Written Answers Nos. 596-610
596. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he will take to reduce the waiting times for the Teagasc distance learning green certificate courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33085/17]
View answerTeagasc deliver the Green Cert on a full-time, part-time and distance education basis at Teagasc Regional Education Centres and Agricultural Colleges. The scheduling of Green Cert courses is an operational matter for Teagasc. In line with new Dáil procedures, information regarding such matters can be requested directly from Teagasc using the dedicated email address: oireachtas@teagasc.ie.
I am advised that Teagasc Green Cert enrolments trebled in the period 2014 to 2016 - from 500 in a typical year to over 1,500 - arising from the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve, which required successful applicants to hold a Green Cert or equivalent in order to qualify for payment.
It was agreed that Teagasc could appoint 70 temporary education officers to rapidly expand the number of available Green Cert places. Seven temporary administrators were also approved to address the huge volume of course administration that arose from the unprecedented demand. The arrangements helped Teagasc enrol 4,500 Green Cert learners since 2014.
As Teagasc continue to experience strong demand for the adult Green Cert (part-time and distance education), a request for 15 new temporary teaching posts was recently approved bringing the total number of sanctioned Green Cert teachers since 2014 to 85. I understand that Teagasc is considering other resource options to help address projected demand on a phased basis to 2019.
597. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the strategy his Department has to support and promote goat farming; the supports available for goat farming enterprises; his plans for greater funding to support this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33086/17]
View answerGoat farming serves a small niche market for dairy and meat products. My Department makes available a range of supports to goat farming.
Support is available for organic goat farming under the Organic Farming Scheme under the RDP which is an area based payment. We also have a 100% Exchequer funded investment scheme for organic processors which would also include goat farming enterprises.
Goat farming enterprises are also supported under the Organic Capital Investment Scheme which comes under the umbrella of TAMS II.
Support is additionally available under the Animal Welfare Scheme of TAMS II for goat housing and under the Dairy Equipment Scheme of TAMS II for milking equipment for goats.
Furthermore goats are eligible for stocking density purposes under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.
My Department also provides funding to Teagasc who provide dedicated advice to goat producers throughout Ireland on a range of technical and management matters.
Funding to support the goat sector like all farming sectors is reviewed on an ongoing basis.
598. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding fishing licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32578/17]
View answerInland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the state agency responsible for the protection, management and conservation of Ireland's inland fisheries and sea angling resources. IFI manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis as each of Ireland’s 147 salmon rivers (including river sections and estuaries) has its own genetically unique stock of salmon.
IFI is supported in its management role by the independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC), comprising scientists from a range of organisations. Scientific and management assessments of each of the distinct stocks, including the River Shannon, are carried out every year with IFI engaged in an extensive stock monitoring which feeds into the scientific committee's annual reviews.
The SSC estimates the number of salmon likely to return to each river in the next fishing season based on estimates of salmon runs over the most recent five years. Each river has an individual conservation limit which is essentially the number of salmon required to spawn to maintain a healthy population. If the estimate of returning salmon is above this limit then salmon from that genetically unique river population may be harvested commercially or by rod and line.
No harvestable surplus of salmon has been available on the Shannon since 2007.
The salmon assessment methodologies used in Ireland are considered internationally as best practice, with many other countries moving towards the development of similar scientific assessment models for salmon stock conservation.
The Salmon Hardship Scheme was introduced following a Government decision in 2006 to cease, for conservation reasons, the commercial salmon mixed stock fishery. Under the scheme, fishermen active in the commercial salmon fishery, could opt to voluntarily cease fishing and undertake not to seek a licence in the future.
In excess of €25 million was allocated to the scheme to facilitate payments to fishermen, with a further €5 million provided for community development projects. Payments to individuals were based on verifiable track record and recorded catches in the five years prior to its introduction.
The scheme closed for applications on 31 December 2007 and ceased in 2008. I understand that all funds were expended and there are currently no plans to revisit such a scheme.
599. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to provide representation for draught net fishermen on the board of IFI. [32598/17]
View answer600. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagement he has had with draught net fishermen. [32599/17]
View answer601. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagement the IFI has had with draught net fishermen in the past five years. [32600/17]
View answer602. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to safeguard the future culture and heritage of draught net fishermen in certain parts of the country. [32601/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 599 to 602, inclusive, together.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the state agency responsible for the protection, management and conservation of Ireland's inland fisheries and sea angling resources. IFI manages salmon stocks on an individual river basis as each of Ireland’s 147 salmon rivers (including river sections and estuaries) has its own genetically unique stock of salmon.
IFI is supported in its management role by the independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC), comprising scientists from a range of organisations. Scientific and management assessments of each stock are carried out every year with IFI engaged in an extensive stock monitoring which feeds into the scientific committee's annual reviews.
Over the last number of years officials from my Department and IFI have met with representatives of the draft net fishermen on a number of occasions to address their concerns.
The annual Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations, made under the Inland Fisheries Act 2010, provide for the management of Ireland's wild salmon and sea trout fisheries by IFI. Specifically, the Regulations provide for the quotas of fish (surplus to the conservation limits) that can be harvested either commercially or by rod and line from those rivers identified in the Schedule to the Regulations. These Regulations are revised each year taking account of advice from IFI, the Standing Scientific Committee and any submissions received during a 30 day statutory public consultation period.
A copy of the draft regulations is made available on the Department’s website, www.dccae.gov.ie and is open for public inspection at the offices of the Department in Cavan and also at the offices of Inland Fisheries Ireland. Any person may submit observations on the draft regulations at any time during the period of 30 days which normally concludes in early December each year in preparation for the following season.
Following scientific assessment and management advice taking into consideration any observations received, the surplus, if any, available in each river is established for the forthcoming fishing season so that it may be apportioned between anglers and commercial fishermen as regards rivers and estuaries where a commercial fishery exists.
As each stock is assessed annually, the Control of Fishing for Salmon Order is enacted each year and sets out, in line with the conservation imperative, the maximum number of public draft net commercial licences that are available to fishermen, for the forthcoming season in each of the specific Fishery Districts where a commercial fishery exists.
IFI manages salmon stocks diligently on the basis of the established "precautionary principal" and the basis of national management policy is to ensure that all activity, commercial and recreational, is sustainable. Commercial fisheries are only permitted on rivers where a sufficient surplus above that rivers conservation limit, has been advised by the SSC and IFI to support a sustainable fishery. In the case of estuaries, each of the contributing rivers must be above their individual conservation limit before a harvestable fishery is permitted.
Prior to the current formation of IFI there was provision in legislation for the appointment of a representative of the draft net commercial fishermen to the Board of each Regional Fisheries Board. The Regional Boards had between 20 and 22 members. In 2010, all Regional Fisheries Boards and the Central Fisheries Board were abolished and IFI was formed with a Board of just 10 people, including one staff elected representative and the Chief Executive Officer. The other 8 posts are filled by open competition through the Public Appointments Service in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidelines. There are no specific constituencies for any of the posts. The appointments to the Board are for terms of 5 years and there are currently no vacancies on the Board of IFI.
603. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details on national sports television arrangement deals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32081/17]
View answerThe sale of the broadcasting rights of sporting events is a matter for the rights holder concerned and any broadcaster that may have an interest in purchasing those rights.
Section 114 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 states the principal objects and associated powers of RTÉ and Section 118 of the Act states the equivalent objects and associated powers of TG4. Section 98 provides that both shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act. The decision to purchase rights would be a matter for the individual broadcasters and I have no role in the matter.
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) provides that Member States may designate sporting and cultural events of major importance to society as free-to-air. At a national level, the Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out the statutory process for designating events as free-to-air.
Under the 2009 Act, I, as Minister, am obliged to review the list of designated events every three years. The purpose of the review is to consider the appropriateness of the current list of designated events and to examine whether to add any events of major importance to society.
The events currently designated by Order (S.I. 99/2003 since 2003) are as follows:
Live:
- The Summer Olympics
- The All-Ireland Senior Inter-County Football & Hurling Finals
- Ireland’s home and away qualifying games in the European Football Championship and the FIFA World Cup Tournaments
- Ireland’s games in the European Football Championship Finals Tournament and the FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament
- Ireland’s games in the Rugby World Cup Finals Tournament
- The Irish Grand National and the Irish Derby
- The Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show
Deferred:
- Ireland’s games in the Six Nations Rugby Football Championship
I have recently received approval from the European Commission to designate the All Ireland Senior Ladies Football and Camogie Finals as events of major importance and a draft order revising the list is currently before the Houses of the Oireachtas for resolution.
The Lisbon Treaty added Sport as an EU competency for co-operation between EU Member States and this is a matter for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
604. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there will be no further work carried out on providing broadband to over 542,000 premises during the next 77 weeks until a company (details supplied) has completed the separate contract commitment to provide broadband to 300,000 premises. [32086/17]
View answer605. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the contract of undertaking between a company (details supplied) and the government requires that no further work take place on the NBP until its work connecting the 300,000 premises was completed. [32087/17]
View answer606. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason his department will not publish target dates for contract signing, work commencement and completion dates for the rollout of broadband to the 542,000 premises identified in the NBP as requiring State support. [32088/17]
View answer607. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the ongoing procurement process for the national broadband plan. [32183/17]
View answer613. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes in the light blue area of the NBP map that have been connected to broadband services in June 2017, by county; and if this number meets the requirements of the government's agreement with a company (details supplied). [32191/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 604 to 607, inclusive, and 613 together.
The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) will provide high speed broadband access of a minimum of 30 megabits per second to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector so that to date approximately 1.4m or 61% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband of a minimum of 30 megabits per second and this footprint is expanding.
In April, eir signed an agreement with me committing them to follow through on their commercial plans to provide new high speed broadband infrastructure to 300,000 premises in rural areas. Eir has committed to doing this work over a 90 week period with an average of 500 premises passed per day. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department's website at http://www.dccae.gov.ie/documents/Commitment%20Agreement.pdf.
The focus of the agreement is the delivery by eir of its commitment to rollout a fibre high speed broadband network to over 300,000 premises. The agreement includes quarterly milestones to be achieved by eir, which are subject to formal evaluation by my Department. My Department has concluded that eir met the milestone to pass 40,000 premises by the end of April of this year and initial indications are that eir has also met its Quarter 2 target. A formal evaluation of eir's Quarter 2 performance will be conducted by my Department shortly.
The procurement process that is being managed by my Department to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network within the State intervention area is progressing independently of the Commitment Agreement. There is no provision in the agreement that would preclude rollout of a State subsidised network in the NBP intervention area being carried out in parallel with the eir rollout.
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. The three bidders have indicated that they are proposing a predominantly fibre-to-the-home solution. 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.
With the finalisation of the map and following extensive dialogue with bidders, the procurement process has progressed to the next stage. The 'Detailed Solutions' stage is the last stage of the procurement process before Final Tenders. 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.
608. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of operating a deposit scheme for drinks bottles and cans. [32184/17]
View answerRepak is the approved producer responsibility compliance scheme for packaging in Ireland and is tasked with meeting recovery and recycling targets established under the EU Packaging Directive (94/62/EC).
In July 2014, the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government published a Review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative Model in Ireland. The aim of the review was to assess the nature and level of the challenges which are currently facing the existing Producer Responsibility Agreements, as well as the forthcoming challenges that are expected to arise in the management of various waste streams. A stakeholder consultation process was also conducted.
As part of this review, a wider examination of issues within the packaging sphere was undertaken and consideration was given to the introduction of a refundable deposit scheme for recyclables.
The review report did not recommend the introduction of a Deposit and Refund scheme and concluded that to establish such a scheme was inappropriate, in view of the operation of the existing packaging scheme (operated by Repak), and policies concerning household waste collection, plus the high administrative costs of introducing such a system.
Notwithstanding the above, the introduction of such a scheme is currently being considered in Scotland. A report commissioned by Zero Waste Scotland estimates that the cost of operating a deposit and refund scheme there would be in the region of £78 million sterling, including £15 million set-up costs.
609. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of extending the SEAI electric vehicle grant in each of the years 2018 to 2022. [32185/17]
View answer610. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of building additional fast-charging stations for electric vehicles (details supplied). [32187/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 609 and 610 together.
The Electric Vehicles Grant Scheme provides grant aid of up to €5,000 towards the purchase of a new full battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plugin hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The scheme, which will be kept under review, is continuing this year and an allocation of €5 million has been provided in my Department’s Vote for this purpose. The grants are in addition to the VRT reliefs of up to €5,000 that also apply to EVs. Budget 2017 extended VRT reliefs on PHEVs to end 2018 and on BEVs to end 2021. No decision has been made yet on grant allocations for the scheme in the coming years.
Since the introduction of the EV Grant Scheme in 2011, the purchase of nearly 2,200 electric vehicles has been supported to date under the scheme to the value of €10.3 million. This year, almost €2.2 million has been spent to the end of June to support the purchase of 456 new electric vehicles. My Department expects a broadly similar number of electric vehicles to be grant aided for the remainder of the year which will show a significant increase on the 638 EVs supported last year and the 555 supported in 2015. The cost of the scheme in future years will be dependent on the uptake of EVs.
To date, fast chargers have been rolled out as part of the wider infrastructure rollout under the ecars programme which also includes standard public chargepoints as well as chargers in domestic and commercial premises. The ESB, who run the ecar programme, has informed my Department that the average cost of installing a fast charge point would be around €48,000. However, cost per unit can vary in price depending on the supplier and functionality of the charge point and the associated works for installing the charge point at a site.
The Deputy may also wish to note that on 31 May this year my colleague the Minster for Transport Tourism and Sport published the National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland 2017 to 2030. This points out that "there are almost 900 publicly accessible charge points available in Ireland, which for a country of its size puts it among the more comprehensive charge point networks currently in place across Europe. Large car manufacturers are also expected to become involved in the provision of high-powered infrastructure. A number of providers are likely to emerge onto the Irish market in the coming years, providing infrastructure at the higher end of the performance capacity scale, i.e. between 120 kW and 350 kW. These chargers will support quicker charge times and longer travelling ranges depending on the model of car, i.e. more cars will be capable of travelling up to 500 km on one charge."
