Written Answers Nos. 656 - 668
657. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a TAMS II payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4485/17]
View answerThe applicant has applied for investments under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II. The case was selected for a prepayment inspection where verification of payment was required. The Department will be in touch with the applicant when the case is finalised.
658. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of applications for single farm payments, by county, in each of the years from 2013 to 2016; the total value of payments made by county for each of the same years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4512/17]
View answerAs requested, please see below breakdown of applications for Single Farm/Basic payments by county, in each of the years 2013 to 2016 and the total value of payments made by county for each of the same years.
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|||||
|
COUNTY |
No_Elig_Apps |
AMT_PAID |
No_Elig_Apps |
AMT_PAID |
No_Elig_Apps |
AMT_PAID |
No_Elig_Apps |
AMT_PAID |
|
CARLOW |
1620 |
24,133,369.89 |
1598 |
23,803,873.86 |
1678 |
23,617,819.46 |
1608 |
22,859,234.70 |
|
CAVAN |
4699 |
34,987,556.47 |
4660 |
33,827,283.03 |
4878 |
34,589,201.90 |
4737 |
34,202,997.40 |
|
CLARE |
6020 |
47,127,439.78 |
5970 |
45,515,093.75 |
6130 |
46,315,390.59 |
5973 |
45,937,092.10 |
|
CORK |
12861 |
164,479,806.15 |
12725 |
161,341,571.06 |
13347 |
159,461,046.36 |
12848 |
156,008,558.00 |
|
DONEGAL |
7998 |
47,720,194.87 |
7902 |
46,615,887.95 |
8517 |
52,220,855.37 |
8265 |
53,398,116.10 |
|
DUBLIN |
612 |
8,964,355.60 |
607 |
8,738,280.44 |
649 |
8,836,712.45 |
627 |
8,744,051.19 |
|
GALWAY |
11834 |
78,694,712.41 |
11695 |
76,315,997.91 |
12164 |
80,810,519.77 |
11844 |
81,118,482.40 |
|
KERRY |
7590 |
57,461,913.94 |
7514 |
55,932,173.03 |
7812 |
61,117,365.91 |
7611 |
62,067,559.00 |
|
KILDARE |
2047 |
31,175,275.42 |
2027 |
30,608,665.28 |
2142 |
30,300,901.69 |
2063 |
29,528,344.40 |
|
KILKENNY |
3429 |
54,136,487.73 |
3397 |
52,951,182.54 |
3528 |
51,466,158.04 |
3387 |
49,828,348.00 |
|
LAOIS |
2914 |
40,182,166.58 |
2878 |
39,460,986.35 |
3030 |
38,492,051.07 |
2919 |
37,403,434.10 |
|
LEITRIM |
3349 |
17,350,695.91 |
3321 |
16,885,447.85 |
3499 |
19,001,289.37 |
3399 |
19,164,357.20 |
|
LIMERICK |
5049 |
51,168,582.92 |
4984 |
49,715,888.53 |
5178 |
49,682,566.71 |
5007 |
48,946,660.00 |
|
LONGFORD |
2335 |
19,604,466.97 |
2300 |
18,957,450.15 |
2418 |
19,015,326.99 |
2340 |
18,626,739.70 |
|
LOUTH |
1484 |
19,536,275.85 |
1464 |
19,290,234.52 |
1568 |
19,031,998.14 |
1510 |
18,587,208.50 |
|
MAYO |
11353 |
59,491,238.74 |
11225 |
57,581,732.60 |
11704 |
65,245,318.54 |
11353 |
66,276,352.60 |
|
MEATH |
3707 |
54,497,107.97 |
3665 |
53,536,353.99 |
3891 |
52,397,888.67 |
3757 |
51,007,293.50 |
|
MONAGHAN |
3938 |
30,100,853.07 |
3899 |
29,041,540.16 |
4107 |
28,654,424.59 |
3987 |
28,039,360.70 |
|
OFFALY |
2995 |
36,006,627.13 |
2968 |
35,325,212.47 |
3175 |
35,100,693.84 |
3019 |
34,273,558.50 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
5618 |
40,138,248.64 |
5571 |
38,987,167.02 |
5800 |
40,156,017.58 |
5620 |
39,507,282.90 |
|
SLIGO |
3897 |
22,555,273.49 |
3856 |
21,834,415.58 |
4030 |
23,343,802.44 |
3909 |
23,747,269.50 |
|
TIPPERARY |
6876 |
99,521,892.99 |
6809 |
97,349,826.93 |
7153 |
95,264,487.07 |
6851 |
92,532,685.70 |
|
WATERFORD |
2389 |
38,205,177.98 |
2368 |
37,646,987.49 |
2503 |
37,191,781.00 |
2388 |
36,364,600.10 |
|
WESTMEATH |
2905 |
33,183,944.49 |
2870 |
32,330,978.23 |
3041 |
32,059,962.64 |
2946 |
31,678,706.10 |
|
WEXFORD |
3987 |
60,100,853.14 |
3947 |
59,004,360.36 |
4171 |
58,302,758.11 |
4037 |
56,570,999.00 |
|
WICKLOW |
2071 |
27,562,848.97 |
2052 |
26,924,184.70 |
2191 |
28,048,111.57 |
2135 |
27,703,916.60 |
|
Total |
123577 |
1,198,087,367.10 |
122272 |
1,169,522,775.78 |
128304 |
1,189,724,449.87 |
124140 |
1,174,123,207.99 |
659. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of each county which is eligible for an areas of natural constraint payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4513/17]
View answerArticle 31 and 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 provides for the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme. At present, eligible land under the scheme is designated disadvantaged by reference to criteria such as stocking density, family farm income, population density and the percentage of the working population engaged in agriculture.
Following is a breakdown of the total percentage of area designated as disadvantaged in each county.
|
County |
% overall area designated as Disadvantaged |
|
Carlow |
37 |
|
Cavan |
100 |
|
Clare |
100 |
|
Cork |
52 |
|
Donegal |
100 |
|
Dublin |
15 |
|
Galway |
100 |
|
Kerry |
100 |
|
Kildare |
20 |
|
Kilkenny |
42 |
|
Laois |
53 |
|
Leitrim |
100 |
|
Limerick |
48 |
|
Longford |
100 |
|
Louth |
41 |
|
Mayo |
100 |
|
Meath |
24 |
|
Monaghan |
100 |
|
Offaly |
74 |
|
Roscommon |
100 |
|
Sligo |
100 |
|
Tipperary |
59 |
|
Waterford |
52 |
|
Westmeath |
83 |
|
Wexford |
34 |
|
Wicklow |
86 |
660. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify an issue with regard to registering a newborn calf online (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4543/17]
View answerThe online registration facility caters for keepers that wish to register calves electronically. Some keepers supply data additional to the minimum requirement for registration because they are participants in the Beef Data Genomic Scheme or they are members of ICBF.
The declaration referred to in the question is at step 2 of the online registration facility for bovines. The wording of the declaration states that "I understand that the additional information is only required for ICBF and Beef Data Genomics programme purposes and, where provided, will be transferred to ICBF".
Where no additional information is supplied in such circumstances there will be no transfer of data to ICBF in relation to that registration.
661. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a response has not yet been issued to correspondence he has received from a person (details supplied) in which the sender outlines a number of very serious concerns relating to a food production facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4544/17]
View answerI wish to advise that a response has issued from my office to the person concerned.
The details provided appear to outline a civil dispute between private parties. While the allegations outlined are cause for concern, I cannot become involved in private disputes and would advise those concerned to seek independent legal advice.
662. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 2 February 2016, the progress which has been made to ease these restrictions since that date; if he has discussed this matter with his Chinese Government counterpart; the role he has taken to date to persuade the Chinese authorities to lift these restrictions; if his attention has been drawn to the devastating impact the imposition of these rules is having on the industry here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4617/17]
View answerIn my reply to the Deputy on 2 February 2016 I set out the details of steps which had been taken up to that point by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) to seek a resolution to the issue with the Chinese import authorities and the Irish live crab exporters on this issue. The SFPA continues to work on a technical level with Chinese import control officials on this supported by Embassy colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A visit to Irish Crab production and state laboratory facilities by Chinese import control officials was hosted in May 2016 following on from which there has been reciprocal technical correspondence between SFPA and their Chinese counterparts on the matter. In September 2016 SFPA formed part of the trade mission which I led to Asia where this matter was again explored. I understand that the Chinese officials are currently reviewing an action plan which Ireland has submitted.
663. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff under the aegis of his Department who are clerical officers, staff officers or at equivalent grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4931/17]
View answerMy Department has the following staff in the clerical officer and staff officer grades as of 31 December 2016:
|
Grade |
Number |
FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) |
|
Clerical Officer |
746 |
666.52 |
|
Staff Officer |
52 |
47.16 |
Given the broad remit of my Department we have a wide range of technical and professional grades some of whom share points of salary with the Clerical Officer grade.
664. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the percentage of households availing of a three-bin service, by local authority, in 2016 and in each of the past three years; the steps being taken to ensure that more households are covered by such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4031/17]
View answerThe most recent published figures for the number of households availing of a three bin collection service are set out in the report Performance Indicators in Local Authorities 2015 which indicates that approximately 575,000 or 35% of households are availing of such a service. A copy of the report is available on the Local Government Management Agency website at http://www.lgma.ie/sites/default/files/2015-pi-report.pdf.
Under the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of a separate collection service for food waste from households in designated brown bin areas. In accordance with the Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared for these Regulations, the roll-out of the brown bin has been phased in on a progressive basis, commencing on 1st July 2013. The timetable for when the Regulations take effect is as follows:
- 1st July 2013, for population centres greater than 25,000 persons;
- 31st December 2013, for population centres greater than 20,000 persons;
- 1st July 2014, for population centres greater than 10,000 persons;
- 1st July 2015, for population centres greater than 1,500 persons, and
- 1st July 2016, for population centres greater than 500 persons.
Since July of 2013, brown bins have been rolled out to most towns and villages across the country. The provision of a brown bin collection service, where it is technically and environmentally practical to do so, continues to be monitored by my Department, together with the regulatory authorities and industry representatives.
665. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his role in the implementation of the national broadband plan; the number of homes in each county he expects to have 30 Mbps broadband speed by 2020; the number of businesses in each county which will be affected by the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4101/17]
View answerThe Government considers the NBP to be one of the most significant investments in rural Ireland for decades, and one which will transform society, akin to rural electrification in the last century. The strategy for broadband roll-out, the National Broadband Plan (NBP), aims to deliver high speed broadband services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and a State Intervention in those areas where commercial investment has not been fully demonstrated.
A key principle of the NBP is to support and stimulate commercial investment through policy and regulatory measures. Commercial investment since the publication of the NBP has considerably exceeded expectations. To date, the commercial telecommunications sector has invested over €2.5bn in upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of high speed broadband and mobile telecoms services.
Currently, approximately 1.4m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband from commercial service providers and investment by the telecoms sector is continuing to expand this footprint.
The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the current extent of the State Intervention area:
- The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services;
- The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention, which are the subject of the current procurement process. It is intended that premises within this area will have access to services of at least 30 megabits per second when the procurement process is completed and the network rolled out.
The map provides information on a county by county basis with a breakdown of coverage across the townlands in every county.
The Department is actively monitoring the commercial deployment plans in the BLUE areas to ensure that all premises can get access to services. In this regard, direct feedback from consumers is important and if customers in these areas cannot access high speed broadband services, I would encourage them to contact my Department directly at broadband@dccae.gov.ie, quoting their address and Eircode and giving details of providers they have contacted with a view to obtaining services.
A formal procurement process is now in train to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network within the State Intervention Area. The Department will also shortly update the High Speed Broadband map and finalise this Intervention Area for bidders, taking into account any industry investments that have not materialised and potential other new investments.
The procurement process is being intensively managed, to ensure an outcome that delivers a future-proofed network that serves homes and businesses across Ireland, for at least 25 years. Intensive dialogue with bidders is continuing and the three bidders have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution. This provides for a future proofed solution for the 25 years of the contract and beyond. A fibre-to-the-home solution means that householders and businesses may get speeds not just of 30 Megabits per second but much higher, potentially up to 1000 Megabits per second.
The timeframe for the procurement continues to be dependent on a range of factors including the complexities that may be encountered by the procurement team and bidders, during the procurement process. During the Department's extensive stakeholder consultations in 2015, telecommunications service providers indicated a 3-5 year timeline to roll out a network of the scale envisaged under the NBP. As part of the competitive process, the Department will engage with winning bidder(s) on the best roll-out strategy, in order to target areas of particularly poor service, business needs and/or high demand. This will need to be balanced with the most efficient network roll-out plan. A prioritisation programme will be put in place in this regard, in consultation with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. A detailed roll-out plan for the network will be published once contract(s) are in place.
The Programme for Government also commits to measures to assist in the roll-out of the network once a contract is awarded. In this regard, Minister Humphreys is leading on the establishment of two regional action groups, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, once a contract(s) has been awarded.
In a further positive initiative, last July, I established a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce with my colleague Minister Humphreys to address immediate issues in relation to the quality of mobile phone and broadband coverage. The Taskforce report is available at the following link: http://www.dccae.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Pages/Publication/Report-of-the-Mobile-Phone-and-Broadband-Taskforce.aspx
I have signed Regulations allowing ComReg to proceed with an early 2017 auction of the 3.6GHz radio spectrum band, to provide an 86% increase in total spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless services. I have also secured €8m for RTE which will allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band, to provide enhanced mobile services.
In the meantime, my Department continues to liaise closely with industry and relevant other Departments and agencies to assist in the commercial deployment of telecommunications networks.
These investments should assist in significantly improving the coverage and quality of broadband and mobile voice and data services throughout the country.
666. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the percentage of commercial customers who have availed of the metropolitan area networks, MANs, installed in rural Ireland; the actions to be taken as per action point 240 in the action plan for rural development; if the take up of the MANs can be improved, including through a review of the pricing and other arrangements relating to connections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4107/17]
View answer667. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the percentage of commercial customers who have availed of the metropolitan area networks, MANs, installed in rural Ireland; the actions to be taken as per action point 240 in the action plan for rural development (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4249/17]
View answer685. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the State entity which owns the metropolitan area networks, MANs, asset portfolio; the current book value and estimated market value of the portfolio; his plans to sell the MANs portfolio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4379/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 666, 667 and 685 together.
The State invested in the construction of 88 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), covering 94 regional cities and towns, over the period 2002- 2009. The Local Authorities in which the MANs are situated are the legal owners of the MANs and the Minister is the beneficial owner thereof.
The MANs infrastructure provides a link between national backhaul networks and the “last mile” access networks that deliver telecommunications services to citizens and businesses. These wholesale, open access fibre networks are operated and managed in a commercial manner, on behalf of the State, by a Managed Services Entity (MSE), enet. Currently, over 60 operators use the MANs infrastructure, and there are some 2,500 connections to the MANs.
It is estimated that in excess of 600,000 business users and individuals are benefitting from the MANs, including industrial estates, multinationals, SMEs, State entities, educational institutions, together with fixed and mobile customers outside Dublin. It is not possible to provide information relating to the percentage of commercial customers, since data relating to end customers is a matter for each individual service provider.
There are no plans to sell the MANs and in this regard, no valuation exercise has been carried out to assess the current market value of the MANs. A recent retrospective review of the MANs Programme carried out by my officials concluded that the MANs have played, and continue to play, an important role in driving competition in the regions and attracting foreign direct investment to the cities and towns where they are located. The creation of the MANs as an exclusive fibre network facilitates service providers, large and small, in responding to the ongoing growth in demand for bandwidth capacity.
With reference to the Action Plan for Rural Development, the MSE continues to actively encourage licensed operators to utilise the MANs infrastructure. My Department is currently making arrangements to carry out an independent evaluation of the operations of the MANs, including pricing of the MANs products and services to ensure that they are within market norms. Recommendations are also being sought as to proposals to boost further uptake of the MANs.
668. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when it is expected that the latest broadband development programme can deliver the much required service in all areas throughout the country, with particular reference to County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4587/17]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to deliver high speed broadband services to every city, town, village and individual premises in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of the NBP as a matter of priority. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment by the telecommunications sector and a State intervention in those areas where commercial investment has not been fully demonstrated.
A key principle of the NBP is to support and stimulate commercial investment through policy and regulatory measures. Commercial investment since the publication of the NBP has considerably exceeded expectations. To date, the commercial telecommunications sector has invested over €2.5bn in upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of high speed broadband and mobile telecoms services.
Currently, approximately 1.4m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband from commercial service providers and investment by the telecoms sector is continuing to expand this footprint.
The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie shows the current extent of the State Intervention area:
- The areas marked BLUE represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering or have previously indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services,
- The areas marked AMBER on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the target areas for the State Intervention, which are the subject of the current procurement process. It is intended that premises within this area will have access to services of at least 30 megabits per second when the procurement process is completed and the network rolled out.
The Department is actively monitoring the commercial deployment plans in the BLUE areas to ensure that all premises can get access to services. In this regard, direct feedback from consumers is important and if customers in these areas cannot access high speed broadband services, I would encourage them to contact my Department directly at broadband@dccae.gov.ie, quoting their address and Eircode and giving details of providers they have contacted with a view to obtaining services.
A formal procurement process is now in train to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network within the State Intervention Area. The Department will also shortly update the High Speed Broadband map and finalise this Intervention Area for bidders, taking into account any industry investments that have not materialised and potential other new investments.
Intensive dialogue with bidders is continuing and the three bidders have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution. This provides a future proofed solution for the 25 years of the contract and beyond. A fibre-to-the-home solution means that householders and businesses may get speeds not just of 30 Megabits per second but much higher, potentially up to 1000 Megabits per second. The procurement process is being intensively managed, to ensure an outcome that delivers a future-proofed network that serves homes and businesses across Ireland, for at least 25 years.
As part of the competitive process, the Department will engage with winning bidder(s) on the best roll-out strategy, in order to target areas of particularly poor service, business needs and/or high demand. This will need to be balanced with the most efficient network roll-out plan. A prioritisation programme will be put in place in this regard, in consultation with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. A detailed roll-out plan for the network will be published once contract(s) are in place.
The Programme for Government also commits to measures to assist in the roll out of the network once a contract is awarded. In this regard, Minister Humphreys is leading on the establishment of two regional action groups, working with Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Offices and other relevant agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland, once a contract(s) has been awarded.
In a further positive initiative, last July, I established a Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce with my colleague Minister Humphreys to address immediate issues in relation to the quality of mobile phone and broadband coverage. The Taskforce report is available at the following link: http://www.dccae.gov.ie/communications/en-ie/Pages/Publication/Report-of-the-Mobile-Phone-and-Broadband-Taskforce.aspx.
I recently signed Regulations allowing ComReg to proceed with the allocation of spectrum in the 3.6GHz band in early 2017. This will provide an 86% increase in total spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless services. I have also secured €8m for RTE which will allow it to free up the 700MHz spectrum band, to provide enhanced mobile services.
In the meantime, my Department continues to liaise closely with industry and relevant other Departments and agencies to assist in the commercial deployment of telecommunications networks.
These investments should assist in significantly improving the coverage and quality of broadband and mobile voice and data services throughout the country, including County Kildare.
