Written Answers Nos. 271-283
271. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the discussions he has had with Enterprise Ireland regarding involving it in the State fishery ports and the marketing of products within these ports. [46152/15]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, owns and directly manages six Fishery Harbour Centres located at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Ros an Mhíl, Killybegs and An Daingean.
Following the publication of the Public Accounts Committee Report on the Fishery Harbour Centres in June this year, and subsequent correspondences with the Committee, my Department met with Enterprise Ireland on the 7 July and discussed the possibilities of making properties available to potential clients of Enterprise Ireland, should suitable project proposals come forward.
My Department undertook to keep Enterprise Ireland informed of the available sites on an ongoing basis and to keep lines of communication open generally. In furtherance of this aim another meeting with Enterprise Ireland is being scheduled for a date in January 2016.
272. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the construction of a breakwater at the port of Dunmore East in County Waterford. [46153/15]
View answerDunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under Statute.
The Deputy will be aware that the flagship project under the 2015 Fishery Harbour Capital Development Programme run by my Department was the dredging works at Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre. I had allocated €6.5 million for these works and the project is coming in within budget. I am also happy to say that the project will be substantially complete by the end of December but the demobilisation of the plant will not be complete until early 2016 and is subject to weather conditions.
As with all developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres, the construction of a breakwater at Dunmore East will be considered under future Capital Programmes on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing priorities.
273. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the dredging operation in Dunmore East in County Waterford will be completed; and the status of the synchro lift at the harbour. [46154/15]
View answerDunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under Statute.
The Deputy will be aware that I allocated €6.5m for the purposes of dredging work at Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre under my Department's 2015 Fishery Harbour Capital Development Programme. This was the flagship project for this years programme and I am happy to inform the Deputy that the project is coming in within budget and will be substantially complete by the end of December. The demobilisation of the plant however, will not be complete until early 2016 as this is subject to weather conditions.
As part of the dredging project, the area under the syncrolift was also dredged, however maintenance works will have to be carried out on the syncrolift before it can be made operational. It is expected that these works will be complete and the syncrolift operational during the first quarter of 2016.
274. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tonnage of fish and other produce landed at Dunmore East in County Waterford for the past five years. [46155/15]
View answerThe Sea Fisheries Protection Authority is the body within the State responsible for data recording and reporting on the landings of sea fish by Irish Sea Fishing Boats. I have asked the Authority to respond directly to the Deputy with the data requested.
275. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grant aid paid to farmers in County Cavan under the rural environment protection scheme and the agri-environment options scheme in each of the years from 2009 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46195/15]
View answerThe amounts paid to applicants in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme and the Agri-Environmental Options Scheme for County Cavan for the years 2009 – 2015 (to date) inclusive, is set out in the following table.
|
YEAR |
REPS |
AEOS |
|
2009 |
€14,422,967.68 |
Nil |
|
2010 |
€12,538,528.82 |
€151,393.04 |
|
2011 |
€10,400,172.68 |
€1,023,524.56 |
|
2012 |
€5,535,004.98 |
€1,387,825.41 |
|
2013 |
€5,296,029.94 |
€1,644,738.91 |
|
2014 |
€3,447,428.47 |
€1,734,989.03 |
|
2015 |
€170,607.60 |
€1, 423,197.97 |
|
Total |
€51,810,740.17 |
€ 7, 365,668.92 |
276. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grant aid paid to farmers in County Monaghan under the rural environment protection scheme and the agri-environment options scheme in each of the years from 2009 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46196/15]
View answerThe amounts paid to applicants in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme and the Agri-Environmental Options Scheme for County Monaghan for the years 2009 – 2015 (to date) inclusive, is set out in the following table.
|
REPS |
AEOS |
|
|
2009 |
€11,246,433.20 |
Nil |
|
2010 |
€9,265,684.27 |
€118,428.72 |
|
2011 |
€7,506,301.73 |
€873,960.69 |
|
2012 |
€4,006,833.39 |
€1,086,601.83 |
|
2013 |
€3,828,581.26 |
€1,174,671.46 |
|
2014 |
€2,370,372.67 |
€1,198,639.67 |
|
2015 |
€44,237.06 |
€ 1,020,767.55 |
|
Total |
€38,268,443.58 |
€5,473,069.92 |
277. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of appointments to State boards under the aegis of his Department and the number of appointments that have been advertised on his Department’s website since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46247/15]
View answerThe number of appointments made by me to State Bodies under the aegis of my Department since March 2011 is 129.
Since May 2011, a notification was placed on my Department’s website inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. The list of board vacancies was updated on a regular basis. A notification was also placed in National Newspapers. Since the end of November 2014, vacancies on the boards of these State Bodies, other than those which fall to be filled on the basis of nominations from specified organisations, are being advertised on www.stateboards.ie and processed in accordance with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) guidelines.
In the case of the Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board, Bord Bia, Teagasc, National Milk Agency, Veterinary Council of Ireland and Horse Racing Ireland, some board appointments, while made by me, are not all at my sole discretion in that individuals are nominated for appointment by me as specified in the relevant statute.
278. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of chairpersons appointed to State boards under the aegis of his Department who have appeared before the relevant joint Oireachtas committee since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46262/15]
View answerSince March 2011 chairpersons appointed by me to the Boards of four Agencies under the aegis of my Department have appeared before the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee. The agencies are Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board, Coillte, Horse Racing Ireland and Irish National Stud.
279. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the Acts currently in force for which he has lead responsibility and that have parts or sections yet to be formally commenced, including the purpose of same, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46277/15]
View answerThe information the Deputy requested is set out in the following table.
|
Forestry Act 2014 |
The whole Act * |
|
Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 |
Parts 5 and 12 |
*Drafting of the required Regulations is well advanced and is expected to be completed shortly.
280. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of adjusting payments under the new beef data and genomics programme by paying €200 on the first ten calves and €100 on all calves thereafter and using the current number of farmers participating in the programme as the base. [46303/15]
View answerThe Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) has been approved as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. Its legal basis is Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This Article provides for agri-environment and climate change measures and requires that commitments under this measure be undertaken for a minimum period of five years. The BDGP will run for 6 years.
As the payment is financed under the RDP it is not possible to make payments on a per animal basis. Payment is instead made on a per hectare basis calculated on costs incurred and income foregone. All costs associated with these measures have been calculated to ensure applicants are compensated adequately.
281. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recipients of payments and when the suckler welfare scheme was last in operation. [46304/15]
View answerThe Suckler Welfare Scheme was a five year scheme which concluded with animals born during 2012.
The data requested by the Deputy are set out in the following table.
Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme 2012
|
County |
Herds Paid |
Amount |
|
CARLOW |
392 |
€396,662.75 |
|
CAVAN |
1,380 |
€1,038,826.97 |
|
CLARE |
2,281 |
€1,794,700.37 |
|
CORK |
1,904 |
€1,603,514.00 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,724 |
€930,872.10 |
|
DUBLIN |
55 |
€50,021.55 |
|
GALWAY |
3,394 |
€2,386,489.66 |
|
KERRY |
1,418 |
€909,290.16 |
|
KILDARE |
338 |
€363,769.78 |
|
KILKENNY |
817 |
€919,296.55 |
|
LAOIS |
729 |
€774,088.81 |
|
LEITRIM |
1,215 |
€612,820.91 |
|
LIMERICK |
800 |
€691,138.34 |
|
LONGFORD |
795 |
€603,209.47 |
|
LOUTH |
240 |
€222,625.42 |
|
MAYO |
3,112 |
€1,703,549.62 |
|
MEATH |
616 |
€657,481.63 |
|
MONAGHAN |
992 |
€687,383.60 |
|
OFFALY |
682 |
€678,751.22 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
1,774 |
€1,219,588.10 |
|
SLIGO |
1,207 |
€692,203.73 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1,323 |
€1,468,028.16 |
|
WATERFORD |
452 |
€564,413.91 |
|
WESTMEATH |
790 |
€790,057.04 |
|
WEXFORD |
669 |
€735,081.37 |
|
WICKLOW |
459 |
€453,141.53 |
|
TOTALS |
29558 |
€22,947,006.75 |
282. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of rolling out a new farm safety course in primary schools, modelled on the Road Safety Authority's safety campaign in schools. [46305/15]
View answerFarm safety is one of the most important issues facing farming today. Statistics show that accidents on farms cause more workplace deaths than all other occupations combined. Last year, 2014, was a particularly difficult year with 30 deaths on Irish farms and there have been 16 fatal farm accidents to date in 2015.
The Health and Safety Authority, a state agency of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, has a comprehensive up-to-date Farm Safety module for Primary schools, which has been in place for two years. The online module aims to teach children about farm safety. It is ideal for delivery in class via an interactive whiteboard or a computer projector.
The aims and objectives of this module correspond with the SPHE curriculum requirements for 3rd and 4th class in relation to farm safety. The module is therefore most suitable for children in 3rd and 4th class but may also be used as a ‘refresher’ lesson with more senior classes.
The module consists of two 30-40 minute lessons followed by a third quiz based lesson.
The course can be accessed at the Health and Safety Authority's on-line learning portal: hsalearning.ie
The Health and Safety Authority also run regular competitions for primary schools in relation to farm safety.
283. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has examined establishing an island of Ireland beef geographical indicator and the cost of this. [46307/15]
View answerThe European Union scheme of geographical indications (GI) protects the names of quality agricultural products and foodstuffs where a strong link exists between the product’s characteristics and a defined geographical area. In the case of a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) the product must be produced or processed or prepared in the geographical area and a specific quality, reputation or other characteristics must be attributable to that entire area.
A previous application for Irish Beef was withdrawn as the European Commission did not accept that there were exceptional circumstances to justify using the name of a Member State. The Commission also expressed reservations about a 'Northern Ireland Beef' PGI application.
While EU regulations now permit the use of a Member State’s name, it must be shown that the product is characterised throughout the geographical area by the same qualities, geographical and human factors. Producer bodies and agencies have from time to time explored a possible joint application but have not reached a shared position. If a consensus develops on applying for an all island 'Irish Beef' PGI, my Department and its agencies will work with producer bodies and our counterparts on the matter. However, there is a significant difficulty in establishing a case for a GI where, as in the case of beef, labelling rules already require the declaration of the Member State of origin.
Applications are developed by producer groups and are submitted by Member States who may agree on submission of a joint application by one or both Member States. There is no particular cost except where research is required to establish and prove that a product has unique qualities, which are linked to the defined geographical area and that all product in that area shares those qualities.
