Written Answers Nos. 290-304
290. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the Irish Greyhound Board will publish its annual reports for 2015 and 2016; the reason the board have not produced those reports to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34309/16]
View answerBord na gCon is a commercial State body, established in 1958, under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.
Bord na gCon has informed me that it is in the process of finalising its 2015 Annual Report with the C & AG and I understand that this report will be forwarded to my Department shortly.
The 2016 annual report will be published in 2017 in the normal way.
291. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of expenditure announced in budget 2017 for Bord na gCon in tabular form; the areas these funds will cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34310/16]
View answerBord na gCon is a commercial State Agency established under legislation and is independent in the exercise of its operational functions.
Funding provided to Bord na gCon is spent on a range of activities consistent with its functions under the relevant statutes, including prizemoney, incentive schemes, racing integrity functions and welfare and operating grants to private stadia.
The detailed breakdown of expenditure in these areas in 2017 is an operational matter for Bord na gCon.
292. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the recommendations of the report on the Irish greyhound industry by the all-party Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine will be implemented; the reason for the delay in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34312/16]
View answerBord na gCon is a commercial State body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.
I understand that Bord na gCon has already taken a number of actions on foot of recommendations made in the report to which you refer as well as recommendations made in the Indecon and Morris reports.
I will shortly be bringing forward the heads of a greyhound racing bill to address certain aspects of these reports to ensure that the principles of good governance and regulation are clearly and unambiguously laid down in primary legislation.
293. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total funding allocated to each fisheries local action group under the 2007-2013 EFF, in tabular form; the total funding allocated to each fisheries local action group under the 2014-2020 EMFF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34313/16]
View answerIreland's Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013 under the European Fisheries Fund operated between 2008 and 2015 and provided €63.4 million in supports to our seafood sector. The Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) initiative was introduced under that Programme with FLAGs being established and providing local funding from 2013 to 2015. The total funding distributed by each FLAG under that Programme was as follows:
|
FLAG |
Total Funding (€) |
|
North |
165,373 |
|
North West |
131,043 |
|
West |
262,121 |
|
South West |
171,671 |
|
South East |
173,167 |
|
North East |
32,774 |
|
936,149 |
Ireland's European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme 2014-2020 was adopted by the European Commission in December 2015 and officially launched in January 2016. The Programme provides for €239.4 million in supports for the seafood sector. I have provided for a very significant increase in funding to FLAGs of €12 million under the new EMFF Programme. The total funding allocated to each FLAG under the EMFF Programme is as follows:
|
FLAG |
Total Funding (€) |
|
South West |
1,530,000 |
|
West |
1,800,000 |
|
North West |
1,500,000 |
|
North |
1,950,000 |
|
South |
1,980,000 |
|
North East |
1,560,000 |
|
South East |
1,680,000 |
|
12,000,000 |
294. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total funding allocated to the EFF operational programme 2007-2013; the annual breakdown on funding allocated; the breakdown on all the seafood sectors, that is fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34314/16]
View answerIreland's Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013 under the European Fisheries Fund operated between 2008 and 2015 and provided €63.4 million in supports to our seafood sector.
Expenditure over each of the years concerned was as follow:
|
Year |
Total Funding |
|
2008 |
€20.52 m |
|
2009 |
€15.86 m |
|
2010 |
€0.48 m |
|
2011 |
€0.23 m |
|
2012 |
€3.87 m |
|
2013 |
€3.20 m |
|
2014 |
€4.20 m |
|
2015 |
€15.05 m |
|
Total |
€63.40 m |
Expenditure over the course of the Programme for each thematic area was as follows:
|
Thematic Area |
Total Investment |
|
Fisheries |
€38.89 m |
|
Aquaculture |
€1.32 m |
|
Seafood Processing and Marketing |
11.68 m |
|
Fishery Local Action Groups |
€1.12 m |
|
Fishery Harbour Developments |
€10.34 m |
|
Technical Assistance |
€0.06 m |
295. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the industrial mussel seed dredging being carried out by trawlers within the State’s six mile territorial limit, his views on the recent case in Dublin Bay; the current regulations pertaining to this activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34315/16]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to the activity of fishing for mussel seed which is gathered from wild seed beds and subsequently relaid on seabed farms on behalf of aquaculture operators for on-growing to marketable size. According to Bord Iascaigh Mhara's Annual Aquaculture Survey, the seabed mussel sector comprises 40 companies and production in 2015 was valued at €6m.
In accordance with Determination No. 16 of the Need for an Authorisation for Certain Fish Stocks, an Irish sea-fishing boat wishing to fish for mussel seed requires an authorisation from my Department under section 13 of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006. An authorisation is also required to retain mussel seed on board a vessel, to trans-ship mussel seed from a vessel or to land mussels from a vessel. In addition, the Mussel Seed (Fishing) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 311 of 2006) specify certain requirements for vessels engaged in mussel seed fishing. The enforcement of this sea-fisheries legislation is a matter for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, which is independent in the performance of its functions. The fishery closed this year on 5 November in accordance with S.I. No. 551 of 2016 Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction (Mussel Seed) (Opening of Fisheries) (Amendment) Regulations 2016.
In addition to the fishing regulations referred to above, the fishing activity is also subject to a number of Fisheries Natura Declarations which have been made following appropriate assessment of the potential impact of the activity on the features of Natura 2000 sites in the Irish Sea (including the Dublin Bay area) and in Castlemaine Harbour. The Declarations and related documents are published online at www.fishingnet.ie.
296. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total funding allocated to the EMFF operational programme 2014-2020; the annual breakdown of funding allocated; the breakdown on all the seafood sectors, that is, fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34316/16]
View answerIreland's European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme 2014-2020 was adopted by the European Commission in December 2015 and officially launched in January 2016. The Programme provides for €239.4 million in supports for the seafood sector. The EU will contribute €147.6 million and the Exchequer €91.8 Million. I have provided €43 million in Budget 2017 for implementation of the Programme by my Department and its agencies.
An annual breakdown of funding allocated is not available as the annual Budget Process determines funding availability.
The following thematic funding breakdown was approved in 2015 and is subject to ongoing review:
|
Priority |
Sector |
TOTAL |
|
UP1 |
Fisheries |
€67.0 m |
|
UP2 |
Aquaculture |
€29.8 m |
|
UP3 |
Control & Enforcement |
€44.2 m |
|
UP3 |
Data Collection |
€40.7 m |
|
UP4 |
Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) |
€12.0 m |
|
UP5 |
Processing & Marketing |
€33.3 m |
|
UP6 |
Integrated Maritime Policy |
€10.6 m |
|
- |
Technical Assistance |
€1.6 m |
297. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers enrolled in AEOS scheme whose contracts will end in 2017; the average payment for these AEOS participants to date; if he will permit such farmers to join GLAS under a fourth round; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34317/16]
View answerThere are no AEOS contracts ending in 2017. AEOS 1 participants completed their contracts on 31 December 2015. AEOS 2 participants will complete their contracts on 31 December 2016, and the remaining AEOS 3 participants will finish on 31 December 2018. The average payment due to AEOS 2 and AEOS 3 participants for the 2016 Scheme year is €3,300.
Recently, I launched the third and final tranche of GLAS with a view to bringing participation in the Scheme to at least 50,000 farmers and to utilise the full budget allocated to the Scheme. Current AEOS participants can apply now to join GLAS under tranche 3.
298. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of egg producers by county, in tabular form; the total number of direct and indirect jobs in this sector; the average income for producers; the likely effect that Brexit will have on this industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34318/16]
View answerRegistered Egg Producers by County
|
County |
Total |
|
Carlow |
2 |
|
Cavan |
40 |
|
Clare |
3 |
|
Cork |
21 |
|
Donegal |
3 |
|
Dublin |
4 |
|
Galway |
11 |
|
Kerry |
4 |
|
Kildare |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
4 |
|
Laois |
3 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
Limerick |
4 |
|
Longford |
1 |
|
Louth |
8 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
|
Meath |
13 |
|
Monaghan |
83 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
|
Roscommon |
5 |
|
Sligo |
4 |
|
Tipperary |
2 |
|
Waterford |
4 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
|
Wexford |
4 |
|
Wicklow |
5 |
|
Total |
236 |
299. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total value of exports from egg production in 2014, 2015 and 2016 in tabular form; if he will provide a breakdown by country that Ireland exports to including the total amount of such exports to the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34319/16]
View answerExports - Eggs and Egg Products
Exports
|
- |
Jan-Dec 2014 |
Jan-Dec 2015 |
Jan-Aug 2016 |
|
Country |
€ 000 |
€ 000 |
€ 000 |
|
Australia |
0 |
||
|
Bahrain |
2 |
7 |
4 |
|
Belgium |
|||
|
Bulgaria |
|||
|
Denmark |
360 |
||
|
Egypt |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Falkland Islands |
|||
|
France |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Gabon |
0 |
||
|
Germany |
377 |
||
|
Great Britain |
11,590 |
11,849 |
5,584 |
|
Hungary |
|||
|
Ireland |
|||
|
Italy |
|||
|
Japan |
|||
|
Jordan |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Mauritius |
|||
|
Netherlands |
2,869 |
625 |
481 |
|
Northern Ireland |
1,877 |
2,684 |
1,591 |
|
Poland |
|||
|
Qatar |
20 |
147 |
|
|
Saudi Arabia |
66 |
84 |
|
|
Serbia |
871 |
||
|
Spain |
30 |
||
|
Switzerland |
|||
|
Turkey |
1 |
||
|
United Arab Emirates |
58 |
1,185 |
|
|
United States |
1 |
||
|
Venezuela |
|||
|
16,396 |
16,468 |
9,499 |
300. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total value of egg imports broken down by country of origin, including the share from the UK, in 2014, 2015 and 2016 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34320/16]
View answerImports – Eggs and Egg Products
Imports
|
- |
Jan-Dec 2014 |
Jan-Dec 2015 |
Jan-Aug 2016 |
|
Country |
€ 000 |
€ 000 |
€ 000 |
|
Australia |
|||
|
Bahrain |
|||
|
Belgium |
410 |
863 |
357 |
|
Bulgaria |
4 |
||
|
Denmark |
10 |
||
|
Egypt |
|||
|
Falkland Islands |
1 |
||
|
France |
912 |
1,082 |
699 |
|
Gabon |
0 |
||
|
Germany |
2,904 |
3,322 |
1,351 |
|
Great Britain |
8,480 |
9,229 |
4,476 |
|
Hungary |
28 |
67 |
40 |
|
Ireland |
102 |
148 |
59 |
|
Italy |
45 |
70 |
42 |
|
Japan |
2 |
6 |
3 |
|
Jordan |
|||
|
Mauritius |
33 |
||
|
Netherlands |
1,004 |
1,519 |
821 |
|
Northern Ireland |
3,839 |
4,231 |
2,330 |
|
Norway |
1 |
||
|
Poland |
406 |
192 |
156 |
|
Qatar |
|||
|
Saudi Arabia |
|||
|
Serbia |
22 |
||
|
Spain |
49 |
||
|
Switzerland |
0 |
||
|
Turkey |
|||
|
United Arab Emirates |
|||
|
United States |
36 |
55 |
62 |
|
Venezuela |
11 |
||
|
18,297 |
20,787 |
10,398 |
301. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an overview of latest Tote figures at hand with respect to the greyhound industry over the period 2010 to 2016 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34321/16]
View answerBord na gCon is the statutory body responsible for the regulation and development of greyhound racing under the Greyhound Act, 1958. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Tote figures for the greyhound industry are contained in its annual accounts which can be found on the Bord na gCon website www.igb.ie.
The 2015 Tote figure is contained in Bord na gCon's 2015 annual report which is not yet available as it is currently subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. You will have access to this information when these accounts are published.
302. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment for 2016 will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34372/16]
View answerThe person named is a participant in GLAS tranche 1 and has been paid his 2015 payment. In relation to payment for 2016, the first instalment of the 2016 payment to 38,000 approved GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 farmers are due to start issuing towards the end of the year when all the required application validation checks have been completed.
303. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the processes in place to combat a threat to the Government's efforts to combat cyber security breaches and attacks on Government websites and online portals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34116/16]
View answerIn the first instance, operational responsibility for security of government IT infrastructure is a matter for the relevant Departments of State and public bodies involved in providing and managing these services. My Department has overall responsibility for Cyber Security Policy, and facilitated the adoption by Government of the State's first National Cyber Security Strategy last year. Among the key actions of the Strategy is the formal legislative establishment of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
The NCSC has been developing its services over the last number of years, focussing first on building the State’s governmental Computer Security Incident Response Team. This team, known as CSIRT-IE, provides incident response support and improved situational awareness in regard to current cyber security alerts and threats to Government Departments and key State Agencies. For obvious operational security reasons, it would not be appropriate to comment on specific threats.
In July 2016, the European Union formally adopted a Directive on security of network and information systems (2016/1148). The Directive is required to be transposed in the State by May 2018 and will require regulation of cyber security in the finance, energy, transport, health, water distribution and digital sectors in Ireland. I have recently briefed Government on the importance of this new legislation. My Department is currently undertaking a public consultation on the Directive, and following this I will be seeking the Government Agreement to draft primary legislation to formally establish the NCSC on a statutory basis. The NCSC would undertake a number of regulatory functions under the Directive, in addition to an obtaining additional powers to conduct more general cyber security work, including the protection of Government systems.
304. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when an incentive for electricity solar panels will be introduced (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34287/16]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to facilitate the development of solar energy projects in Ireland. This builds on the Energy White Paper published in December 2015 and recognises that solar also has the potential to provide a community dividend, thereby also enhancing citizen participation in Ireland's energy future. With this in mind, Solar Photovoltaics (PV) is one of the technologies being considered in the context of a new support scheme for renewable electricity generation which is under development.
The first Technology Review public consultation on a new renewable support scheme was published in 2015 and following the completion of detailed economic analysis on the viability and cost effectiveness of supporting a range of renewable technologies - including Solar (PV) - a second public consultation will be published in early 2017. Details of the next public consultation will be advertised on the Department's website www.dccae.gov.ie.
Before any new scheme is introduced, it will need to secure Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission. The new support scheme for renewable electricity is expected to become available in late 2017.
The Deputy may be also interested to know that the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland currently provides supports for the use of solar thermal heating technology to both large industry and SMEs. Households can also avail of grant support for investment in renewable energy installations, including solar thermal, under the Better Energy Homes Scheme.
