Written Answers Nos. 566-588
566. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff employed in the County Roscommon district office of his Department by staffing levels and grades in each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [24616/17]
View answerMy Department has staff located in Roscommon Regional Office, as laid out in the following table, in both headcount and Full Time Equivalents (FTE). 2013-2016 are year end figures.
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 (end of April) |
||||||
|
FTE |
headcount |
FTE |
headcount |
FTE |
headcount |
FTE |
headcount |
FTE |
headcount |
|
|
Agricultural Inspector |
0.73 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
0.69 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
|
Assistant Agricultural Inspector |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
Clerical Officer |
10.88 |
12 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
District Superintendent |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Executive Officer |
1 |
1 |
||||||||
|
Staff Officer |
0.73 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
0.73 |
1 |
|
Superintending Veterinary Inspector |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Supervisory Agricultural Officer |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
Technical Agricultural Officer |
12 |
12 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
11 |
11 |
|
Veterinary Inspector |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
567. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the person or body that made the submission regarding Shannon Callows prior to land of GLAS; and the details of same. [24619/17]
View answerNo specific submission on the Shannon Callows was received as part of the wide ranging public consultation on the RDP 2014 - 2020.
568. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the person or body that made the submission to the Shannon Callows prior to the formation of local led schemes; and the details of same. [24620/17]
View answerAn application for a project in the Shannon Callows under my Department's open call for proposals under the European Innovation Partnerships Initiative, was received on 27 January last. Entitled the "Callows Farmland Biodiversity Conservation Project" its objectives are to strategically deliver agriculture biodiversity conservation through farmland management for a range of priority species and habitats within the callows systems associated with the River Shannon. The lead applicant for this project is BirdWatch Ireland.
This project has been approved for development of a detailed project plan, which will be used to assess its suitability to proceed for full implementation on the ground.
569. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the National Parks and Wildlife Service's position that all future funding for designated restrictions will be funded by his Department; if his Department has held discussions with various lobby groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24621/17]
View answerSupport for designated Natura 2000 areas is available to farmers through the AEOS, GLAS and Locally Led schemes operated by my Department. These Schemes are co-funded by the EU as part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and were developed following a public consultation process. In addition to the schemes operated by my Department the National Parks and Wildlife Service continue to operate a farm plan scheme.
570. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the business case made for the disposal of a stadium (details supplied) to the Department of Education and Skills under the policy for property acquisition and for disposal of surplus property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24623/17]
View answer571. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the objective or need identified to dispose of a stadium (details supplied) under the policy for property acquisition and for disposal of surplus property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24624/17]
View answer572. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the options explored with regard to the decision to offer a stadium (details supplied) to the Department of Education and Skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24625/17]
View answer573. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures undertaken to quantify the cost reductions or income from viable options as required under the policy for property acquisition and for disposal of surplus property regarding the disposal of a stadium (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24626/17]
View answer574. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the risks identified that were associated with each viable option with regard to the disposal of a stadium (details supplied) as required under the policy for property acquisition and for disposal of surplus property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24627/17]
View answer575. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the elements that led to a decision on a preferred option with regard to the disposal of a stadium (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24628/17]
View answer576. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the elements that led to his Department making a decision to dispose of a stadium (details supplied) to the Department of Education and Skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24629/17]
View answer577. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the use of the State property register by his Department in the disposal of a stadium (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24630/17]
View answer578. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the range of legal, valuation, planning, structural or other advice needed to implement the decision to dispose of a stadium (details supplied) to the Department of Education and Skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24631/17]
View answer579. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the professional advice engaged with in good time to ensure that the decision taken will be implemented as intended with regard to the decision to sell a stadium (details supplied) to the Department of Education and Skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24632/17]
View answer580. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the architect's report, fire officer's report, mechanical engineer's report, electrical engineer's report, and structural engineer's report that were undertaken as part of the disposal of a stadium (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24633/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 570 to 580, inclusive, together.
Bord na gCon (BNG) is a commercial State body, established in 1958 under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and improve and develop the greyhound industry. Harold’s Cross Stadium is the property of BnG and its sale is a matter for it although consent for the sale is required from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The deputy’s questions relate to DPER Circulars regarding the policy and protocols for property acquisition and for the disposal of surplus state property. The purpose of this provision is to allow other State bodies to express interest in properties before any disposal to a private entity can occur. Regarding registering Harold’s Cross Stadium in the State Property Register, in this instance the Department of Education and Skills expressed an interest in the Stadium and a valuation was carried out by the Valuations Office.
Any question of architect’s and engineer’s reports, legal, planning and other professional advice required is an operational matter for the parties to the transaction.
The Chairman of Bord na gCon (BNG) wrote to this Department on 10 May seeking my consent and that of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to the sale of Harold’s Cross Stadium to the Department of Education and Skills for the sum of €23m.
The proposal to sell Harold’s Cross Stadium is addressed in the Indecon Report which examined a range of business development possibilities with the suggestion that the debt of BnG could not be reduced in any significant way without the sale of assets.
581. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 on 11 April 2017, the progress made to date in 2017 in prioritising a case regarding a transfer (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24682/17]
View answerAs outlined to the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Question number 669 in April, this is a complex case involving a number of interested parties. The case has been prioritised by my Department, who have been in correspondence with the solicitors for the persons referred to by the Deputy.
My Department has also discussed the matter with the Chief State Solicitors' Office and subject to the clarification of outstanding legal and conveyancing issues, will be progressing the case in the most appropriate manner based on the advice received.
582. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a media report (details supplied); the steps he is taking to assist persons on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24686/17]
View answerI am conscious of the issues which have been experienced in the dairy sector in recent times. There have been a number of measures implemented to support dairy sector producers through market transition in the post milk quota period. Central to these supports was the Super Levy Instalment Scheme, introduced in 2015, which allowed participants to spread their super levy bill over three years interest free. Ireland was one of the few EU member states to introduce this scheme for its dairy farmers in order to ease the burden of the super levy bill for those who wished to avail of it.
Additional exceptional aid measures for the sector included a one off co-funded support payment of €1,395 to dairy producers in 2015. In 2016 a Voluntary Supply Management Scheme formed part of the exceptional aid package from the EU Commission from which over €6.5m was paid to Irish dairy producers.
A further measure implemented by my Department under the 2016 EU exceptional aid package was the Agriculture Cash flow Support Loan Scheme. This scheme was developed by my Department in co-operation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), making €150 million available to farmers at interest rates of 2.95%. Distributed and administered through AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank, the Scheme provides farmers with a low cost, flexible source of working capital and will allow them to pay down more expensive forms of short-term debt, ensuring the on-going financial sustainability of viable farming enterprises.
These supports are of course additional to the many schemes available to dairy farmers under the Rural Development Programme including GLAS, TAMs and Knowledge Transfer. My Department continues to monitor the market situation for dairy and other sectors to ensure that the most appropriate supports are made available to producers and to ensure that volatility mitigation measures are kept under active consideration.
583. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding available to a person whose land has been lost to erosion on the River Slaney in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24703/17]
View answerThere are currently no funding supports available to farmers who may have been adversely impacted by riverine erosion. As you will be aware, the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Mr. Seán Canney T.D., recently announced the introduction of a once-off targeted Voluntary Homeowner Relocation Scheme.
As part of the announcement the Minister outlined that further examination is ongoing by the OPW, Local Authorities and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in evaluating, on an individual basis, if any alternative remedial works can be undertaken to protect those at risk farm buildings that flooded again last Winter in order to inform the feasibility of any future once-off targeted scheme for Voluntary Farm Building Relocation.
584. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the beef cow data and genomics scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason this payment has not issued to date even though payment has been approved since March 2016;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24715/17]
View answerThe person named submitted a Beef Data and Genomics Programme 2015 - 2020 application on 28 May 2015.
Payment in full for 2015 scheme year issued to the person named on 16 December 2015.
Payment in full for 2016 scheme year issued to the person named on 13 December 2016.
Payments for 2017 scheme year will commence in December 2017.
585. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider making grant aid available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to cover energy efficient re-equipment in poultry, pigs and horticulture not already covered by the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme. [24210/17]
View answerEnergy Efficiency is the most cost effective way of reducing energy use and emissions in homes, businesses and farms. I actively encourage farmers to improve the energy efficiency of their businesses, and in doing so to take action to reduce the levels of emissions from the agriculture sector. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has worked closely with Teagasc over the years to provide training on energy management to Teagasc advisors and farmers.
The SEAI publishes and maintains a register of energy efficient products and equipment. The Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA), is a tax break which allows businesses to write off the cost of eligible equipment from this register in one year rather than over eight years under conventional accounting rules. This is available to businesses, including farms, paying corporate tax.
Qualifying products from the defined ACA equipment categories are listed on the ACA Specified List which is updated on a regular basis. All ACA qualifying products can be searched for on the ACA Specified List through the SEAI’s website. Another option for smaller farmers, whether VAT registered or not, is to reclaim VAT on electricity micro-generation technologies (e.g. wind turbines).
The Better Energy Communities (BEC) scheme, is one of the major schemes funded by my Department to cover energy efficient upgrade of buildings. The BEC scheme is administered by the SEAI and funding is awarded on a competitive basis. The BEC scheme is designed for multi-sector projects comprising a mix of one or more sectors (residential, commercial – including farming - and public) coming together to make a community application. It would be open to the farming sectors the Deputy mentioned to consider this. Separately, SEAI are considering energy efficiency support in the dairy farm sector with a view to piloting a scheme this year.
586. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is pursuing the policy of freezing the introduction of pay by weight for waste collection in 2017; and the measures he has put in place to ensure the situation which occurred in 2016 will not happen again (details supplied). [24651/17]
View answerThe charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation.
My Department is currently reviewing, together with the regulatory authorities and industry representatives, the introduction of an incentivised system which encourages people to prevent, reduce and segregate their waste. This approach is in line with Government waste policy to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill for waste disposal and will also facilitate the provision of a range of options for people to manage their waste costs.
I have already indicated quite clearly that any such system will encompass more than just the previously proposed pay-by-weight per-kilogramme model. It is important to acknowledge that many people are already on plans that encourage waste prevention and segregation, including some which contain an element of weight-based charging.
As previously pointed out, I do not have a role in setting the level of charges for waste collection. I would, however, like to see a system in operation whereby the prevention and segregation of waste from households was encouraged so that we reduce our reliance on landfills around the country, and enable people to manage their waste costs.
587. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for a fee structure that would support a geographic coverage being applied to the allocation of the 700MHz spectrum band, in view of the role of the Minister for Finance under sections 13(5)(b) and 13(6) of the Communications Regulation Act 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24768/17]
View answerA Decision has been adopted at EU level in order to co-ordinate the release of the 694-790MHz (700MHz) spectrum band in all Member States by 30 June 2020. This proposal will allow mobile broadband services to use this part of the spectrum band.
The EU Commission's Digital Single Market Strategy highlights the importance of this band for ensuring the provision of broadband services in rural areas. The band is particularly attractive for wireless broadband services, allowing higher speeds and greater coverage over long distances.
In Ireland, the 700MHz band is currently used by digital terrestrial television services (DTT) and the migration of these broadcasting services from this band has not yet happened.
The move to the lower part of the UHF band by the DTT services that currently use the 700 MHz band will require a significant amount of work on the transmission network. In my Department's Estimates for 2017, I have secured an €8 million provision for RTE to allow it to free up the 700 MHz band within the timeframe set by the EU Commission.
In consultation with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and 2RN (formerly known as RTÉ Networks), my Department is working on a range of issues aimed at delivering a managed migration of broadcasting services from this band within the timeframe available. The aim in Ireland is to achieve the release of this spectrum in advance of the June 2020 date, in co-ordination with the UK.
In respect of the management of spectrum, including the future allocation of the 700MHz band and any terms and conditions attached to any licences issued, ComReg is independent in its functions and I have no role in that process. Having regard to the independence of ComReg in the matter, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the matter at this time. I have no reason to believe that any process undertaken by ComReg will not result in the fair allocation of any future spectrum assignment and I expect the outcomes of any such process to provide a level of certainty and transparency for all stakeholders. A policy direction is neither necessary nor appropriate in the circumstances.
Accordingly, I have not issued, nor do I propose to, or see any necessity to issue any policy direction to ComReg in this regard.
588. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the implementation of the food waste charter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24022/17]
View answerThe United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 challenges us to halve food waste at retail and consumer level by 2030. In response, I have made food waste prevention a priority for my Department.
In March, together with the Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency, I launched the Charter on Food Waste. The objective of the charter is to galvanise support behind food waste prevention across government, business and communities. By acknowledging the environmental and social significance of food waste and committing signatories to take at least one food prevention action within the first year of signing up, it provides a common platform for action.
Interest in the Charter since its launch has been very positive. Unsurprisingly, the response from individuals, households and schools has been particularly strong. Organisations and businesses require more time in planning and agreeing their commitment to specific actions, however, the EPA is supporting this process and I look forward to many more signatories coming forward in the coming year and beyond. Food waste prevention is a complex issue that requires long-term investment in addressing its causes.
Other initiatives underway include additional funding towards the EPA’s ‘Stop Food Waste’ campaign which helps families save money and save waste and also my convening of an Action Group on Wasted Food in the Retail Sector. I am pleased that most of the significant retail groups have agreed to participate. The Group has had two meetings to date and is focusing its attention on two key food waste prevention issues, namely data collection and taking specific named actions in the retail space to impact on food waste. All members of the Group have agreed to commit to the Charter.
