Written Answers Nos. 1075-1097
1075. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 529 of 21 February 2017, when payments will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13715/17]
View answerThe person named commenced their AEOS 2 contract on 1st September 2011. Payment issued in respect of the 2011-2015 Scheme years.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System must take place before payments can issue. As 2016 is the final scheme-year of payment for the person-named, re-checks on payments made for all scheme years must be completed before final payment can be processed. It is expected that these checks will be completed shortly and payments due will issue then.
1076. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of outstanding GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 payments to be paid in County Kildare and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13726/17]
View answerThe information requested by the deputy, including for county Kildare, is set out in the table.
Outstanding GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 payments
|
County |
Number of Paid Cases |
Number of Unpaid Cases |
|
Carlow |
360 |
47 |
|
Cavan |
1,216 |
129 |
|
Clare |
2,099 |
213 |
|
Cork |
2,727 |
457 |
|
Donegal |
2,520 |
447 |
|
Dublin |
64 |
16 |
|
Galway |
3,680 |
737 |
|
Kerry |
2,322 |
335 |
|
Kildare |
282 |
51 |
|
Kilkenny |
557 |
89 |
|
Laois |
494 |
75 |
|
Leitrim |
1,295 |
151 |
|
Limerick |
1,188 |
170 |
|
Longford |
794 |
72 |
|
Louth |
193 |
36 |
|
Mayo |
3,263 |
639 |
|
Meath |
538 |
94 |
|
Monaghan |
648 |
77 |
|
Offaly |
669 |
88 |
|
Roscommon |
1,868 |
221 |
|
Sligo |
1,198 |
120 |
|
Tipperary |
1,409 |
250 |
|
Waterford |
395 |
101 |
|
Westmeath |
829 |
89 |
|
Wexford |
872 |
174 |
|
Wicklow |
404 |
83 |
|
Totals |
31,884 |
4,961 |
1077. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the criteria for entry to the national reserve recently changed; his views on whether the new criteria discriminate against young farmers enrolled on green certificate courses due to finish after May 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13728/17]
View answerThe National Reserve measure of the Basic Payment Scheme provides for an allocation of entitlements to eligible applicants.
In order to qualify for the 2017 National Reserve successful applicants must have completed their agricultural education course by 15th May 2017. Where an applicant has completed their course by 15th May but have not yet been awarded their certificate of education, a letter from the college should be enclosed with the National Reserve application form.
Under the 2015 National Reserve an exception was made which allowed students to qualify under the scheme before completion of their agricultural course. However, this exception did not receive the approval of the EU Commission. Consequently, in order to qualify for the 2017 National Reserve successful applicants must have completed their agricultural education course by 15th May 2017.
Decisions in relation to the National Reserve, including educational qualifications are made in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies and advisory services. Full terms and Conditions of the 2017 National Reserve will be available later in March.
1078. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2016 basic payment scheme and young farmers scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13732/17]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2016 Transfer Application seeking the transfer of entitlements by lease. Processing of this transfer application has been completed and a letter has issued to the person named confirming this.
The person named also submitted an application under the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme to my Department under the herd number shown which is jointly held by the person named and a young farmer. This application has now been fully processed, a letter has issued to confirm this and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme and the Young Farmer’s Scheme will issue in the coming days.
1079. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13746/17]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full entitlements in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
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.
1080. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13747/17]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 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.
1081. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons in counties Cavan and Monaghan and throughout the country awaiting GLAS payments, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13764/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy, including for counties Cavan and Monaghan, is set out in the table.
Paid and unpaid GLAS payments
|
County |
Number of Paid Cases |
Number of Unpaid Cases |
|
Carlow |
360 |
47 |
|
Cavan |
1,216 |
129 |
|
Clare |
2,099 |
213 |
|
Cork |
2,727 |
457 |
|
Donegal |
2,520 |
447 |
|
Dublin |
64 |
16 |
|
Galway |
3,680 |
737 |
|
Kerry |
2,322 |
335 |
|
Kildare |
282 |
51 |
|
Kilkenny |
557 |
89 |
|
Laois |
494 |
75 |
|
Leitrim |
1,295 |
151 |
|
Limerick |
1,188 |
170 |
|
Longford |
794 |
72 |
|
Louth |
193 |
36 |
|
Mayo |
3,263 |
639 |
|
Meath |
538 |
94 |
|
Monaghan |
648 |
77 |
|
Offaly |
669 |
88 |
|
Roscommon |
1,868 |
221 |
|
Sligo |
1,198 |
120 |
|
Tipperary |
1,409 |
250 |
|
Waterford |
395 |
101 |
|
Westmeath |
829 |
89 |
|
Wexford |
872 |
174 |
|
Wicklow |
404 |
83 |
|
Totals |
31,884 |
4,961 |
1082. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cases of mycoplasma bovis that have been brought to the attention of his Department for each year since 2007, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13775/17]
View answerMy Department has readily available data from its Laboratory Information Management System going back to 2010 and this is presented in tabular form.
This data shows a steady increase in the number of recorded diagnoses of Mycoplasma bovis infection in cattle presented to the Department's Veterinary Laboratory Service for post mortem examination between 2010 to 2016, the last full year for which we have data.
Diagnostic data on deaths in cattle due to Mycoplasma bovis
Extract from the DAFM Laboratory Information Management System and based on results of post mortem examination – data extracted 16 March 2017
Mycoplasma bovis diagnoses by year
|
Year |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
2 |
7 |
12 |
24 |
30 |
49 |
62 |
Mycoplasma bovis diagnoses by county and year
|
2010 |
County |
Number of diagnoses |
|
Wexford |
1 |
|
|
Meath |
1 |
|
|
2010 total |
2 |
|
|
2011 |
||
|
Cork |
3 |
|
|
Roscommon |
1 |
|
|
Laois |
1 |
|
|
Meath |
1 |
|
|
Westmeath |
1 |
|
|
2011 total |
7 |
|
|
2012 |
||
|
Laois |
1 |
|
|
Cork |
3 |
|
|
Offaly |
2 |
|
|
Westmeath |
2 |
|
|
Tipperary |
1 |
|
|
Meath |
2 |
|
|
Roscommon |
1 |
|
|
2012 total |
12 |
|
|
2013 |
||
|
Roscommon |
2 |
|
|
Cork |
6 |
|
|
Meath |
6 |
|
|
Galway |
3 |
|
|
Limerick |
1 |
|
|
Offaly |
2 |
|
|
Sligo |
1 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
|
|
Laois |
1 |
|
|
Wexford |
1 |
|
|
2013 total |
24 |
|
|
2014 |
||
|
Donegal |
1 |
|
|
Cork |
10 |
|
|
Meath |
2 |
|
|
Westmeath |
2 |
|
|
Galway |
2 |
|
|
Wexford |
1 |
|
|
Limerick |
2 |
|
|
Louth |
1 |
|
|
Tipperary |
2 |
|
|
Laois |
2 |
|
|
Roscommon |
1 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
|
|
Mayo |
1 |
|
|
Offaly |
1 |
|
|
Tipperary |
1 |
|
|
2014 total |
30 |
|
|
2015 |
||
|
Cork |
3 |
|
|
Donegal |
3 |
|
|
Dublin |
1 |
|
|
Galway |
1 |
|
|
Kerry |
1 |
|
|
Kildare |
1 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
5 |
|
|
Laois |
2 |
|
|
Limerick |
1 |
|
|
Louth |
3 |
|
|
Mayo |
1 |
|
|
Meath |
2 |
|
|
Offaly |
4 |
|
|
Roscommon |
7 |
|
|
Sligo |
4 |
|
|
Tipperary |
1 |
|
|
Westmeath |
6 |
|
|
Wexford |
3 |
|
|
2015 total |
49 |
|
|
2016 |
||
|
Cavan |
2 |
|
|
Clare |
2 |
|
|
Cork |
8 |
|
|
Clare |
1 |
|
|
Donegal |
1 |
|
|
Galway |
4 |
|
|
Kerry |
1 |
|
|
Kildare |
1 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
9 |
|
|
Laois |
3 |
|
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
|
Limerick |
1 |
|
|
Longford |
2 |
|
|
Mayo |
3 |
|
|
Meath |
1 |
|
|
Monaghan |
1 |
|
|
Offaly |
4 |
|
|
Roscommon |
8 |
|
|
Sligo |
1 |
|
|
Tipperary |
2 |
|
|
Westmeath |
4 |
|
|
Wexford |
2 |
|
|
2016 total |
62 |
1083. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s strategy for containing the mycoplasma bovis disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13776/17]
View answerMycoplasma bovis has no implications for public health, food safety or international trade. Therefore this infectious disease is not regulated in Ireland or the EU and as such, my Department does not have a specific strategy for containing it.
However my Department is currently developing a “Farmed Animal Health Strategy” (having recently undertaken public consultation on a draft document) and is also developing a long-term strategy for laboratory service delivery (arising from a Strategic Review of Laboratory Services). These strategies address different aspects of the leadership and supports my Department provides in dealing with non-regulated diseases of food-producing animals. In addition my Department provides significant financial and other supports for Animal Health Ireland which has responsibility for developing and promoting control programmes for non-regulated diseases.
1084. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports that his Department provides to farmers who discover mycoplasma bovis disease in their herds; if his Department offers preventative guidance to farmers in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13777/17]
View answerMycoplasma bovis is now considered to be endemic in the Irish cattle population; it is occasionally associated with respiratory disease, arthritis and mastitis in infected cattle. Infection in cattle is generally amenable to treatment and control when outbreaks occur, with appropriate professional and laboratory supports. Mycoplasma bovis has no implications for public health, food safety or international trade. Therefore this infectious disease is not regulated in Ireland or the EU.
The diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention of all non-regulated or “production” diseases of animals is a matter for animal keepers and their veterinary practitioners.
My Department supports the control of non-regulated diseases which may cause losses of livestock, animal welfare problems and financial hardship for farmers (including that associated with Mycoplasma bovis infection) by providing:
- a veterinary laboratory diagnostic service, provided by a network of Regional Veterinary Laboratories (post mortem examination and testing of clinical specimens) and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory at Backweston
- field investigation of new and emerging disease problems when this is indicated
- contributions to the farming press and presentation to the practising veterinary profession, informed by the findings of field and laboratory investigations and advising on disease prevention and control
- support for Animal Health Ireland (AHI) in developing and disseminating educational materials on non-regulated diseases for farmers and veterinary practitioners.
1085. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive a GLAS payment. [13787/17]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full entitlements in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
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.
1086. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a GLAS payment. [13814/17]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full entitlements in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
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.
1087. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive an AEOS payment. [13870/17]
View answerThe person named commenced their AEOS 2 contract on 1st September 2011. Payments have issued in respect of the 2011-2015 Scheme years.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System must take place before payments can issue. As 2016 is the final scheme-year of payment for the person-named, re-checks on payments made for all scheme years must be completed before final payment can be processed. It is expected that these checks will be completed shortly and payments due will issue then.
1088. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the preparation of maps for the areas of natural constraints scheme review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13918/17]
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.
The biophysical criteria set out in the legislation to underpin the new system of designation 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.
1089. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appeals mechanism will be available to farmers when the revised maps are produced for the area of natural constraints scheme review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13919/17]
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.
The biophysical criteria set out in the legislation to underpin the new system of designation 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 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, and that there will be a channel for appeals in place.
1090. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a GLAS payment. [13952/17]
View answerThe herd number provided was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016.
The person originally assigned to this herd number was approved for participation into GLAS 2. My Department received a GLAS contract transfer request from the person named on 27 February 2017. This request is currently being processed by officials in my Department and once complete, the application will be further processed for payment in respect of the 2016 scheme year.
1091. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is possible for a person (details supplied) to submit a late basic payment scheme application for 2015 and 2016, in view of the fact payments for 2013 and 2014 are only now issuing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13961/17]
View answerI have asked an official from my Department to forward application forms in respect of 2015 and 2016 to the person named. An application can be made on these forms and the case will be examined upon receipt of the application and any further documentation which the person named may consider to be relevant.
1092. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons in County Westmeath who have not received 85% of their total 2016 GLAS 1, GLAS 2 and AEOS payments; the reasons for this delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13968/17]
View answerSome 654 farmers are active in GLAS 1 in Co. Westmeath of which 586 have been sent for payment with 68 remaining to be paid. For GLAS 2, 264 farmers are active in the scheme of which 243 have been sent for payment with 21 remaining to be paid.
For AEOS, Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System must take place before payments can issue. As 2016 is the final scheme-year of payment for AEOS 2 participants, re-checks on payments made for all scheme years must be completed before final payment can be processed. These checks are on-going and payments are issued on a weekly basis as cases are cleared. 89 of 122 active scheme participants have been sent for payment with 33 remaining to be paid.
1093. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons in County Westmeath enrolled in the areas of natural constraint scheme; his plans to update the process of reviewing qualifying areas for the areas of natural constraint scheme; if his Department has completed the mapping exercise in County Westmeath; when the maps will be published; the consultation which will be undertaken with farmers in County Westmeath on the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13969/17]
View answerThere are 2,476 applicants under the 2016 ANC scheme in County Westmeath.
Under 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.
The biophysical criteria set out in the legislation to underpin the new system of designation 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.
1094. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13981/17]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 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 have examined this issue and the application is now being further processed for payment in respect of the 2016 scheme year.
1095. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 393 of 23 February 2017, if he will provide details with regard to the one member of staff currently suspended in his Department, in tabular form, (details supplied). [14060/17]
View answerMy Department currently has a single employee suspended from work without prejudice, on full pay pending an investigation. Given that the requested information relates to a single individual, it has the potential to either identify that individual or to make information specific to that individual known to his/her colleagues or to others who may be aware of his/her suspension. As a result I am not in a position to provide any of the requested information at this time other than to say that no replacement salary costs have been incurred.
1096. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reintroduce the growing of sugar beet here and the manufacture of sugar therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14116/17]
View answerBy way of explanation I would like to give the Deputy a short background to this issue. In 2011 my Department officials met with two separate groups which had conducted feasibility studies into the possibility of establishing a new sugar and bioethanol production facility, using sugar beet, in this country. The figures published by the interested groups who are investigating the possibility of building a new facility, indicate that the overall capital costs involved could range from €250 million to €400 million, depending on what type of facility will be constructed.
My Department officials have informed both groups that any venture to develop a combined sugar/bioethanol production facility in Ireland, would have to be a viable commercial proposition, and supported by a sufficiently robust business case in order to attract the funding from investors for the very substantial capital investment required. My Government colleague Minister Coveney informed both groups at the time that it was his job to look for agreement at EU level to allow for the growing of sugar beet for the manufacture of sugar, at the earliest possible date. In this connection, he secured agreement as part of the overall CAP reform package at the final EU Council of Agriculture Ministers, which he chaired in June 2013, to abolish all sugar quotas by 30 September 2017. This agreement removes, with effect from 1 October 2017, the current EU quota barrier for operators in Ireland or other Member State, wishing to re-establish a sugar industry.
The current Programme for a Partnership Government makes clear that “State enterprise bodies will be asked to examine any substantial business plans related to rebuilding the industry with a view to considering appropriate State supports”. It is now up to those interested parties to move the project forward and to garner sufficient commercial and financial support to turn their plans into a viable reality.
1097. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount spent externally by his Department on legal advice for each year since 2015; the solicitors' firms involved; the junior and senior barristers who provided services to his Department for each such year; the amounts paid to each firm or person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14125/17]
View answerAmount spent externally on legal advice for each year since 2015.
|
Year 2015 |
Name of Firm |
Name of Barrister Junior/Senior |
Amount paid € |
|
PP Ryan & Co Solicitors |
17,055 |
|
Year 2016 |
Name of Firm |
Name of Barrister Junior/Senior |
Amount paid € |
|
PP Ryan & Co Solicitors |
2,787 |
|
Year 2017 to date |
Name of Firm |
Name of Barrister Junior/Senior |
Amount paid € |
|
Nil |
My Department generally avails of the legal services of the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. However, occasionally it engages private Solicitor Firms and Junior and Senior Counsel for external legal advice. Details of such engagements are provided in the table for 2015 and 2016. Currently there is no expenditure on legal advice for 2017.
