Written Answers Nos. 236-243
236. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that certain considerations of importance to hill farmers (details supplied) are taken into account in the final submission of the new draft sheep scheme for approval by the European Union Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19948/16]
View answerThe 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. It is important to stress that any such scheme must meet certain specific criteria laid down by Rural Development Regulation.
As regards formulating the design of the scheme as well as its potential operation, my Department has met the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association as well as other farming organisations and has received the email referred to by the Deputy. Furthermore officials of my Department 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 these consultations. It is clear that any scheme must meet the specific requirements of the Rural Development Regulations whereby farmers may only be compensated for any actions they undertake 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.
It is important to state that I am very much cognisant of the need to ensure that 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 whilst at the same time it must be acceptable to the European Commission in the context of the requirements of the Rural Development Programme. The submissions of all farm organisations are important in this regard. It is my aim that this scheme will deliver tangible benefits to the sheep sector in terms of its impact to on-farm practices whilst maximising the number of participants.
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 including those involved in farming hill sheep.
237. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to the European Union Agriculture Commissioner relating to the urgent need to provide additional support for the dairy sector following the Commissioner's statement (details supplied) that the provision of further support for that sector is justified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19971/16]
View answerI am acutely conscious of the pressure farmers are under at present, and I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to exploring all of the appropriate options for providing assistance to the farm sector through current difficulties.
Volatility in the dairy sector is a global issue to which a cohesive response is essential. Therefore, it is vital that we continue to work closely with the Commission and all other key stakeholders in this regard. Having discussed issues with national stakeholders, I am currently working with Commissioner Hogan and other EU Ministers with a view to finding pragmatic, realistic and workable solutions to these ongoing difficulties.
I believe our focus must remain on providing real, practical and immediate assistance for farmers. In addition to intervention, I have called for the deployment of other measures that will provide real benefit for farmers in the short-term in particular, the bringing forward of the delivery date for direct payments. Such a measure will be of immediate assistance to farmers in acting as a source of immediate cash-flow and a buffer to ongoing volatility.
I have also asked the Commissioner to consider the deployment of a further targeted aid package, similar to that provided last September. The September package gave considerable flexibility to Member States to adopt responses suited to their national circumstances, and I believe such a measure, with appropriate flexibility could play a further important role in 2016.
A number of other market support measures have been put in place at EU level, including an increase in the ceiling for SMP intervention to 350,000 tonnes, which was sought by Ireland. In terms of input costs at farm level, I have called on the Commission to consider looking at temporary suspension of EU import tariffs on fertilisers to reduce input costs for Irish and EU farmers.
I agree that we should continue to look at all means of assisting farmers. But in doing so we should focus on direct and practical measures, and avoid taking any action that would in any way compromise their long-term prospects.
A prolonged period of volatility in dairy markets has been in evidence in recent times. However it is important to remember that the medium term prospects for global dairy markets are good. How we mitigate the current volatility is the challenge. Volatility in dairy markets is a global problem, an EU problem and an Irish problem for which there is no single silver bullet. Fixed price and margin contracts, futures markets and access to increasingly flexible forms of credits are all part of the toolkit that will be required. In this respect we must continue to work with industry and the financial services sector at a national level to ensure resilience is built into the sector in the current period of volatility and going forward, strengthening our position within the global market.
238. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will issue a payment to a person (details supplied) under the Scottish derogation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19976/16]
View answerThe person named submitted an application for allocation of entitlements under the ‘Scottish Derogation’ measure of the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme on 25 May 2015.
Under EU Regulations governing the Basic Payment scheme, processing of applications involves administrative and on farm checks and verification of land details submitted. Preliminary checks indicate that the person named is eligible under the Scottish Measure, however, a final decision cannot be made until the outstanding documentation which has been requested from the person named has been submitted. My Department has also been in contact with the person named by telephone regarding this issue.
239. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied). [19980/16]
View answerThe closing date for the receipt of applications under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) was 29 May 2015, which was subsequently extended to 5 June 2015. There is no record that a BDGP application was received by my Department for the person named.
The person named advised my Department that he had sent in an application form for the BDGP and lodged an appeal on this basis.
The Terms and Conditions of the BDGP state that applicants are required to produce an Express or Registered post receipt as proof of postage. The person named could not provide such a receipt and so the appeal was rejected and the person named was notified of the position in a letter dated 14 Jan 2016. He was also advised of his right to appeal the decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office, which he duly did.
Following a further review, the Agriculture Appeals Office upheld the Department’s decision to exclude the person named from the BDGP, and notified him of the position in a comprehensive letter dated 29 June 2016.
The person named has been advised of his right to appeal this decision to the Ombudsman.
240. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has made a decision on a review of an application by a person (details supplied) under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20014/16]
View answerThe person named submitted an application for Tranche 1 of the GLAS Scheme but following the Department’s pre approval validation checks the application was unsuccessful and therefore was not selected for admission to the scheme.
I understand that there may be an issue with the original assessment of this application and my Department is currently reviewing the application. Once this review has been completed, the person named will be notified of the outcome.
241. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of appointments he has made to State boards since the move to the Public Appointments Service two years ago to date; the names of those appointed and the relevant position on each board; the names of those persons on the short-list; the date when the short-list was provided to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20059/16]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 6 May 2016 I have appointed a total of 9 persons to the Boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. In the case of a number of State Bodies, while appointments are made by me they are on the basis of nominations from various organisations as specified in the relevant statutes. Details of all appointments made by me are outlined in the following table.
As regards the Deputy’s request for the names of all those shortlisted, the position is that my Department must have regard to the Data Protection Act, as amended, and, in this context, it would not be appropriate for me to disclose the names of individuals who were shortlisted but not appointed to a State Board.
|
State Body |
Appointee |
Position on Board |
Appointment procedure (PAS or nomination) |
Date shortlist received |
|
An Bord Bia |
Mr. John Comer |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
|
An Bord Bia |
Mr. Joe Healy |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
|
Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board |
Mr. Brendan Brice |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
|
Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board |
Dr. Owen McIntyre |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
|
Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board |
Mr Jim Power (awaiting acceptance of appointment)
|
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation |
Not Applicable |
|
Bord Iascaigh Mhara
|
Ms Lisa Vaughan |
Ordinary Member |
Stateboards.ie |
9 May 2016 |
|
Horse Racing Ireland |
Mr. Michael Halford |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
|
Horse Racing Ireland |
Mr. John Powell |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
|
Teagasc |
Mr. Richard Kennedy |
Ordinary Member |
Nomination by a prescribed organisation
|
Not Applicable |
242. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide information on the number of persons of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds currently working in his Department and in other public service organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20431/16]
View answerMy Department is an equal opportunities employer and does not differentiate on the basis of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Information regarding the ethnic background of staff is not collected by my Department.
243. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén líon státseirbhíseach atá earcaithe le bliain anuas in a Roinn a bhfuil Gaeilge agus Béarla acu; cén grád ar a earcaíodh iad; cén líon iomlán státseirbhíseach a earcaíodh i rith an ama sin agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [20441/16]
View answerBeidh an Teachta ar an eolas gur aithníodh sé phost ina bhfuil gá le hinniúlacht sa Ghaeilge i mo Roinn. I measc na 83 earcach nua i mo Roinn le bliain anuas, earcaíodh Oifigeach Feidhmiúcháin amháin a bhfuil Gaeilge aige chun folúntais a líonadh. Tá gach post Gaeilge i mo Roinn líonta anois.
