Written Answers Nos. 410-424
410. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when all payments including the young farmers payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1418/16]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Transfer of Allocation Right and Reference Value application and a 2015 Private Contract Clause application to my Department. These applications are currently being processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue as soon as possible.
The person named also submitted applications under the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme. Once the Transfer of Entitlements and Private Contract Clause applications have been fully processed the applications to the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme will be processed with a view to payments issuing as soon as possible thereafter.
411. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue under the basic payment scheme, the areas of natural constraint scheme and the national reserve and young farmers scheme for 2015 to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1434/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Schemes was received from the person named on 19 May 2015. Processing of the ANC application has recently been finalised with payment due to issue to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.
The person named applied to the National Reserve in 2015 for an allocation of entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme. He also applied under the Young Farmers Scheme. These applications have now been fully processed and payment will issue directly to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.
412. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in a payment being issued to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under the areas of natural constraint scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1448/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme was received from the person named on 7 April, 2015. Processing of this application has been completed and payment has issued to the nominated bank account of the person named.
413. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of the 500 atypical worker permits that are being made available to the owners of Irish fishing vessels in order that they may regularise the status of undocumented non-European Union migrant crew, how many have so far been applied for, the ports in which the applicant vessel owners are based, the number of fishing crew at each port, and the country of origin of the migrant fishing crew in tabular form. [1458/16]
View answer414. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine subsequent to the establishment of the atypical worker permission mechanism, established to allow the owners of Irish fishing vessels regularise the status of undocumented non-European Union migrant crew, if he has received any representations seeking to increase the number of permits available beyond 500 or any other amendment to the scheme and if so, to provide details in his reply. [1459/16]
View answer426. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with respect to the European Union Common Fisheries Policy, the measures that can be taken to curtail the presence in Irish waters of so-called super-trawlers, given their negative impact on fish stocks, and if he will outline what measures are available to the Naval Service and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority to enforce compliance on said vessels relating to catch quotas and equipment. [1543/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 413, 414 and 426 together.
The report of the Government’s inter-departmental Task Force on Non-EEA Workers in the Irish Fishing Industry, which I chaired, recommended the establishment of a sector-specific Atypical Worker Permission system which will provide a structured and transparent framework for the employment of non-EEA workers within defined segments of the Irish commercial sea-fishing fleet.
The Atypical Working Scheme is administered by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of the Department of Justice and Equality. It is planned that the new arrangements for non-EEA workers in the Irish fishing industry to which the Deputy is referring will be operational very shortly. The Department of Justice and Equality has advised that no applications have yet been made.
The Task Force recognises the importance of employment in the fishing industry to Ireland’s coastal communities. Therefore, in recommending that the number of Atypical Worker Permissions under the new Scheme, which applies to non officers, be capped at 500, the Task Force was cognisant that any mechanism designed to assist with the employment of non-EEA workers should not impact unduly on the employment of local populations in coastal communities. The Task Force based the cap on employment data from the Marine Survey Office and BIM and took account of the longstanding sea-fishing boat licence condition that at least 50% of the crew on Irish fishing vessels are EU nationals.
The Task Force sought the views of representative groups, none of these groups sought an increase in the cap of 500 Atypical Worker Permissions in the submissions made.
415. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received any farm payments for 2014 and 2015; what can be done to assist this person in remedying this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1465/16]
View answerApplications in respect of the 2013 and 2014 Single Farm Payment Schemes were received on 13 November 2015 and 8 October 2014 respectively. An appeal against the late penalties applied, is currently under review and an official from my Department will be in direct contact with the person named once this review is complete.
All farmers who were entitled to receive a direct payment in 2013 (Single Payment, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Burren Life Scheme, Beef Data Scheme) have an automatic allocation right under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015. When a decision has been made in relation to the appeal above, the eligibility status of the applicant in relation to her eligibility for an allocation right under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015 will be determined.
416. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) under the agri-environment options scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1467/16]
View answerThe person named commenced their AEOS 1 contract on 1 September 2010, and has been paid in full for the 2010-2014 scheme years.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System must take place. As 2015 is the final year of payment, re-checks on payments made for all scheme years must be completed before final payment can be processed. It is expected that these checks will be completed shortly.
417. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if and when a single payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1471/16]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Private Contract Clause application to my Department in relation to the lease of land and entitlements. This application has been fully processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme is due to issue shortly.
The person named also submitted an application under the Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. Once payment under the Basic Payment Scheme has been made, the application to the Young Farmers Scheme will be processed with a view to payment issuing as soon as possible thereafter.
418. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the young farmers scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1474/16]
View answerPayments under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme commenced in mid-December 2015 and as publicised at that time these payments will continue into January/February 2016. To date some 53% of eligible applicants under both the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme have received payment.
My Department will continue to prioritise the payment of eligible cases under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme to ensure that payment is made as soon as possible. Where my Department has contacted an applicant seeking further information or documentation to further process their application, I would encourage these applicants to engage with my Department to ensure that their application can be finalised. Applicants can use the dedicated e-mail address of NationalReserveYFS@agriculture.gov.ie to contact the processing section directly regarding information relating to their application.
419. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the young farmers scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1480/16]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Private Contract Clause application from the above named herd owner as lessee under the application. There is an outstanding issue with regard to the lessor under this application. My Department is working to resolve this issue with a view to processing this application for payment as soon as possible. The person named also submitted an application to my Department under the Young Farmers Scheme. Once the Private Contract Clause application has been fully processed the application to the Young Farmers Scheme will be processed with a view to payment issuing as soon as possible thereafter.
420. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the young farmers scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1481/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment (BPS)/Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) was received from the person named on 26 May 2015. An official from my department has been in contact with the person named with a view to finalising his application for payment.
The person named also submitted an application under the Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. Once payment under the Basic Payment Scheme has been made, the application to the Young Farmers Scheme will be processed with a view to payment issuing as soon as possible thereafter.
421. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 274 of 24 November 2015, why a basic payment has not issued to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1484/16]
View answerMy Department received two Private Contract Clause applications in respect of the above named person in relation to the lease of land and entitlements. These applications were processed but changes to land impacting the 2015 transfer prevented payment. These changes have now been regularised and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme is due to issue shortly.
422. 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. [1522/16]
View answerThe person named commenced their AEOS contract on 1 November 2010 and has been paid in full for the 2011-2014 scheme years.
Payment in respect of the 2015 scheme year issued in two parts:- 85% in the amount of €4,249.98 and 15% in the amount of €750.00, both issuing on 23 December 2015.
423. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the basic payment scheme and the areas of natural constraint scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1539/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme/Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 24 May 2015.
Under the 2015 ANC Scheme, eligible applicants are required to have met a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months and to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. Payment under the ANC scheme has not issued in this case as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not satisfied the scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements. An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to advise him of the outstanding issues. I understand that further documentation in relation to this issue is now to be forwarded to the Department. On receipt of this documentation, the application will be further reviewed.
The person named submitted a 2015 Private Contract Clause application to my Department in relation to the lease of land and entitlements. This application has been fully processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme is due to issue shortly.
The person named also submitted applications under the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. Once payment under the Basic Payment Scheme has been made, the applications to the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme will be processed with a view to payment issuing as soon as possible thereafter.
424. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the basic payment scheme and the areas of natural constraint scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1540/16]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 28 May 2015. Payment under the ANC scheme issued on 22 September 2015 directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
The person named also submitted a 2015 Private Contract Clause application to my Department in relation to the lease of land and entitlements. This application has been fully processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme is due to issue shortly.
