Written Answers Nos. 698-712
698. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of persons per county who have enrolled to date in the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS 3; if he will provide a breakdown between tier 1, 2 and 3 per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11561/17]
View answerAlmost 14,000 applications were submitted to the third tranche of the GLAS scheme (GLAS 3). To date some 12,600 of these applications have been approved into the Scheme and the breakdown these cases requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. The remaining 1,400 GLAS 3 applications are currently being reviewed by my Department and decisions on these applications will be made shortly.
|
County |
Tier 1 |
Tier 2 |
Tier 3 |
Total |
|
Carlow |
61 |
65 |
3 |
129 |
|
Cavan |
148 |
361 |
13 |
522 |
|
Clare |
407 |
294 |
82 |
783 |
|
Cork |
517 |
309 |
62 |
888 |
|
Donegal |
942 |
286 |
95 |
1,323 |
|
Dublin |
18 |
12 |
2 |
32 |
|
Galway |
785 |
653 |
39 |
1,477 |
|
Kerry |
502 |
197 |
31 |
730 |
|
Kildare |
43 |
68 |
3 |
114 |
|
Kilkenny |
85 |
86 |
8 |
179 |
|
Laois |
107 |
93 |
6 |
206 |
|
Leitrim |
181 |
257 |
63 |
501 |
|
Limerick |
164 |
171 |
29 |
364 |
|
Longford |
53 |
273 |
3 |
329 |
|
Louth |
39 |
59 |
5 |
103 |
|
Mayo |
982 |
493 |
47 |
1,522 |
|
Meath |
77 |
159 |
5 |
241 |
|
Monaghan |
60 |
280 |
14 |
354 |
|
Offaly |
153 |
104 |
4 |
261 |
|
Roscommon |
173 |
448 |
19 |
640 |
|
Sligo |
232 |
210 |
45 |
487 |
|
Tipperary |
234 |
243 |
22 |
499 |
|
Waterford |
64 |
43 |
6 |
113 |
|
Westmeath |
75 |
200 |
16 |
291 |
|
Wexford |
162 |
150 |
8 |
320 |
|
Wicklow |
103 |
61 |
4 |
168 |
|
Grand Total |
6,367 |
5,575 |
634 |
12,576 |
699. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, IT system will process payments to participants that have incurred a penalty under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11562/17]
View answerThe facility for the correction of obvious errors on payment claims submitted to the TAMS II online payment system is currently undergoing final testing.
The work required to deal with penalties is in progress.
700. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, grant for underpasses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11563/17]
View answerUnderpasses are not currently included in the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II). This investment item will be kept under review.
701. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to amend the 2014 to 2020 rural development programme in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11564/17]
View answerArticle 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 requires all member states to implement a new system for designating eligible areas under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme and in line with this an amendment to the RDP will be submitted in 2017.
In order to include a Financial Instrument as a measure in the RDP an Ex-Ante Assessment is compulsory under EU regulation. This assessment in underway and a final report is expected shortly. Once received, it will be considered in detail by my Department and if an investment strategy is agreed upon, a new measure description will be inserted into the RDP by way of an amendment.
Finally, the standard annual amendment will be used to change minor details currently contained in the RDP. These will be identified and developed as the year progresses.
702. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of expenditure incurred to date under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, 2 scheme since it was launched; the total annual amount of funding originally allocated for each respective year, in tabular form, on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11565/17]
View answerThe total budget for TAMS II for the period of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 is €395m.
The budget allocated in 2016 for TAMS measures was €35.8m and the budget allocation in 2017 is €50m. The budgets for the future years of the programme will be finalised as part of the annual budgetary process.
The total amount of expenditure incurred to date is €7.38m.
703. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 383 of 23 February 2017, the timescale for the processing of the 1,400 applications that require further investigation under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, 3; his plans to reopen GLAS again for further applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11566/17]
View answerThe necessary checks on the remaining GLAS 3 applications are on-going and I expect further letters of approval to issue by the end of March. I am satisfied that the GLAS Scheme's target participation level of 50,000 farmers will be exceeded when remaining applications are fully processed. There are no plans to reopen the scheme.
704. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeframe to produce maps and for discussions with stakeholders and the European Commission in relation to the areas of natural constraint review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11567/17]
View answerUnder the Rural Development Regulation each Member State must designate areas eligible for payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme. The ANC scheme replaces the previous Disadvantaged Areas Scheme / Less Favoured Areas Scheme. The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based on a range of socio-economic factors. From 2018 eligible areas must instead be designated using a set list of bio-physical criteria. In cases where a Member State does not introduce this new system for payment, the old scheme remains in place but payments must phase out on a digressive basis.
Under the new system of designation which as I have said must be introduced in 2018, eligible areas will have to be designated on the basis of biophysical criteria. The criteria set out in the legislation are:
- Low temperature
- Dryness
- Excess soil moisture
- Limited soil drainage
- Unfavourable texture and stoniness
- Shallow rooting depth
- Poor chemical properties
- Steep slope.
My Department has commenced work on this project, and relevant technical experts are currently working on sourcing and analysing the data in relation to the new criteria. Department officials have also been in contact with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and DG Agri in the EU Commission in relation to technical issues arising. Over the coming months this analysis will identify areas deemed to be facing natural constraints, which will in parallel be subjected to a refinement process. It is envisaged that stakeholders will be consulted as this process develops.
705. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a review is envisaged in relation to the knowledge transfer group scheme to take account of concerns with regard to veterinary fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11568/17]
View answerThe Knowledge Transfer Programme is included in Ireland's Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020. The costs associated for the veterinary input into animal health measures featured in the negotiation of the Programme with the EU Commission. Veterinary costs are not eligible under the articles of the Rural Development Regulation on which the Knowledge Transfer Programme is based. However, costings for the farmers’ time in completing the animal health measures in conjunction with a veterinary practitioner are included in the payments to farmers.
706. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a green low-carbon agri-environment scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11619/17]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016.
During the 2016 prepayment checking process an issue presented on the computerised crosscheck of Department databases. Department officials are actively working to resolve this issue with a view to further processing the application for the 2016 payment as soon as possible.
707. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 548 of 21 February 2017, if he will address an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11635/17]
View answerThe application in question has been reviewed by the local office and approval has issued as requested for the water heaters required. The change requested has been allowed.
708. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the approximate additional annual increase in funding needed for the sheep welfare scheme to attain compensation at amounts per ewe (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11735/17]
View answerThe details requested by the Deputy are based on the number of approved breeding ewes under the Scheme. These details are not available as yet as the figures from the 2016 Sheep Census returns are still being collated. However, based on the assumption of the figure of some 2.5m breeding ewes (which is the number returned in the 2015 census), the figures requested by the Deputy are outlined in the following tables.
|
County |
Tier 1 |
Tier 2 |
Tier 3 |
Total |
|
Carlow |
61 |
65 |
3 |
129 |
|
Cavan |
148 |
361 |
13 |
522 |
|
Clare |
407 |
294 |
82 |
783 |
|
Cork |
517 |
309 |
62 |
888 |
|
Donegal |
942 |
286 |
95 |
1,323 |
|
Dublin |
18 |
12 |
2 |
32 |
|
Galway |
785 |
653 |
39 |
1,477 |
|
Kerry |
502 |
197 |
31 |
730 |
|
Kildare |
43 |
68 |
3 |
114 |
|
Kilkenny |
85 |
86 |
8 |
179 |
|
Laois |
107 |
93 |
6 |
206 |
|
Leitrim |
181 |
257 |
63 |
501 |
|
Limerick |
164 |
171 |
29 |
364 |
|
Longford |
53 |
273 |
3 |
329 |
|
Louth |
39 |
59 |
5 |
103 |
|
Mayo |
982 |
493 |
47 |
1,522 |
|
Meath |
77 |
159 |
5 |
241 |
|
Monaghan |
60 |
280 |
14 |
354 |
|
Offaly |
153 |
104 |
4 |
261 |
|
Roscommon |
173 |
448 |
19 |
640 |
|
Sligo |
232 |
210 |
45 |
487 |
|
Tipperary |
234 |
243 |
22 |
499 |
|
Waterford |
64 |
43 |
6 |
113 |
|
Westmeath |
75 |
200 |
16 |
291 |
|
Wexford |
162 |
150 |
8 |
320 |
|
Wicklow |
103 |
61 |
4 |
168 |
|
Grand Total |
6,367 |
5,575 |
634 |
12,576 |
|
Rate per Ewe |
Total Payable |
|
€10.00 |
25,000,000.00 |
|
€10.50 |
26,250,000.00 |
|
€11.00 |
27,500,000.00 |
|
€11.50 |
28,750,000.00 |
|
€12.00 |
30,000,000.00 |
|
€12.50 |
31,250,000.00 |
|
€13.00 |
32,500,000.00 |
|
€13.50 |
33,750,000.00 |
|
€14.00 |
35,000,000.00 |
|
€14.50 |
36,250,000.00 |
|
€15.00 |
37,500,000.00 |
|
€15.50 |
38,750,000.00 |
|
€16.00 |
40,000,000.00 |
|
€16.50 |
41,250,000.00 |
|
€17.00 |
42,500,000.00 |
|
€17.50 |
43,750,000.00 |
|
€18.00 |
45,000,000.00 |
|
€18.50 |
46,250,000.00 |
|
€19.00 |
47,500,000.00 |
|
€19.50 |
48,750,000.00 |
|
€20.00 |
50,000,000.00 |
709. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of moneys allocated and expended under the pilot waste processing facilities scheme of the Rural Development Programme 2000-2006; the total number of participants; the specific criteria that were down for grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11736/17]
View answerThe Pilot Waste Processing Facilities Scheme came into operation in June 2006 and provided funding of €4m in order to grant aid the installation of anaerobic digestors on ten Irish farms. Two applicants have been paid a total of €800,000 under the Scheme.
The main criteria were laid down in the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme and included that grant aid would not be approved for investments that increase the level of production on a holding, the minimum amount of investment eligible of €60,000 per project and the facilities that would be considered eligible for grant aid - fluidised bed combustion systems for the processing of livestock manure/slurry/poultry litter/mushroom compost, treatment plants comprising of anaerobic digestion systems, and other systems for the processing of livestock manure which could be of significant environmental benefit and have the potential to act as a demonstration project.
710. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional actions would be required by participants if current funding levels were increased over the amount that has been ringfenced over the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme for the sheep welfare scheme in order to increase payment rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11737/17]
View answerThe new Sheep Welfare Scheme is part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and provides for funding of €25million per annum for eligible sheep farmers to undertake actions which contribute to the welfare of the national flock.
The scheme provides support of €10 per ewe to farmers with flocks of breeding ewes. Applicants are required to undertake two actions in each year of the scheme, with actions to be chosen from a menu of actions linked to lowland and hill type flocks.
Under the Rural Development Programme payments across schemes are made in recognition of income foregone and costs incurred in undertaking the agreed actions and the payments are agreed with the EU Commission on the basis of costings on this basis. Thus, any changes to payment levels would be linked to the actions required under the scheme.
711. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there has been considerable controversy and concern by deer hunters in County Wicklow, an organisation (detail supplied) and deer management experts over misleading claims that a deer cull of 50,000 or any increase in the existing cull is required in County Wicklow; his views on the recommendation of his advisory group, the Irish Deer Management Forum, and that such claims of deer culls are contrary to conservation of wild deer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11812/17]
View answer716. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that his advisory group, the Irish Deer Management Forum, stated on 30 January 2017, there is presently no conclusive evidence of a link between the strain of bovine tuberculosis in cattle and the strain in the wild deer herd and that the testing methodology used in County Wicklow for testing tuberculosis levels in wild deer was far more detailed than that used for livestock so levels cannot be compared directly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11847/17]
View answer729. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to concerns raised regarding decisions relating to the conservation and management of wild deer in County Wicklow and beyond (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11966/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 711, 716 and 729 together.
Responsibility for and the management of wild deer on public lands and the issuing of hunting licences to hunters and others lies with my colleague, the Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs under the Wildlife Acts.
With regard to the need for a reduction in the density of deer in the Wicklow area, the position is that the Irish Deer Management Forum, which was established for the purpose of implementation of short and long-term deer management objectives, has recommended that, in the interest of deer welfare, a programme to reduce deer density should be designed and undertaken in the Calary Area in Wicklow within prescribed seasons and measures. On foot of this recommendation and in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, my Department is currently co-funding a limited density reduction programme in this area. The project is being organised by a Steering Group comprised of representatives of local farmers, the Irish Deer Management Forum (IDMF), the Wicklow Deer Management Partnership (WDMP), Coillte and both Government Departments.
Whilst there is as yet no conclusive evidence that the strain of TB in cattle and deer in Co. Wicklow are one and the same, my officials are of the view that this is highly likely. To investigate this view, the results of an analysis (known as “strain typing”) of samples known taken from deer infected with TB and culled in the Calary area of Co. Wicklow in 2015 are currently awaited. Previous studies have shown that some strains of TB are common to both species and indeed badgers in the area. While it is the case that deer do not normally spread TB to cattle, my Department accepts that the relatively high density of deer and the high incidence of TB in the deer in the area pose a risk to cattle, as well as, indeed, to pasture and forestry.
I do not accept that, as alleged, there was bias in the Calary project. It is the case that the testing methodology used in Co Wicklow for testing TB levels in wild deer was more detailed than that used for cattle generally but a similar methodology was used in the past in the case of badgers with a view to establishing the true incidence of the disease in the species.
I should point out, however, that cattle that react to the bovine TB test on farms are examined in abattoirs as part of the normal post mortem examination procedures carried out on all cattle that are processed in meat factories. I would add that my Department is undertaking a wider study to commence in 2017 of Co. Wicklow as a whole to determine the strains of TB in deer with a view to identifying the direction of transmission between cattle, deer and other wildlife species.
Finally, I should explain that any decision on culling deer in the Wicklow area will have regard to the need to conserve deer in the area as well as the need to minimise the damage done by wild deer to farming in the area.
712. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a survey of deer hunters and those involved in deer management carried out by an organisation (details supplied) shows that the overwhelming majority view the current open hunting season for wild deer as adequate or should be reduced due to declining deer numbers and on 8 December 2016 his advisory group, the Irish Deer Management Forum, also reached a consensus that the current open hunting seasons for wild deer are adequate in all counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11814/17]
View answerUnder the Wildlife Acts responsibility for and the management of wild deer on public lands and the issuing of hunting licences to hunters and others lies with the Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
