier under tranche two of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43982/15]
View answerApproximately 4,000 applications have been submitted under Tranche 2 of GLAS, while some 16,7 00 applications have been registered on the GLAS system. It is not possible until applications are fully processed to give definitive numbers for each Tier.
262. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details Supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43991/15]
View answerThe person named submitted an application under the 2015 Beef Data and Genomics Programme but subsequently withdrew the application. Therefore, there are no payments due to the person named under this Programme. An application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint schemes was received by my department on 8 March, 2015. This application has been fully processed and payments under both schemes will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
263. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will issue commencement and approval notices prior to January 2016 under the second targeted agricultural modernisation scheme to facilitate new entrants in installing new equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44009/15]
View answerInterest in TAMS to date has exceeded expectations and clearly many Irish farmers are looking once again at the benefits of investing in their enterprises and expanding production. Under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme a total of 520 applications have been received with over 200 of these applying for dairy investments while over a thousand applications have been submitted for the Dairy Equipment Scheme. All applications received are being examined and approvals will commence when all of the required checks have been undertaken. This is a complex process and as all applications for TAMS 2 must be made under a tranche-based approach, we are required to evaluate, rank and assess all applications received together. Applications cannot be approved individually or on a rolling basis as they are submitted.
It is anticipated that approvals will commence shortly and will continue throughout December and into the New Year. Every effort is being made to facilitate approvals in cases where milking equipment is urgently required.
264. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of bovine imports for the years 2011 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44012/15]
View answer266. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of live bovine exports for the years 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44014/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 266 together.
The numbers of bovine exports and imports as requested by the Deputy are set out in the following table. The main destinations for live bovines in 2015 were UK, NL, Italy and France.
|
Year |
Live Bovine Exports |
Live Bovine imports |
|
2015 to date |
173,514 |
15,166 |
|
2014 |
239,993 |
11,490 |
|
2013 |
212,369 |
14,024 |
|
2012 |
162,038 |
23,465 |
|
2011 |
215,780 |
22,381 |
265. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of herds in the suckler cow scheme for the years 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44013/15]
View answerA total of 26,321 farmers are currently participating in the new Beef Data and Genomics Programme which forms part of the Rural Development Programme 2015-2020. The following table outlines the number of applicants who actively participated in the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme in 2011 and 2012 and the Beef Data Programmes in the years 2013 and 2014 :
|
Year |
Scheme |
No of participants |
|
2011 |
SWS |
33,100 |
|
2012 |
SWS |
29,503 |
|
2013 |
BDP |
26,699 |
|
2014 |
BDP |
32,369 |
267. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of tests for bovine brucellosis for the years 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44015/15]
View answerThe number of tests for the years in question are contained in the following table.
|
Year |
Total |
|
2015 to Date |
636,336 |
|
2014 |
1,503,246 |
|
2013 |
1,696,978 |
|
2012 |
1,928,895 |
|
2011 |
2,328,268 |
This amounts to 8,093,723 in total.
Ireland achieved Officially Brucellosis Free Status in 2009 and my Department has been gradually scaling down testing since then. In addition, there has been no case of Brucellosis on the entire island of Ireland since March 2012 and, as the Deputy might recall, I, along with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland, Ms Michelle O’Neill, announced the ending of pre-movement Brucellosis testing on both sides of the Border with effect from 28 September 2015. This means that routine on-farm brucellosis testing is no longer required in the State. This is a major landmark in the history of disease eradication in Ireland and illustrates what can be achieved when all concerned cooperate in delivering an effective eradication programme. My Department has estimated that, compared to the position prior to the scaling down of testing in 2009, the saving to farmers in terms of testing costs amounts to about €15m per annum.
However, it is vital that we identify and prevent any outbreak of this disease and, in this regard, my Department will continue to conduct surveillance testing on cows slaughtered at meat plants. It is also important that, notwithstanding the removal of the legislative requirement to test, farmers should ensure that they have appropriate and proportionate bio-security arrangements in place with regard to animals introduced into their herds in order to protect the health of their own herd and indeed that of their neighbours from infectious and contagious disease.
268. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of food safety, public health, animal health and welfare and plant health for each of the years from 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44017/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table.
Subhead B: Food Safety, Animal Health & Welfare, Plant Health Expenditure 2011 to End November 2015
|
- |
- |
Total 2011 |
Total 2012 |
Total 2013 |
Total 2014 |
2015 to End November |
|
B.1 |
Administrative Pay |
105,868 |
100,362 |
96,752 |
92,197 |
83,173 |
|
B.2 |
Administrative Non-Pay |
29,455 |
26,746 |
25,867 |
28,082 |
24,498 |
|
B.3 |
Programmes |
121,304 |
111,317 |
90,304 |
79,419 |
61,223 |
|
|
Current |
120,756 |
111,317 |
90,304 |
79,419 |
61,179 |
|
|
Capital |
548 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
44 |
|
B.3.1 |
Meat Control Laboratory |
400 |
860 |
699 |
840 |
448 |
|
B.3.2 |
TVIs Meat Inspection |
19,081 |
17,634 |
17,607 |
18,039 |
16,472 |
|
B.3.3 |
Vet. Testing & Research |
4,134 |
4,478 |
4,253 |
4,090 |
3,805 |
|
B.3.4 |
TB & Bruc. Eradication |
39,794 |
38,093 |
31,732 |
35,253 |
25,606 |
|
B.3.5 |
National Beef Assurance Current |
6,342 |
6,341 |
5,872 |
5,667 |
5,074 |
|
B.3.6 |
Scrapie |
1,058 |
381 |
456 |
326 |
238 |
|
B.3.7 |
Oth. Animals Dis. Measures |
1,511 |
1,312 |
1,749 |
1,791 |
1,326 |
|
B.3.8.1 |
An. Wel. Control of Horses Current |
2,705 |
2,199 |
3,054 |
2,248 |
807 |
|
B.3.8.2 |
An. Wel. Control of Horses Capital |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
44 |
|
B.3.9 |
Other Animal Welfare |
1,277 |
1,408 |
2,160 |
2,085 |
240 |
|
B.3.10 |
BSE Comp. & Related Costs |
3,364 |
1,984 |
620 |
82 |
263 |
|
B.3.11 |
BSE Testing |
3,226 |
1,373 |
1,191 |
681 |
665 |
|
B.3.12 |
Fallen Animals Scheme |
5,667 |
5,778 |
7,049 |
5,012 |
4,717 |
|
B.3.13 |
Render Store Dest. Of MBM |
100 |
20 |
17 |
31 |
23 |
|
B.3.14 |
FMD General Costs |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
B.3.15 |
Feed Stuff Analysis |
187 |
182 |
157 |
196 |
147 |
|
B.3.16 |
Pesticide / Plant Protect |
970 |
996 |
1,007 |
886 |
842 |
|
B.3.17 |
Suckler Cow / Anml. Welfare |
30,845 |
28,198 |
10,290 |
1,063 |
29 |
|
B.3.18 |
Poultry & Eggs |
67 |
56 |
54 |
75 |
48 |
|
B.3.19 |
An. Hlt. Insp. Milk Certs |
25 |
23 |
12 |
16 |
7 |
|
B.3.20 |
Other |
0 |
0 |
2,324 |
582 |
-7 |
|
B.3.21 |
Dairy Science Laboratories |
0 |
0 |
0 |
458 |
429 |
|
B.3.18* |
Animal Welfare -Pig Welfare Current |
548 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
256,627 |
238,425 |
212,923 |
199,698 |
168,894 |
*B.3.18 Animal Welfare – Pig Welfare Capital discontinued in 2012
The information on the table corresponds to expenditure under Programme B “ Food Safety, Animal Health & Welfare and Plant Health” and the strategies underpinning this programme include
- Implementing food and feed safety monitoring, inspection and control programmes at primary, producer and processing levels
- Providing an efficient laboratory services for animal, plant and food products
- Promoting and enforcing enhanced animal /product identification to support food safety and animal health and welfare
- Intensify the various animal and fish disease control/eradication programmes in order to make significant progress towards eradication
- Promoting animal welfare standards and secure compliance with these regulations.
- Operating an effective plant health service to minimise threats from harmful plant and forestry pests and diseases.
The decline in expenditure over recent years is largely attributable to lower animal disease incidence, closure of the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme and more cost-effective and efficient delivery of schemes and services.
269. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue under the 2015 areas of natural constraint scheme and the basic payment scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Galway, the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44018/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received by my Department from the person named on 30 April, 2015. This application has been fully processed and payments under both schemes will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
270. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average family income for dairy, cattle, sheep and tillage farmers for each of the years 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44073/15]
View answerThe following table shows average family farm income from Teagasc’s National Farm Survey for the years 2011 to 2014, by system of farming.
|
|
Dairying |
Cattle Rearing |
Cattle Other |
Sheep |
Tillage |
Mixed Livestock |
All farms |
|
% of farms represented |
20% |
23% |
30% |
16% |
8% |
3% |
100% |
|
2011 |
68,570 |
10,453 |
14,573 |
16,805 |
35,296 |
34,902 |
24,461 |
|
2012 |
49,290 |
12,186 |
17,896 |
18,243 |
37,151 |
46,119 |
25,479 |
|
2013 |
62,994 |
9,541 |
15,667 |
11,731 |
28,797 |
50,793 |
25,437 |
|
2014 |
67,598 |
10,369 |
13,321 |
15,065 |
28,995 |
56,183 |
26, 642 |
Source: Teagasc, National Farm Survey
At the recent Teagasc, Annual Review and Outlook 2016 conference Teagasc estimated that average family farm income would fall by 9% in 2015 and rise by 5% in 2016.
The data illustrates that there is a gap between the incomes on dairy farms and those on drystock farms, with tillage farms in between. It should be borne in mind that almost all dairy farms are classified by Teagasc as full-time farms in terms of the labour input required, whereas most drystock farms are classified as part-time in terms of labour input required. In 2014, on 30% of all farms the farm holder had an off-farm job, and on 51% of farms either the holder and/or spouse had an off-farm job. Overall, it is estimated that on 75% of farms, either the farmer and/or spouse had another source of off-farm income, be it from employment, pensions or other social assistance.
271. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will be made under the basic payment scheme and the greening scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [44076/15]
View answerThe person named has not submitted an application for the 2015 Basic Payment and Greening Scheme. An official from my Department has been in direct correspondence with the Deputy’s office to advise him of the appeals procedure.
272. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the same way that there is a need for transparency in the Irish Farmers Association, if such transparency is also needed in the fishing industry, particularly in the context of the large amounts of money involved in quotas of fish which are a natural resource; the safeguards in place for dealing with lobbyists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44103/15]
View answerIn Ireland fish quotas are a public resource and managed on that basis. Demersal species are managed by way of Fisheries Management Notice under Section 12 of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006. The periodic allocations for demersal (whitefish and prawn) stocks, usually monthly, are made, following consultation with the industry. A notice is placed in the Irish Independent and the detailed arrangements are published on the Department’s website.
Each month I receive recommendations from industry representatives at the Quota Management Advisory Committee in relation to the monthly allocations to fishing vessels of demersal stocks. The Whitefish Quota Management Advisory Committee involving fishing industry representatives meets each month and, as far as possible, I take account of the recommendations for monthly regimes for particular stocks. Additional meetings are organised as required to discuss specific issues in particular fisheries that may arise, including in relation to pelagic stocks. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the four Fish Producer Organisations, National Inshore Fishery Forum, Fishing Co-Operatives, the Irish Fish Producers and Exporters Association and meetings are attended by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and officials from my Department.
In 2014, 40 separate demersal fish stocks were managed in consultation with the fishing industry and sea food processing representatives and 57 Fisheries Management Notices were published. This process is fully transparent in respect of fishing opportunities for vessels.
In respect of pelagic stocks, fisheries are managed in accordance with specific policies for each stock. These policies have been developed over time and amendments are subject to consultation with industry representatives and in the case of significant change a full public consultation. In relation to full public consultations, I made available any submissions, along with my decision and the policies are published on the Departments Website at http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/fisheries/seafoodpolicy/forms/
The pelagic fisheries are opened and closed taking account of, where appropriate, uptake level and industry recommendations. The allocation of fishing opportunities are managed by way of Authorisations and quota notifications issued under Section 13 of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 to qualifying vessels. In some fisheries allocations for smaller vessels or for a by-catch are managed by way of Fisheries Management Notice.
273. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if applicants under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme had their points miscalculated due to a fault in the software his Department provided to farm advisers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44151/15]
View answerMy Department provided a ‘ready-reckoner’ calculator to facilitate advisors in calculating the score of GLAS clients when preparing applications on the online system. I can confirm that there was no fault in the software provided by the Department and that the software has operated successfully for all other advisors. However, rounding issues did emerge in a very small number of cases when my Department was subsequently calculating scores internally at approval stage. These cases were all very quickly identified and corrected.
274. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in payment to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under the area based payment scheme and the single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44156/15]
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. The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection has now been completed and the results are currently being finalised with the intention of issuing any payments due under the Direct Payments Schemes as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
275. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive farm payments; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44159/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 26 May, 2015. Processing of the application under both schemes has been finalised, and payment has issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
276. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44160/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 9 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 has now been completed and the results are currently being finalised with the intention of issuing any payments due under the Direct Payments Schemes as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
277. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce mandatory testing for separation syndrome in Connemara ponies to protect the breed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44222/15]
View answerHoof Wall Separation Disease (HWSD) is caused by a genetic defect that appears to occur only in the Connemara pony breed and the carrier frequency has been estimated to be about 14.8%. For a foal to be affected by the disease both sire and dam must be carriers. The Connemara Pony Breeders Society has been approved by my Department to maintain the Studbook for Connemara Ponies and in this regard operate a breeding programme for the breed.
A research project is being carried out by the Connemara Pony Breeders Society , in conjunction with Weatherbys to randomly select Connemara ponies to test for the presence of the HWSD gene. My Department has allocated funding to the Connemara Pony Breeders Society under the Equine Infrastructures Scheme 2015 to facilitate this project.
The results from this project will enable the Society to plan for the future and implement a strategy to manage this genetic defect. In 2016 the CPBS plans to test all colts being presented for classification in the Studbook to identify potential carriers.
278. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if heather can be overgrazed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44224/15]
View answerHeather can be overgrazed. All farmers must comply with the cross compliance requirements under the relevant GAEC and the Natura provisions. Overgrazing can lead to soil erosion and or the destruction of habitats both of which can lead to penalties under cross compliance.
