Written Answers Nos. 1388-1407
1388. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of money allocated under Pillar 1 of the current CAP, 2014 to 2020, to voluntary coupled support; the percentage of funding allocated to voluntary coupled support out of total Irish Pillar 1 funding; the amount of the allocated money that has been expended to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38604/17]
View answerUnder transitional arrangements in 2014 €24m was paid under the Beef Data Programme and the Grassland Sheep Scheme. The Protein Aid Scheme is the only voluntary coupled scheme operated under the Basic Payment Scheme 2015 - 2020. Funding allocated for this scheme amounts to €3m annually which equates to almost 0.25% of Pillar I funding.
1389. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Ireland has applied to the European Commission to increase the level of advance payments from 16 October 2017 to farmers affected by difficult climatic conditions (details supplied); and if no application has been made, the reason therefore. [38605/17]
View answerGiven the important role that the Basic Payment Scheme plays in supporting the farming sector, I have applied to the EU Commission to increase the level of advance payment to 70%. The normal rate of advance payment allowable under the relevant EU regulations is 50%. I have asked my officials to consult with the EU Commission in relation to the formal approval of this application.
1390. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the new hen harrier scheme; when details of the new scheme will be published and open for applications; when first payments will issue; the budget allocated under the rural development programme, RDP, 2014 to 2020 to this scheme; and the amount of funds expended to date under the relevant RDP measure. [38606/17]
View answerAt the outset, I should stress that this is a locally led scheme which is not directly administered by my Department. The design and management of the scheme are primarily matters for the local project team, who will work closely with my Department, as the scheme is rolled out.
The design work for the new scheme has already commenced following the appointment of a locally led Project Team earlier this year. The Project Team has now completed a series of consultation meetings with farmers in the six designated Hen Harrier Special Protected Areas (SPAs), at which more than 500 farmers attended. A seminar for advisors is planned for next week, with training courses planned for December 2017 and May/June 2018. The scientific officers in the team have carried out Hen Harrier monitoring in all SACs and preliminary results from this campaign will be available within weeks. Work is also progressing on detailed Terms & Conditions for the new Scheme.
I understand that the first farmers will be invited to apply for the Locally-Led Scheme for the Conservation of the Hen Harrier in the latter months of 2017. Unlike other schemes, the new hen-harrier scheme will not be tied to calendar years and this provides for greater flexibility in both recruitment and payment. At this point in time I have no firm projections for payments in relation to 2017 or 2018 – this is something the Project Team is examining and will advise my Department in due course.
A budget of some €25 million has been allocated for this scheme. It is worth noting that a significant framework of support for farmers with hen-harrier designated land is already in place through my Department's agri-environment scheme GLAS. Under GLAS, farmers with hen harrier habitat qualify for a payment of €370 per hectare and can earn up to €7,000 per annum through a combination of GLAS and GLAS Plus payments. The GLAS Hen Harrier action has proved hugely successful, with some 2,678 farmers now signed up. This accounts for almost 70% of all farmers with hen harrier habitat and represents a major step forward in the conservation of the bird and in securing important additional income for the farmers concerned.
1391. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on introducing a grazing premium for beef and suckler cows as proposed in a study (details supplied) under Pillar 1 of CAP in any future review. [38607/17]
View answerThe report referred to by the Deputy provides three suggested policy approaches for the EU cattle sector including the one specifically mentioned by the Deputy. I welcome the report as an important contribution to the debate on supporting the EU cattle sector overall. It should be noted that the report identifies two other policy approaches, namely market transparency and market information initiatives as well as product differentiation and institutional export promotion, as representing longer term approaches toward how the EU cattle sector could be sustainably supported in the coming decades and from which the entire sector would profit.
In general, Ireland has been supportive of a greater market orientation of the CAP, including by decoupling of payments from production, because farmers’ freedom to respond to the demands of the market is vital for the long-term development of the sector, as set out in Food Wise 2025. This allows farmers to calibrate production to market demand without compromising the Basic Payment Scheme.
I am of course very aware of the importance of a strong and vibrant suckler herd to the Irish rural economy. Through Pillar II of the CAP, some €300 million of funding over a six year period has been targeted towards the national suckler herd through the Bovine Data Genomics Programme (BDGP). In response to significant demand, I reopened the BDGP programme for new entrants earlier in the year. Several other supports are in place for suckler farmers under the
RDP, notably GLAS, ANCs and Knowledge Transfer groups. I am of the view that the current range of supports available to suckler farmers is the most appropriate way to support the continued development of this sector at this time.
1392. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a low input permanent pasture grant a person (details supplied) will be paid to a person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38673/17]
View answerThe person named approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015. The payment for 2016 did not include the Low Input Permanent Pasture payment.
During the prepayment checking process an issue presented on the computerised crosscheck of Department databases in relation to the requirement to have an owned grazing enterprise to fulfil the requirements for the Low Input Permanent Pasture action.
The Department is now satisfied that the action meets scheme requirements and is actively working to reinstate the action on the online system with a view to processing the payment.
1393. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied) will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38676/17]
View answerThe person named approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has been paid in full 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 the issue with a view to further processing the application for payment at the earliest possible opportunity.
1394. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish an enterprise stabilisation fund to assist sectors that face particular difficulties due to the reduction in the value of sterling since mid-2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38677/17]
View answer1409. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he plans to implement to assist the beef sector due to difficulties that have arisen from the decline in the value of sterling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38910/17]
View answer1410. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he plans to implement to assist the mushroom sector due to difficulties that have arisen from the decline in the value of sterling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38911/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1394, 1409 and 1410 together.
I fully recognise the enormous challenges Brexit poses for the agri-food and fisheries sectors, and particularly for the beef and mushroom sectors, both of which, given their reliance on the UK market for exports, are experiencing severe difficulties on foot of the fall in the value of sterling against the euro.
The Government's response to Brexit is being co-ordinated across a range of Departments. In so far as the agri food sector is concerned, I and my Department, with the support of the Government, have been actively engaged in developing responses that will help to ameliorate this impact, for example through the new €150 million loan fund introduced as part of a package of measures announced in Budget 2017. We are also actively considering further measures that may need to be deployed over the medium- to longer-term.
However, the scale of the difficulties being created by the current period of volatility requires that other approaches be considered. Accordingly, I have been considering the need for specific EU support, and have been engaging with Commissioner Hogan and other Member States in this regard, most recently at last week's Informal Council in Estonia.
I intend to pursue the matter further by raising it at next month's AgriFish Council and by asking my colleagues to consider a range of measures that will help the Irish agri-food sector to deal with these difficulties.
1395. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he expects exports of beef to China to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38678/17]
View answerChina is a high priority for beef market access and significant progress has already been made. The BSE ban in respect of Irish beef was lifted by the Chinese authorities in early 2015. This was a very positive development which paved the way for the start of the process to secure access. The Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) then carried out a systems audit in Ireland in January 2016. In April 2017 together with the AQSIQ Minister Zhi Shuping, I signed a Protocol on the requirements for Frozen Beef to be exported from Ireland to China. The signing of this Protocol was a significant step towards securing beef market access. However, some further steps remain to be taken before exports commence.The next step being a plant inspection visit by the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA). This visit to a sample of the beef plants that have expressed an interest in exporting beef to China has just concluded.
Despite this significant progress, the fact is that the pace of market access will be determined by the Chinese authorities, and not by my Department. My officials continue to liaise closely with their Chinese counterparts to ensure every assurance is provided in relation to the quality and safety of Irish beef.
1396. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received and approved respectively under the Scottish derogation initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38681/17]
View answerThe Scottish Derogation measure of the Basic Payment Scheme provided for the allocation of entitlements to farmers who never held entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme and who fulfilled certain eligibility criteria as laid down under EU Regulations. Eligibility criteria included the requirement by the applicant to provide verifiable evidence of production in either of the Sheep Dairy Beef or Arable sectors on 15 May 2013. My Department received 3,430 applications under the Scottish Derogation Scheme, of which 2,126 applications were deemed successful.
1397. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the development of sectorial response plans to Brexit; the publication date for these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38686/17]
View answer1398. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the issues identified for consideration in the context of Brexit including opportunities and their prioritisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38702/17]
View answer1399. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of issues identified for consideration in the context of Brexit including threats and their prioritisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38718/17]
View answer1400. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the scenario planning that has been conducted by his Department for Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38734/17]
View answer1401. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the methodology employed in the prioritisation of responses to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38750/17]
View answer1402. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funds that have been requested in response to threats resulting from Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38766/17]
View answer1403. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funds that have been allocated in response to threats resulting from Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38798/17]
View answer1405. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department’s priorities for risk mitigation in response to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38830/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1397 to 1403 inclusive and 1405 together.
The comprehensive document “Ireland and the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union: The Government’ Approach”, published on 2 May, outlined in detail the structures put in place by the Government to ensure a strategic and whole-of-Government response to Brexit that ensures a coordinated approach to the identification of key priority issues for the EU-UK negotiations and the wider domestic response.
Since the publication of the comprehensive document, the Government has sought to further increase its strategic oversight of Brexit through the addition of a dedicated responsibility for Brexit matters to the role of the Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade. The Cabinet Committee structures have also been reformed and a new Cabinet Committee has been established to deal with EU Affairs including Brexit.
The Government’s National Risk Assessment 2017, which provides a systematic overview of strategic risks facing the country, was published on 29 August following a public consultation process. The National Risk Assessment acknowledges the significance of risk arising from Brexit, and that Brexit represents an overarching theme that could have far-reaching impacts on nearly all aspects of national life. It identifies areas where Brexit poses a specific risk, particularly in relation to the economy.
As set out in the comprehensive document of 2 May, the Government’s continuing work to ensure that Ireland’s interests are reflected in the EU’s approach to the ongoing EU-UK negotiations is a central dimension of Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit.
Work is also continuing across Government on Ireland’s wider response to the challenges and opportunities posed by Brexit, building on ongoing cross-Government research, analysis and consultations with stakeholders and encompassing the following themes:
- sustainable fiscal policies to ensure capacity to absorb and respond to economic shocks, not least from Brexit;
- policies to make Irish enterprise more diverse and resilient, to diversify trade and investment patterns, and to strengthen competitiveness;
- prioritising policy measures and dedicating resources to protect jobs and businesses in the sectors and regions most affected by Brexit;
- realising economic opportunities arising from Brexit, and helping businesses adjust to any new logistical or trade barriers arising;
- making a strong case at EU level that Ireland will require support that recognises where Brexit represents a serious disturbance to the Irish economy.
Policy decisions in support of these objectives also arise across a wide range of areas, including the annual budgetary process; the forthcoming National Planning Framework 2040; the new 10-year National Capital Plan; the Review of Enterprise 2025 Policy, and sectorial policies and investment decisions in areas such as agriculture, enterprise, transport, communications and energy.
Within my own Department, we have been engaged for some time, in close consultation with stakeholders, in a process of assessing the potential threats and possible scenarios that will arise for the agri food sector post-Brexit, and discussing potential appropriate responses. Market diversification is one of those responses, and I have today announced the provision of an additional €6.745 million for Bord Bia to assist in these efforts.
Obviously the most immediate challenge being experienced by the sector, by virtue of its unique exposure to the UK market, is the significant drop in the value of sterling against the euro. The longer-term challenges include those related to tariffs and trade, divergence in regulations and standards, Northern Ireland and border issues, and certification (including veterinary and health certification). Difficult challenges in relation to potentially restricted access to fishing grounds and resources also arise. That is why, in terms of risk mitigation, I have said that our three key asks from these negotiations will be:
(i) continued free access to the UK market, without tariffs and with minimal additional customs and administrative procedures,
(ii) minimisation of the risk from UK trade agreements with third countries, and
(iii) maintenance of current access to fishing grounds in the UK zone in the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and north of Donegal, and protection of Ireland's quota share for joint fish stocks.
In terms of the ongoing exchange rate difficulties, I fully understand and appreciate the significant impact that these are having on farmers and the industry in those sectors highly exposed to the UK market. For that reason I and my Department, with the support of the Government, have been actively engaged in developing responses that will help to ameliorate this impact, for example through the €150 million loan fund introduced as part of a package of measures announced in last year's Budget. Other Budgetary measures included the introduction of new agri-taxation measures, increased funding under the Rural Development Programme and Seafood Development Programme, and the allocation of additional resources to Bord Bia to provide Brexit-related supports to affected companies.
However, the scale of the difficulties being created by the current period of volatility requires that other approaches be considered. Accordingly, I have been considering the need for specific EU support, and have been engaging with Commissioner Hogan and other Member States in this regard, most recently at last week's Informal Council in Estonia.
I intend to pursue the matter further by raising it at next month's AgriFish Council and by asking my colleagues to consider a range of measures that will help the Irish agri-food sector to deal with these difficulties.
1404. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacancies in his Department for Brexit related roles; the expected date for these roles to be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38814/17]
View answerFollowing the UK referendum in June 2016, my Department established a dedicated Brexit Co-ordination Unit within its EU & International Trade Division. This unit now forms part of a new Brexit and International Trade Division. It comprises eight staff, including a full-time Head of Division, working full-time on the co-ordination of the various strands of Brexit activity being undertaken right across the Department.
Within the Brexit Unit there are currently no vacancies, but my Department will continue to monitor the future staffing needs of both the unit itself and the wider Department as the negotiations proceed.
1406. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the membership and role of all Brexit related stakeholder engagement groups working with his Department on Brexit issues; the number of times each stakeholder group has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38846/17]
View answerShortly after the UK Referendum result I established a Consultative Committee of Stakeholders, formalising a consultation process that had in fact been commenced some months in advance of the UK referendum. Its purpose has been to assist myself and my Department in assessing the potential impact of Brexit on the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors and in considering possible responses, and more generally to ensure a full exchange of information between all parties in advance of, and during, the negotiations.
The Committee, which consists of 31 different stakeholder groups (listed below), had its initial meeting in early July 2016, and to date has met four times, most recently on 19 July 2017. It has been complemented by the participation of all of these stakeholders in the All-Island Civic Dialogue process, in respect of which I have hosted four separate sectorial dialogues for the agri-food sector and two further dialogues for the fisheries sector since December 2016.
In addition to these interactions, my Department is also chairing the Agri-Food Sub-Group of the Brexit Economy and Trade Work Group, which in turn is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach in the context of its cross-governmental coordination of the response to Brexit. The Agri-Food Sub-Group considers input from the relevant Departments and State Agencies.
All of these consultations are helping to further inform my approach and that of my Department to the challenges presented by Brexit for the agri-food and fisheries sectors, and will continue to play a vital role in this regard.
List of participants on the Brexit Stakeholder Consultative Committee:
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Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA) |
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Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA |
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Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) |
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Macra na Feirme |
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Irish Dairy Industries Association (IDIA) |
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ORNUA |
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Meat Industry Ireland (MII) |
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Irish Egg Producers |
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Commercial Mushroom Producers |
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Alcoholic Beverage Federation |
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Food and Drink Industry Ireland |
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Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) |
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Irish Grain Feeders Association (IGFA) |
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Horse Sport Ireland |
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Horse Racing Ireland |
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Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (ITBA) |
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Irish Greyhound Board |
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Coillte |
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Irish Forestry and Forest Products Association (IFFPA) |
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Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation (ISWFPO |
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Irish Fish Processors & Exporters’ Association (IFPEA |
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IFPO – Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) |
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Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) |
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National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) |
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Irish South & East Fish Producers Organisation |
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Bord Bia |
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Teagasc |
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Bord Iascaigh Mhara |
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Enterprise Ireland |
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SIPTU |
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Dept. of the Taoiseach |
1407. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the Brexit related research currently being undertaken by his Department; the topics under consideration; the date this research commenced; the expected date for completion and publication, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38878/17]
View answerMy Department has conducted a range of analysis and research activities in relation to Brexit. This work is ongoing, and is primarily concerned with the implications of Brexit for agri-food trade with the UK across different sectors.
For example, both internally and in consultation with the relevant stakeholders through the Brexit Stakeholder Consultative Committee and the All-Island Civic Dialogue process, my Department has established the extent of sectorial reliance on the UK market, the potential implications of Brexit for each sector and the possible responses to the challenges presented. It has also been analysing the potential practical impact on the day-to-day functioning of trade flows, as well as potential WTO tariffs that might be applied to Ireland's agri-food exports to the UK in the event of a 'hard' Brexit.
The agencies reporting to my Department have also undertaken important research in relation to Brexit, with Teagasc publishing reports on, for example, the potential implications for the Irish agri-food sector in overall terms and on the implications for family farm incomes, and Bord Bia conducting important work through its Brexit Barometer.
In addition, my Department is in contact with the relevant agencies and with other Departments to co-ordinate further research on the implications of Brexit for the agri-food industry.
