Written Answers Nos. 582-605
582. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19148/16]
View answerThe person named lodged an application under the Basic Payment Scheme on 13 May 2016. At the time of application he was waiting on a herd number to be granted to him. The application was lodged by his agent using a reference number.
A herd number was assigned to the person named on 16 May 2016 and another application was lodged on that date. This, in effect, created a dual claim on the land in question, albeit two claims from the same person. The preliminary check introduced by my Department this year revealed this dual claim error between these two applications. This matter has now been resolved and the application is no longer in error.
583. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the 2016 scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector; when the decision will be made on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19171/16]
View answerFollowing assessment of all applications under the 2016 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector, a letter of grant approval was issued, on 29 February 2016, to a person (details supplied). Subsequently this applicant accepted the offer of grant approval, in writing, on 8 March 2016.
In order to be eligible for the grant aid awarded, all investments included in the approval must be completed and a claim for payment of aid, including all supporting documentation, submitted to the Department not later than 30 September 2016. The applicant is aware of these conditions.
584. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1060 of 17 May 2016, the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19199/16]
View answerThe application by the person named under the Afforestation Grant and premium Scheme was approved on 23 May 2016 following which financial approval to plant was granted on 15 June 2016. The Department has now been notified by the registered forester for the person named that he is unable to complete planting because of a shortage of trees and the financial approval application was withdrawn. It will be open to the person named through his registered forester to re-apply for financial approval in the Autumn.
585. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a file regarding an alleged animal welfare matter (details supplied) has been passed by his Department to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19212/16]
View answerA file is currently being examined with a view to considering whether summonses alleging offences under sections 11 and 12 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, should be brought in the appropriate Court. I will ensure that the Deputy is advised of the decision taken. It is important to remember that the determination of any allegations is a matter for the Court.
586. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on an application by a person (details supplied) under the young farmers scheme. [19214/16]
View answerThe person named submitted an appeal to my Department regarding the late submission of applications to the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme. This appeal was accepted and the applications received from the person named have now been finalised. Payment is due to issue shortly.
587. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the location of greyhounds (details supplied); the steps he has taken to ensure their safety and that standards of transparency and accountability are upheld in the Irish Greyhound Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19228/16]
View answerBord na gCon is a statutory body responsible for the regulation of greyhound racing under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.
The welfare of greyhounds is fundamental to Bord na gCon and is enshrined in the Welfare of Greyhounds Act, 2011 and the Welfare Code of Practice which is designed to help people achieve good welfare practices.
I understand that the matter referred to by the deputy is under investigation by Bord na gCon.
Where any breaches of welfare standards are identified under the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011, Bord na gCon takes stringent action and prosecutions then ensue in accordance with the Act.
588. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal under the young farmer scheme by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19252/16]
View answerThe person named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme. The applications were not successful as the person named had indicated that he did not meet the educational criteria required under the terms and conditions of the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme. The person named was notified of this decision and was offered the opportunity to submit an appeal.
My Department has now received an appeal from the person named in relation to his National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme applications. This appeal has been considered on the basis of the information set out by the person named and has been successful. The person named has been notified of this outcome in writing.
589. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has issued information to local authorities regarding hedge cutting regulations and exemptions for road safety reasons to ensure consistency in the application of procedures across all local authorities as promised in the programme for Government; if not, when he will issue such information; the information that will be issued; if farmers have permission to carry out hedge cutting during the restricted period where road safety concerns exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19271/16]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of hedgecutting is a matter for the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht. Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife. The Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht inserts annual notices in the main newspapers outlining the restrictions on the destruction of hedges and vegetation on uncultivated land from 1 March to 31 August. The most recent such notice issued on 1 March 2016.
I am supportive of the provisions in the Heritage Bill 2016 which was drafted following a comprehensive review of Section 40. The Bill included proposals for managed hedge cutting and burning at certain times within the existing closed period on a pilot two year basis. This legislation is not yet in force as it has not been passed by the Oireachtas. Accordingly, the current restrictions under Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts still apply.
590. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 531 of 8 June 2016, when payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19331/16]
View answerThe person concerned is an applicant under the TAMS II Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme. The application is currently being processed and once it has been determined that all the terms and conditions of the Scheme have been complied with a letter of approval to carry out the works will issue.
591. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the requirement for carbon credits for beef produced here for European and international markets; his plans to alleviate this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19354/16]
View answerIn the EU, management of emissions is split into two areas (i) the EU Emissions Trading Scheme which largely covers heavy industry and (ii) the non Emissions Trading Sector or the NETS, which includes the agriculture sector. Beef production is part of the agricultural sector emissions and is therefore part of the NETS.
While Irish agricultural production is independently and internationally recognised by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre as one of the most climate and resource efficient systems in the world, we cannot ignore the fact that our agricultural emissions account for around 45% of the NETS and over 33% of our national green house gas emissions.
This is why we have been engaging in intensive discussions with the European Commission, along with other key Departments, for some time now highlighting the importance of ensuring a coherent approach to the twin challenges of food security and climate change.
We expect that proposals for the new effort sharing decision will be published towards the end of July and indications are that it will include a flexibility to allow Member States limited use of credits to recognise carbon stored in forests (particularly new net afforestation) and in land to add to the limited mitigation options available in the agriculture sector. However, it is important that the exchange of credits between land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) and other sectors avoids the creation of perverse incentives that could undermine the objectives of sustainable intensification of agriculture or undermine reductions in fossil emissions.
My Department will continue to engage with the Commission to ensure that the target assigned to Ireland under the new effort sharing decision is fair and reasonable, such that the sector can grow, prosper and meet the increasing world demand for food in a sustainable manner. At the same time we will maintain our ambition to move towards carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land-use sector, including forestry, which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production.
592. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered a provision to enable farmers on mountain type land to apply for a top-up due to the higher cost in delivering measures in a hill type situation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19388/16]
View answer593. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the approximate cost if hill ewes were eligible for a top up in the amounts of €2.50, €3, €3.50, €4, €4.50 and €5 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19389/16]
View answer594. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all sheep farmers will have equal access to the same measures under any new scheme that is envisaged to be rolled out in 2017 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19390/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 592 to 594, inclusive, together.
The new programme for Government commits to the introduction of a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme with a budget of €25 million to be provided in Budget 2017. A submission will soon be made to the European Commission in this regard. Any such scheme must meet certain specific criteria laid down by Rural Development Regulation. This scheme, in addition to the existing supports available to sheep farmers under the BPS, GLAS, ANC and TAMS, will make a vital contribution to ensuring the continuing viability of the sheep sector in Ireland.
As regards the specifics of the scheme design and operation, my Department has engaged in extensive consultation with farm organisations. In addition they met last week with officials of the European Commission to discuss the proposed new scheme in the context of the specific requirements of the Rural Development Programme.
My officials are currently working on the details of the scheme in light of both the consultation with the farming organisations as well as the discussions with the European Commission. It is clear that any scheme must meet the exacting requirements of the Rural Development Regulations in terms of only compensating farmers for any actions undertaken on the basis of costs incurred or income foregone. Furthermore, in any scheme where farmers must undertake actions, those actions must go beyond the normal standards of husbandry practice before they can be considered as an eligible cost incurred by a farmer.
The cost of providing top ups to hill ewes as referred to by the Deputy could only be calculated when the number of hill ewes submitted as part of farmers’ applications would be known. However I wish to stress that whilst any scheme must be acceptable to the European Commission in the context of the requirements of the Rural Development Programme I am also anxious that such a scheme takes into account the different production systems in the Irish sheep flock and recognises the different challenges facing both lowland flocks and hill flocks. It is my intention that this scheme’s design will maximise the number of participants and deliver tangible benefits to the sheep sector in terms of its impact to on- farm practices.
595. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a detailed breakdown of the economic demographics of those persons who consume Irish beef and dairy products internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19424/16]
View answerIrish agri-food exports have increased from less than €8 billion in 2010 to an estimated €10.8 billion in 2015. At a strategic level, Food Harvest 2020 and Food Wise 2025 acknowledged that there is a rising global population together with the growing middle classes in a number of rapidly growing economies and changing dietary patterns to incorporate increased protein consumption. Taken together these provide a great opportunity for increasing the exports of high quality, safe and sustainably produced Irish beef and dairy production. The target in Food Wise 2025 is to increase the overall value of agri-food exports by 85% to €19 billion by 2025.
Although there is not a detailed breakdown available of the economic demographics of consumers of Irish beef and dairy, the Department continually monitors trade statistics produced by Bord Bia and the CSO, in order to analyse the destination of exports and, together with industry, to identify new opportunities. I am very conscious of the importance of growing international markets as a valuable outlet for Irish beef and dairy production and very significant progress has been made in this context. This has been recognised in Food Wise 2025.
The main markets for Irish beef and dairy products are in developed countries and developing countries with high levels of GDP growth. According to Bord Bia, in 2015 some 52% of Irish beef exports went to the UK, 36% to other EU markets and the balance to US, Middle East, Hong Kong and Switzerland with some beef, generally more affordable cuts and offals, being exported to developing markets.
Dairy exports have in general a wider spread of exports with just under 60% of exports going to the UK and other EU markets, 19% to Asia, 4% to Africa and 8% both to North America and the Middle East according to Bord Bia. Generally infant formula and powders are the product categories driving dairy exports in developing markets. Dairy exports to China were almost 10 times higher in 2015 than 10 years ago and exports of dairy powders are growing to markets in West Africa with high levels of GDP growth.
596. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a national reserve scheme payment will be issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19518/16]
View answerThe person named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme. These applications have been finalised and payment is due to issue shortly.
597. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for farm payment by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19523/16]
View answerThe person named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. These applications were rejected as according to records held by my Department the person named had not applied to the Basic Payment Scheme for 2015. On this basis the person named did not meet the eligibility criteria under the National Reserve or Young Farmers Scheme.
The person named was notified in writing of this decision and was offered the opportunity to submit an appeal. My Department received an appeal from the person named in relation to his National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme applications. This appeal was not successful and the person named has been notified in writing of this decision and offered the opportunity to submit a further appeal to the independent Basic Payment Scheme appeals committee.
598. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the locally led agri-environment scheme will be re-initiated. [19531/16]
View answerThe term ‘Locally-Led’ refers to a collection of different Schemes funded under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme.(RDP) which will endeavour to encourage locally-driven solutions to address the many environmental and biodiversity challenges at local level.
Negotiations are on-going with the EU Commission on the precise structure of our proposed Locally-Led Measure. As soon as agreement is reached with the Commission, Ireland’s RDP will be amended and the schemes will then be rolled out.
599. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there any grants available for the installation of bio digesters as the economic and organic waste management benefit are evidence based; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19535/16]
View answerThere are currently no grants available for the installation of Bio Digesters.
Under the Rural Development Programme 2000 - 2006 a Pilot Waste Processing Facilities Scheme made funding available for the installation of anaerobic digestors on 10 Irish farms. Of the 10 applicants who were approved under the scheme, two applications were finalised and drew down the grant available and a further two cases have been given an extension to the end of 2016 to complete the work.
600. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the challenges facing the farming community with respect to accessing finance, particularly the variations in interest rates; the assistance his Department is providing to reduce these challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19550/16]
View answerI am fully aware of the pressures on farmers right now and I have committed to working with all the stakeholders, both at national and EU level, to address these issues and ensure that we continue to have a sustainable and resilient sector. One of my priorities is to support the provision of lower-cost, more flexible finance. I recently met with the CEOs of the main banks and stressed the need for them to be flexible in the context of increased income volatility. The banks told me that they recognise and are responding to the challenges facing farmers in this regard. I also questioned the banks on the relatively high interest rates for SMEs in Ireland compared with those across Europe.
Access to finance was discussed at the Dairy Forum on 21 June, with an exchange of views with the main banks now a part of the agenda at each meeting. Before the meeting I formally launched the Dairy Forum’s ’Financial Management Initiative’, a programme of cash flow and financial management training and advice for dairy farmers. I believe that equipping farmers with better financial planning skills is essential and I am encouraging all farmers to engage with this initiative.
Access to finance was also discussed at last month’s meeting of the Food Wise 2025 High Level Implementation Committee and we heard from representatives of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF). Both are now active in the market and my Department, in cooperation with all the other relevant State bodies, will continue to explore additional funding mechanisms for farmers, the agri-food sector and for SMEs generally.
In this regard, my Department has just published a request for tender to procure an ex-ante assessment to assess any current failures in the access to finance market in Ireland. This is a first step towards the potential introduction of Financial Instruments under the EAFRD Rural Development Programme and the EMFF Seafood Development Operational Programme.
In addition, the EU Commission has announced more flexible State aid provisions as part of the response to price volatility, including the possibility of a measure on bridging liquidity gaps. I am working with all the financial institutions, particularly SBCI, to identify potential solutions to providing working capital finance for farmers with liquidity issues.
601. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost to the agriculture sector of the existing tariffs on fertilisers; if any attempts are being made to reduce these tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19551/16]
View answerAccording to Eurostat, fertiliser is the third most important expenditure item on EU farms, accounting for €19.2bn in 2014. Fertiliser prices have increased significantly in recent years, in part due to the protection provided by the imposition of duties on non-EU imports, while opportunities to manage price risk through hedging mechanisms are limited.
The International Food and Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) published a report in February of this year (commissioned by the Irish Farmers’ Association) on the effects of import duty elimination on competition in the EU fertiliser market. The report concluded that the protection afforded to EU manufacturers by the application of anti-dumping duties and customs tariffs is costing farmers up to €1 billion per annum.
I believe that appropriate action in this area could be of significant benefit to farmers at this very difficult time. In addition to the ten-point package that Ireland proposed in the lead-up to the March Council of Agriculture Ministers, we asked the Commission to consider a temporary suspension of import tariffs on fertilisers.
Other Member States made similar calls, and at the March Council Commissioner Hogan indicated his readiness to raise the matter with Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, Pierre Moscovici, and Internal Market Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska. At the April Council in Luxembourg, Commissioner Hogan said that he was following up with his colleagues in an effort to secure their agreement to possible changes.
I am continuing to pursue the matter with the Commission and in consultation with my Member State counterparts, and I hope that progress can be made in the short-term. I would hope that Commissioner Moscovici in particular would be in a position to look favourably on this proposal.
602. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the detail of the proposed necessity for farmers to provide electronic tagging of cattle in order to access certain agricultural schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19552/16]
View answerAt present herd keepers can source electronic identification tags for cattle voluntarily from the approved tag supplier. EU Regulation No 653/2014 of the Council and the European Parliament provides for the introduction of electronic bovine identification on a voluntary basis. This legislation requires Member States to have facilities in place to provide for the use of electronic identifiers (electronic tags or electronic bolus) as an official means of identification with effect from 18 July 2019. There is no requirement for cattle to be identified electronically in order to access agricultural schemes.
603. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will be made under the National Reserve to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19583/16]
View answerAccording to records held by my Department, no application for the 2015 National Reserve or Young Farmers’ Scheme has been received from the person named.
604. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give consideration to funding a project for a local community (details supplied) in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19584/16]
View answerRosses Point Pier is owned by Sligo County Council and responsibility for the maintenance and development of the pier rests with that local authority in the first instance and its parent Department, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. However, under its annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, my Department provides funding, subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities, to assist Local Authorities in the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways under their control.
My Department received an application for works at Rosses Point Pier from Sligo County Council under the 2016 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. The proposed works did not have the necessary foreshore consent in place for works to commence and therefore did not meet the criteria for consideration of funding.
Should further applications be received from Sligo County Council in respect of Rosses Point Pier under future Capital Programmes with the necessary permits in place, they will be considered subject to the criteria set out, available funding and competing priorities.
605. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff employed in his Department's archive unit in each of the years 2010 to 2015 and to date in 2016, in tabular form; his plans to expand this number; if there are protocol changes arising from changes to the National Archive Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19609/16]
View answerIn my Department matters relating to the National Archive Act are dealt with in the Data Protection Unit which was established in October 2015. Prior to this date the National Archives work was dealt with within the Freedom of Information (FoI) Unit. The staff of that Unit also dealt with others matters including FoI, Departmental presence at agricultural shows/events, data protection and access to information on the environment.
The following tables outline the staffing complement in these Units for the dates in question.
As regards changes to the National Archives Act, I understand the Deputy may be referring to the National Archives (Amendment) Bill which was referenced in the recently published legislative programme for the current session. I note the heads of the Amendment Bill are expected shortly and consideration will be given in time to any measures arising from this process.
Data Protection Unit
October 2015
|
1 Assistant Principal |
3 day week |
|
1 Executive Officer (appointed May 2016) |
Full time |
FOI Unit
2010 to September 2015
|
1 Assistant Principal |
Full time (FoI Unit plus other work areas) |
|
1 Higher Executive Officer |
3 day week |
|
2 Executive Officers |
Full time |
