Written Answers Nos. 627-40
627. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that have been taken at Council of European Ministers level regarding the future EU financial framework beyond 2020 and the vital funding provided to farmers under CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34411/16]
View answerThe debate on the future EU financial framework beyond 2020 is one that is only commencing, and from an agriculture perspective it is one that will of course be closely linked to the debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.
It is clear from the preliminary, and largely informal, discussions that have taken place to date, that expenditure on the CAP will come under close scrutiny. Indeed, in the more formal discussions that have started on the mid-term review of the current financial framework up to 2020, the Commission’s communication includes advance notice of the need to evaluate expenditure on, particularly, the cohesion and CAP budgets, particularly in light of the new demands that are emerging in the areas of, for example, migration and security. We have responded to this very directly by stating our concerns about such an approach, and by emphasising the key role that the CAP will continue to play into the future in achieving important EU strategic objectives in the areas of, for example, jobs and growth, and dealing with the challenge of climate change.
A formal communication in relation to the post-2020 EU budget is not expected from the Commission until late 2017 or early 2018. However, Ireland will in the interim continue to promote the relevance and effectiveness of CAP expenditure, and will strongly defend the need for a budget that matches the strong ambitions for the CAP in the post-2020 negotiations.
628. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if full approval will be provided under TAMS II for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34456/16]
View answerThe person named submitted an application for grant-aid under the Dairy Equipment Scheme in TAMS 11 on 26 August 2015. The applicant has completed the investment works and submitted an application for payment on line. However, there are some outstanding issues to be resolved with the application before the payment can issue. These issues have been raised directly with the applicant concerned and once resolved payment will issue to the applicant.
629. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons employed in the greyhound industry in tabular form (details supplied). [34465/16]
View answerAs the Deputy refers the figures currently available from Bord na gCon (BnG) are based on a report by Jim Power Economic Consultants entitled 'The Economic & Financial Significance of the Irish Greyhound Industry' commissioned by BnG and published in April 2011. These are the most up to date figures available to me. That report indicates that more than 10,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in the greyhound sector and that the wage bill generated by that employment is estimated at approximately €207m per annum.
While the compilation of this data was a major undertaking I am aware that the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has recommended that the exercise be revisited.
I think that this would be useful and I intend arranging a further study of the economic contribution of the industry in due course.
630. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown between total expenditure incurred to date in 2016 and the annual amount of funds originally allocated to schemes (details supplied) under the rural development programme 2014-2020 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34467/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out below:
Of the schemes listed by the Deputy the Horticulture Industry and Development of the Organic Sector schemes are not in RDP 2014-2020 while no allocation was made for the Knowledge Transfer Scheme in 2016.
It is important to note that the bulk of expenditure in respect of BDGP, GLAS and other schemes will take place in December 2016.
|
Title of Scheme |
2016 allocation €000 |
2016 Outturn – 14 Nov. €000 |
|
Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme |
202,000 |
194,950 |
|
Beef Data and Genomics Programme |
52,000 |
27,309 |
|
AEOS |
40,850 |
13,605 |
|
GLAS |
142,000 |
5,260 |
|
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme |
35,800 |
4,553 |
|
Early Retirement Scheme |
5,016 |
3,814 |
|
Organic Farming Schemes |
10,000 |
2,522 |
|
REPS (including Agricultural Catchment Programme) |
2,194 |
2,488 |
|
Locally Led Environmental Schemes (Burren) |
1,200 |
952 |
|
Technical assistance |
1,000 |
687 |
|
Collaborative Farming |
500 |
220 |
|
Speciality Foods Scheme |
989 |
10 |
|
Targeted Advisory Service for Animal Disease |
700 |
74 |
|
Totals |
494,249 |
256,444 |
631. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he will take in relation to an appointment of a person (details supplied); when he will take action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34484/16]
View answerI will be bringing forward the heads of a Greyhound Industry Bill shortly to deal with issues relating to governance, regulation and enforcement. This legislation will include inter alia, defined periods for board appointments and a process of board rotation and renewal as outlined in the Indecon report.
The appointment referred to by the Deputy was conducted through a competitive process managed by the Public Appointments Service.
632. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application under the ANC scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34493/16]
View answerAn application under the 2016 Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes was received from the person named on 16 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.
633. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the Commonage Implementation Committee last met. [34494/16]
View answerThe last meeting of the Commonage Implementation Committee was held on 27 November 2015. A meeting of the committee will be convened once a new chairperson has been appointed.
634. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a new chairperson will be appointed to the Commonage Implementation Committee. [34495/16]
View answerProposals regarding the terms of appointment of a new independent chairperson have been submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for approval and it is expected that a chairperson will be appointed shortly.
635. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the felling of up to 30 mature oak trees in 2015 in a heritage woodland which had been specifically detailed for protection in a licence (details supplied) issued by the forest service. [34500/16]
View answer636. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the felling of a 100-year old sequoia tree this spring in a heritage woodland in County Longford when the forest service had been assured by the licensed operator (details supplied) that no sequoia trees would be felled. [34501/16]
View answer637. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a felling licence for an ancient broadleaf woodland was issued without the standard consultation with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (details supplied) when two other licences in this location were so referred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34502/16]
View answer638. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason as a result of complaints received, felling was suspended in an ancient woodland in County Longford on 24 March 2016, permitted to continue on 12 April 2016, and then halted again on 12 May 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34503/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 635 to 638, inclusive, together.
Between 17th April 2014 and 23rd September 2015, three felling licence applications were submitted to my Department and approved in respect of the lands in question. These were as follows:
The first licence was for the thinning of 27.76 hectares and clearfell of a further 7.43ha.
The second was for the thinning of 66.32 hectares.
The third licence was for the thinning of 14.34 hectares.
The applications were processed by the administrative and inspectorate staff in my Department. In relation to the first two licences, as the area proposed for felling intersected with a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA), the views of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) were sought.
The area covered by the third licence lies outside of the SAC and SPA and involved thinning. In these situations, referral to NPWS is at the discretion of the Forest Service, and it was deemed unnecessary in this case.
In March 2016, concerns about the felling were raised with the Department and at the request of the Forest Service operations ceased on site for the areas relating to the second and third licence. At that time, felling within the first licence area had been completed. Following discussions with the contractor and further site assessments by the Forest Service, NPWS and an ornithologist engaged by the operator, the Forest Service was satisfied that the operations were appropriate and that the licenses issued were in keeping with agreed procedures. The request to cease operations was lifted on 12th April, conditional upon stated requirements. A speedy resumption and completion of the felling work was sought in order to have the work completed before possible nesting began. On 11th May, work on the site ceased and was scheduled to resume at the end of the Summer.
A basis for lifting the request to cease operations on the 12th April was the commitment of the contractor to retain sequoia onsite within the area of the second licence (unless overriding health and safety concerns arose). There was no condition on the original general felling licence that required the retention of that specific species.
In recent days, the Department received a report that sequoia trees had been felled on site. The Forest Service inspected the site on the 9th November and noted that three sequoia stumps were observed in one of the two areas within which these trees are present, as previously indicated by the contractor. In the opinion of the Forest Service Inspector the three sequoia appeared to have been felled in spring or very early summer and it appeared that the felled sequoia were quite likely to have been dominated by larger sequoias, as there continues to be a closed canopy following the removal of the trees. Following this inspection, the contractor was contacted and he explained that three small sequoias were felled for the following reasons;
- They were suppressed by the dominant sequoia overhead and therefore had little or no living crown remaining;
- They were either dead or dying;
- They represented a health and safety risk.
The Forest Service has not received any complaint regarding the felling of oak on this site. Any information regarding possible illegal felling should be forwarded to the Felling Licence Section, Johnstown Castle Estate, Wexford.
639. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for entitlements in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34526/16]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2016 Transfer of Entitlements application seeking the transfer of entitlements by Inheritance. One of the supporting documents relating to the Inheritance of entitlements which was submitted to my Department was not legible in part and it was necessary to contact the person named to have a clearer copy of the document submitted. My Department has now received the requested documentation. The application is currently being processed and further clarification has been sought in relation to the Inheritance documentation. Once this clarification is received the application will be finalised with a view to payment issuing shortly thereafter.
640. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of previously suggested proposals to install a breakwater at Greencastle Harbour in County Donegal; if consideration is being actively given to the plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34583/16]
View answerGreencastle Harbour is owned by Donegal County Council and responsibility for its development, repair and maintenance rests with that Local Authority in the first instance and its’ parent Department, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
My Department however provides limited funding to assist Local Authorities carry out small scale projects for the development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
The primary focus of the Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Capital Development Programme which the Department administers on an annual basis is to provide funding for capital works at the six Fishery Harbour Centres for which my Department has responsibility.
Any application submitted by Donegal County Council in respect of Greencastle Harbour under a future Local Authority capital programme, will be given consideration in the context of the criteria set out, available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
