Written Answers Nos. 406-423
406. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the persons, companies or other legal entities, based either here or abroad, that have received an annual afforestation premium in excess of €500,000 in 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40175/17]
View answerOne person received afforestation premium payments in excess of €500,000 in 2015. These payments were made to the farmer in respect of forests planted under previous Forestry Programmes.
With the exception of this person, no other persons, companies or legal entities received annual afforestation premiums in excess of €500,000 in 2015 or 2016.
407. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to reports of smuggling of sheep across the Border in September 2017 causing concern for sheep breeders in the area; and the steps he is taking to prevent such illegal activities. [40256/17]
View answerI am aware of a recent report of alleged illegal movement of sheep into the Republic of Ireland. The health of the national sheep flock relies on the observance of identification and trade rules. Sheep smuggling results in the breach of these rules and could pose disease risks for the national sheep flock. Reports of illegal movement of sheep are examined by staff in my Department. Where evidence of a breach of identification or trade requirements is established, such cases may be prosecuted, provided the evidence is considered sufficient to sustain a conviction. My Department works closely with An Garda Síochána and with the corresponding authorities in Northern Ireland in an effort to combat farm-animal related crime. I want to assure the Deputy that should evidence of illegal movement of sheep into the country be substantiated, every effort will be made to have the matter prosecuted.
408. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has satisfied himself with the accuracy of bovine TB skin and blood tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40289/17]
View answer409. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rate of accuracy of bovine TB skin and blood tests. [40290/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 409 together.
The key measures of a diagnostic test’s accuracy are sensitivity and specificity. As is the case with diagnostic tests for most diseases none of the tests currently available for the diagnosis of bovine TB (bTB) allow a perfectly accurate determination of the M. bovis infection status of cattle.
However, the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (TB skin test) which is used in Ireland is universally regarded as the best screening test in a general population of animals.
The blood test that is used in herds in Ireland where there is TB infection present is the gamma-interferon test. When used in parallel to the skin test, the gamma interferon blood test can help to resolve TB problems in a herd more quickly.
The accuracy of the current TB testing methods and tests will remain the subject of ongoing assessment and scientific review within my Department.
410. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase the compensation scheme for dairy cattle lost to TB in view of the fact that the current scheme compensates below the market value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40291/17]
View answerThe On Farm Market Valuation Scheme is designed to compensate herdowners for the loss of animals removed under the TB eradication programme and is based on the market value of animals (i.e. the equivalent price which might reasonably be obtained for the animal at the time of determination of compensation, from a purchaser in an open market, if the animal were not affected by TB) subject to certain limits.
The prices used in the valuation of stock are based on prices collected through the Department's price reporting systems. My officials ensure that the prices collated cover a wide range of type, quality and quantity of cattle and also diversity in terms of geographical spread which together ensures the prices provide a fair and equitable value. The prices are under constant review and where adjustment is required due to market changes this will be reflected in the prices.
I am satisfied that the current compensation arrangements which were updated in 2016 provide a very comprehensive range of financial supports to herdowners whose herds are restricted as a result of a TB breakdown in their herd.
411. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase compensation for the loss of milk production in view of the fact that current prices do not reasonably match the market value. [40292/17]
View answerMilk production for the first half of 2017 was up in Ireland by just over 10% on the same period in the previous year. The Irish raw milk price has been above the EU average for the last number of weeks. On this basis there are no immediate plans to implement any additional compensation schemes for dairy producers.
However, my Department monitors the market situation for dairy and other agrifood commodities on an on-going basis. We also continue to work closely with industry and our European counterparts to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to mitigate against market volatility in as far as is possible.
412. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the delays arising from initial animal tagging for TB and the tagged animals' subsequent removal. [40293/17]
View answerIn 2016 the average number of days for reactors to be removed was 27.9 days which is below the legal requirement of 30 days set down in EU legislation. My Department endeavours to have reactors removed from a holding as quickly as possible. However, there are many factors beyond the control of my Department which may delay the removal of reactors. These include delays on the part of the herdowner in accepting a valuation, the need to comply with EU regulations prohibiting the transport of animals in late stages of pregnancy or having recently calved, the medication of animals shortly before the skin test etc. My Department does not believe that such delays constitute a risk to other animals in the herds because farmers are required by law to segregate reactors from the rest of the herd and to take other biosecurity precautions thereby mitigating the risk of the spread of disease.
413. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commence compensation for loss of production from the date of tagging as opposed to the date of removal. [40294/17]
View answerMy Department has a comprehensive compensation regime in place for herdowners who are affected by bovine TB, including compensation both for direct and indirect losses.
There is a legal requirement for reactors to be removed from the holding within 30 days as set down in EU legislation. Given the vital importance of early removal of reactors, one of the eligibility criteria for income supplement is linked to the date of removal of reactors. This operates as an incentive for herdowners to engage with the valuation and removal process.
There have been significant changes to the compensation package which were implemented in 2016 and I am satisfied that the current compensation arrangements provide a very comprehensive range of financial supports to herdowners in a TB breakdown.
414. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct Coillte to provide full and clear ownership and title deeds for Massey's Wood and the Hell Fire Club with regard to the current major development proposal for these sites; if he will instruct Coillte to provide all of the ecological and biodiversity studies and reports, including species lists and so on, that it has commissioned or conducted at these sites; if he will instruct Coillte to furnish its plans regarding ongoing management in respect of the pine weevil issue of the public forest estate when its cypermethrin derogation expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40369/17]
View answerCoillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company.
The matter was, however, raised with Coillte, who advise that the Masseys Estate, including the Hellfire properties, are registered on Folio DN3540 while the Hell Fire Club is located on property number 28 on Folio DN3540, the title documents of which are available on the website of the Property Registration Authority of Ireland (www.prai.ie). Section 39 of the Forestry Act 1988 provided inter alia that all of the State’s forest estate, other than land designated by the Minister, stand vested in the company. Notwithstanding the vesting of the bulk of the State’s forest estate in Coillte upon its establishment, a lot of the land may still be registered in the name of one of my predecessors e.g. Minister for Lands. Coillte advise that the company is entitled to act as the registered owner as successor in title to the Minister under the Forestry Act.
In relation to the other material requested, Coillte advise that listed habitats and species relating to these properties, and others within that Business Area Unit (BAU 5), are listed in the relevant BAU Strategic Plan, available on Coillte’s website.
Coillte advised that the company received a derogation for the use of cypermethrin for control of large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) in certified forest plantations in Ireland, provided that during the derogation period the certificate holder adheres to conditions as set out by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). I am advised that it is Coillte’s policy that cypermethrin will not be applied in the company’s forests from the period at the end of the derogation, March 2021.
The company add that, as the major landowner in the country, it recognises the importance of the responsible use of pesticides in its woodlands and confirms that it will use only those pesticides authorised for use in Ireland by the Pesticides Registration and Control Division (PRCD) of my Department.
Coillte advise that it operates an integrated pest management system with primary reliance upon prevention and biological control methods rather than chemical pesticides, and that it strives to avoid the use of chemical pesticides, by firstly considering control methods other than chemicals.
I am advised by Coillte that the company’s overall strategy for the five year period of the derogation is to develop and adopt prescriptions for control of large pine weevil on evidence based population assessments. I am also advised that this involves different prescriptions for low, medium and high density population sites where with timing of planting and the pre-treatment of plants in nurseries the use of pesticides on low and medium density populations may not, dependent on ongoing monitoring, be required. On high density population sites Coillte envisage that some form of pesticide application for control of weevil will be required. I understand that field trials and research are continuing on alternative pesticides (authorised by PRCD) to cypermethrin where focus in this area of research is on pre-treatment that could give two year protection to plants thus eliminating requirement for application in the forest.
Coillte advise me that Ireland, in common with the UK, has weevil population densities of up to seven times that recorded in Europe and that the company work in collaboration with their colleagues in Forest Enterprise Scotland, Forest Enterprise England, Natural Resources Wales and Northern Ireland Forest Service with expertise provided from Forestry Commission Forest Research Branch. I understand that, over the past number of years, the group established trials to identify alternative treatments for Hylobius, researching and trialling alternative chemicals to cypermethrin, barriers (wax and paper sleeves), biological control through nematodes and non-chemical substance barriers and development of a Hylobius Management Support System.
Coillte further add that it also collaborates with Irish research organisations in order to develop non-chemical pest control products, such as research with the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM) on biological control methods like entomopathogenic nematode and entomopathogenic fungi and will continue to review and evaluate non-chemical alternatives as they become available.
415. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the latest afforestation figures; the amount of funding which has been made available on an annual basis for afforestation since 2012 in view of the fact that planting rates have remained low; the position regarding the funding shortfall year on year; the annual shortfall for 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40370/17]
View answerAs of 22 September 2017, my Department has paid grants for the planting of 4,071 ha of forestry under the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme 2014–2020. Furthermore, to the end of August 2017, the Department has processed applications for planting approval for a total of 7,600ha of forests, an increase of 4% over the same period last year.
The amount of funding which has been made available on an annual basis for afforestation from 2012 to 2017 is detailed in the table below. In each particular year this funding covers new afforestation for that year and also the payment of premiums and the second instalment of establishment grants for afforestation in previous years.
The Government has provided sufficient funding in each of these years to pay for all the planting in each year and to cover all premium and grant liabilities from previous years; there has been no funding shortfall.
Funding available for afforestation 2012-2017 (€m)
|
Year |
Budget (€m) |
|
2012 |
104.55 |
|
2013 |
106.49 |
|
2014 |
105.07 |
|
2015 |
103.57 |
|
2016 |
102.30 |
|
2017 |
98.50 |
416. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the latest research that has been conducted by the Forest Service into the climate adaptability of commercial and native tree species in view of ongoing climate change threats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40371/17]
View answerMy Department has provided funding on these issues through a call for research proposals. One project called FORM is concerned with improving productivity and resistance in key native and commercial species. Improved sitka spruce will be developed through a breeding programme and ash with tolerance to ash dieback disease will be investigated by locating tolerant genotypes within existing trials in Europe.
CLIMADAPT is a completed project and involves a web-based decision support system (DSS) based on an ecological site classification model developed specifically for Irish forestry. The objective is to provide a free DSS for forest managers and policy makers, using soil and climatic information that can be used to assess species suitability and yield for individual sites under current and future climate change scenarios.
Finally, through the COFORD Council (2015-2018) a working group on forest genetic resources has also been convened which aims to outline a strategy for the development, conservation, and deployment of forest genetic resource material.
417. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the information showing the extent of abandoned and failed tree plantations in counties Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Galway and Clare; if he will provide the latest carbon calculations for the forest estate and the projected carbon figures into 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40372/17]
View answerThe National Forest Inventory which is carried out every 5 years does not collect information on abandoned and failed tree plantations as this information can be difficult to establish in a survey. A forest may look abandoned for example due to an absence of thinning or road construction activity but this may be due to a no thinning policy on that particular site for silvicultural reasons.
Two significant events occurred in recent years which have impacted on forests failing to reach their productive potential; these were ash dieback disease which was first identified in late 2012 and the damage caused by the severe winter storms of 2013/2014. In relation to ash dieback disease a reconstitution scheme was put in place by the Department to fund the removal of infected material and to replant these areas with an alternative species. The total area of sites cleared and funded under this scheme is 1.4 hectares in Donegal, 5.2 hectares in Sligo, 29.9 hectares in Clare, 49.8 hectares in Galway and 10.4 hectares in Mayo.
The 2012 National Forest Inventory calculated that there was a total of 380 million tonnes of carbon in the forest estate. Based on the most recent National Inventory Report reported to the UNFCCC, in 2015 forests and harvested wood products, net of deforestation emissions, resulted in total removals of 4.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in that year. Projections up to 2030 of changes in forest carbon stocks were provided as part of Ireland’s report on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Actions as required under EU Decision 529/2013. These indicate that the total removals of carbon dioxide by forests and wood products, net of projected deforestation emissions, will amount to 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2030. The projections are currently being updated in light of the most recent Roundwood Production Forecast, more up to date afforestation and deforestation data, and related information.
418. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding provided by the Forest Service to a non-governmental organisation (details supplied) since 1996; the criteria which has been used to qualify this funding; if there was an opportunity for other forest NGOs to apply for similar funding; if there was a tender process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40373/17]
View answerResponsibility for forestry policy was transferred to the Department of Agriculture from 1st January 2004 and since that date has provided funding to the named organisation of €162,500.
Funding was provided under the former grant-in-aid process until 2014 when the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issued Circular 13/2014 ‘Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds’ under which all funding in the grant and grant-in-aid categories were reclassifed as grants only. This circular defines grants as ‘a financial provision, originating in a Vote, for a particular activity or service administered or undertaken by an outside body, including agencies, companies, committees, advisory groups, charities or individuals’.
There is no tendering process for such grants and forestry-related NGOs may submit a proposal for funding of relevant projects. Grants are awarded, within the budget available, on the basis of the individual merits of each proposal as presented.
419. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has satisfied himself that the methods for slaughtering and transporting farmed fish by a company (details supplied) from salmon farms in the south west are in accordance with organic requirements. [40378/17]
View answerAll organic operators, including the company named, are inspected regularly to ensure compliance with all conditions applying to the production of organic food. This includes organic salmon. No issues have been identified in relation to slaughtering and transportation of farmed fish by the company named, but my Department, in co-operation with the Organic Control Bodies, will continue to ensure that the highest standards are being maintained throughout the sector.
420. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the inspections which are carried out by his Department into the slaughtering and processing of farmed salmon by all aquaculture operators described by his Department as organic. [40379/17]
View answerThe certification, control and inspection of all organic producers in Ireland, including those engaged in the production of organic farmed salmon, has been delegated in accordance with EU regulations to a number of approved Organic Control Bodies. These bodies carry out their functions under specific contract to my Department. The inspection process for organic producers is extremely detailed and includes adherence to a range of core organic principles, as well as stocking levels, feeding practice, caging standards, traceability and fish-welfare & husbandry amongst other things. Organic aquaculture sites are also subject to the standard inspection regime applying to conventional producers by the Marine Institute and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.
421. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections of salmon farms that were conducted by his Department's marine engineers in 2016 and to date in 2017. [40380/17]
View answerThe Department's Marine Engineering Division conducted 41 inspections on Salmon farms in 2016, and to date in 2017, 16 inspections were conducted.
422. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture licences that have been approved and rejected, respectively, by his Department since 2014. [40381/17]
View answerMy Department's records indicate that, during the period referred to by the Deputy, 252 determinations to grant an aquaculture licence and 16 determinations to refuse an aquaculture licence were made.
423. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture sites (details supplied) being investigated by his Department for breaches of licence conditions. [40382/17]
View answerMy Department is currently examining possible breaches of licence conditions in respect of three aquaculture licences held by the Company referred to by the Deputy.
