Written Answers Nos. 440-456
440. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding his Department allocated to each of the six State fishery harbour centres since it assumed responsibility for them in October 2007; and the purposes of the funding in each case. [8378/18]
View answerMy Department annually administers the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Development Programme. This Programme funds capital works at the six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl. My department also has responsibility for North Harbour Cape Clear, and a limited number of piers, lights and beacons in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board piers, lights and Beacons Act.
I am happy to inform the Deputy that I have allocated €25,780,000 under this programme in 2018 for the ongoing development and upgrading of the six Fishery Harbour Centres.
Table 1 details the capital expenditure listed by harbour for the State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres for each of the years 2007 to 2017, which comes to almost €110m, the 2018 allocations also shown.
Table 1 - Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme Expenditure, 2007 - 2018
|
€ Millions |
Castletownbere |
Dunmore East |
Ros An Mhíl |
Killybegs |
Howth |
Dingle |
Total |
|
2007 |
€8.089 |
€1.225 |
€2.087 |
€0.486 |
€0.170 |
€0.307 |
€12.364 |
|
2008 |
€7.636 |
€0.581 |
€2.488 |
€0.410 |
€0.158 |
€1.010 |
€12.283 |
|
2009 |
€7.872 |
€0.589 |
€4.091 |
€0.426 |
€0.177 |
€0.411 |
€13.566 |
|
2010 |
€4.515 |
€0.282 |
€1.476 |
€0.558 |
€0.254 |
€1.049 |
€8.134 |
|
2011 |
€2.832 |
€0.756 |
€2.225 |
€0.987 |
€0.480 |
€0.695 |
€7.975 |
|
2012 |
€0.856 |
€0.549 |
€0.439 |
€0.527 |
€1.410 |
€0.470 |
€4.251 |
|
2013 |
€0.950 |
€0.815 |
€0.422 |
€0.798 |
€1.353 |
€0.840 |
€5.178 |
|
2014 |
€0.372 |
€0.728 |
€0.325 |
€0.528 |
€1.018 |
€0.451 |
€3.422 |
|
2015 |
€0.393 |
€6.847 |
€0.309 |
€1.953 |
€1.700 |
€2.142 |
€13.344 |
|
2016 |
€1.309 |
€2.287 |
€2.051 |
€2.508 |
€1.382 |
€1.678 |
€11.215 |
|
2017 |
€1.541 |
€1.797 |
€2.612 |
€5.199 |
€1.386 |
€5.701 |
€18.236 |
|
Total |
€36.37 |
€16.46 |
€18.53 |
€14.38 |
€9.49 |
€14.75 |
€109.968 |
|
2018* |
€8.840 |
€2.400 |
€1.390 |
€7.980 |
€2.890 |
€2.280 |
€25.780 |
*= Allocated funding
Key projects undertaken at the six state owned Fishery harbour centres between the relevant periods include:
- The Dinish Warf extension, Castletownbere (€25.8m) 2007 - 2010
- Provision of Ferry pontoons, Ros An Mhíl (€8m) 2007 - 2011
- Bull nose stabilisation, Cape Clear (€4.8m) 2013 - 2015
- Harbour Dredging, Dunmore East (€6.3m) 2015
- Removal of old slipway, Dingle (€1.5m) 2015
- Small Craft Harbour Dredging, Ros An Mhíl (€1.3m) 2016
- Dredging of North Channel, Dingle (€4.2m) 2017
- The Smooth point extension, Killybegs (€1.5m) 2017
2018 (allocated funding)
- The Dinish Quay extension, Castletownbere. (€7m)
- The Smooth point extension Phase 2, Killybegs (€1.4m)
441. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a matter (details supplied) will be addressed regarding funding for young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8384/18]
View answerEU Regulation 2017/2393 came into effect on 1 January 2018. This Regulation included an amendment to EU Regulation 1307/2013 regarding the number of years a successful applicant under the Young Farmers Scheme (YFS) can receive payment. The relevant amendment is in two parts. The first part of the regulatory amendment provides that YFS applicants may receive payment for five years starting from the first submission of an application for payment, provided that the application takes place within five years of the commencement of farming. This period of five years also applies to farmers who had received payment under the scheme in respect of applications prior to 2018. The second part of the regulatory amendment provides that it is optional for Member States to extend the provision to young farmers who set up a holding in the period 2010-2013, and who had received payment under the YFS in respect of applications before the 2018 scheme year.
Ireland has applied the maximum 2% of the national ceiling to create a YFS fund of €24 million annually. Ireland has also utilised the option to overestimate the BPS ceiling in order to take account of unused YFS funds and this funding was used to allocate entitlements to young farmers and new entrants under the 2017 National Reserve. Therefore the allocation of €24 million is fully utilised in Ireland. If Ireland opted to implement just the first part of the amended regulatory provision it would result in a windfall gain for some Young Farmers Scheme applicants who had commenced farming between 2010 and 2013 and who have already received payment based on the regulatory provisions applying at the time. It is estimated that the additional cost of implementing just the first part of the regulatory amendment in Ireland would be in excess of €5.5 million in 2018 and €7.5 million in 2019 which would result in a requirement for a linear cut to all farmers’ basic payments in order to fund this additional spend under the Young Farmers Scheme.
It is for this reason that Ireland will implement the relevant regulatory amendment of Regulation 2017/2393 in full. This will provide for a situation where with effect from the 2018 scheme year, successful applicants under the Young Farmers Scheme who commenced farming from 2014 onwards and submit their first YFS application within five years of commencement of farming may receive payment under the YFS for five years.
443. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if coastal waters which have SAC designation such as those found on offshore islands in instances in which fishing quota has been allocated to an area or to specific persons as is being proposed under the Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017 would have the effect of negating, within such designated waters only, newly acquired fishing rights as provided for under the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8408/18]
View answerI presume the Deputy is referring to Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designated under the Habitats Directive. The National Parks & Wildlife Service of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is responsible for the designation of conservation sites in Ireland including SACs. Special areas of conservation have been designated, in keeping with Ireland's obligations in the Habitats Directive, around many parts of Ireland's coastline.
The Marine Institute has prepared risk assessment reports under article 6 of the Habitats Directive in respect of all sea-fisheries in or adjacent to all marine SAC sites. Where mitigation responses are required to ensure the protection of designated habitats and species, it is necessary for all stakeholders, particularly the sea-fishing industry and its representatives, to contribute to the development of effective mitigation responses. As the majority of the marine SACs are based around the coast, my Department, together with the Marine Institute, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, continues to work closely with the multi-stakeholder Inshore Fisheries Forums and affected stakeholders to develop mitigation responses. The relevant reports and mitigation responses are available online at www.fishingnet.ie.
The Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017 proposes to create a system of licences for individual island fishermen to engage in small scale coastal fishing (defined in EU Regulation as fishing by vessels of less than 12m overall length with non-towed gear). Small scale coastal fishing is a feature of fishing around the coast with landings into the local ports and harbours, and is important from a socio-economic perspective to many coastal communities and not just the offshore islands. Small scale coastal fishing is a commercial activity for all these fishermen and supports their livelihood.
Under EU Regulation, every commercial sea-fishing boat needs to have a licence, held by the owner of the boat, and in accordance with the Common Fisheries Policy, every Member State must manage the size and scale (capacity) of its fishing fleet. The system of licences proposed in the Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017 cannot alter these requirements.
Fishing capacity in Ireland, in the form of gross tonnage and engine power, is a privately owned, tradable asset that, with certain exceptions, may be sold, traded or realised as a financial asset on the tonnage market. To licence a sea-fishing boat, capacity must be provided by the applicant as part of the licensing process.
It is important to be aware that quotas for fish stocks are available to small scale coastal fishermen who are licensed to fish for quota stocks including whitefish and pelagic stocks. All smaller vessels receive half of the catch limit allocation of the large vessels and the important pelagic stocks of mackerel and herring already have set-a-side allocations for inshore vessels (including small scale coastal fishing vessels).
446. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a farm payment penalty for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8429/18]
View answerThe person named submitted an application under the 2017 BPS on 21 April 2017. In order to qualify for payment under the BPS an applicant must have an eligible hectare of land in respect of each entitlement held.
My Department actively investigates incidents of illegal burning using satellite imagery. Where land has been burned between the period of 1 March and 31 August of any given year it is not eligible for payment under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).
As part of the process of determining land eligibility, parcels declared by the person named on his 2017 BPS application have been identified as having been burned outside of the permitted timeframes. Accordingly, such lands are not eligible for the purpose of a BPS payment and this has created an over claim on the named person's BPS application. The over claimed land has been excluded from the BPS application of the person named. He was paid on the remaining eligible hectares in December of 2017.
The person named was notified by my Department on 4 December 2017 about the burned land parcels and has submitted an appeal. This appeal is being examined with a view to an early resolution. Should additional information be required, my Department will contact the person named directly.
447. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8458/18]
View answerThe above named was approved into GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2017.
All GLAS claims must clear validation checks before payment can be made. My Department is working proactively to complete the checks required to allow for the issue of payments. Once this case clears the validations the 2017 advance payment will be processed. GLAS payments are issuing on a weekly basis.
450. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) was penalised in respect of their farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8546/18]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2017 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint schemes application on 3 April 2017. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection. This inspection identified an over-declaration in areas exceeding 10% of the area claimed. This resulted in the area determined being reduced by 1.5 times the difference between the area claimed and area determined.
A letter detailing the initial inspection findings issued on 11 October 2017 and afforded the person named the opportunity to submit comments on the findings within 14 days. While comments were received from the person named these were received after the 14 day period and the inspection outcome was finalised and payments due processed. A letter detailing the final outcome of the inspection issued on 27 October 2017.
However, a review of the case was subsequently undertaken based on the comments received and the outcome of this process did not alter the original inspection findings. A further letter issued to the person named on 19 February detailing the final inspection findings and advising of their option to seek a review of the decision within 28 days of the date of this letter.
In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of any such review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
Payments due under the Basic Payment and Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes, on the basis outlined above, issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 4 December 2017 and 2 November 2017, respectively. In the event that there is any change to the inspection outcome following any further review, any monies due under these schemes will be processed promptly.
In relation to GLAS payments, the person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received all payments in respect of 2015 and 2016.
All GLAS claims must clear validation checks before payment can be made. My Department is working proactively to complete the checks required to allow for the issue of payments. Once this case clears the validations successfully the 2017 advance payment can be processed. GLAS payments are issuing on a weekly basis.
451. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a green certificate for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8563/18]
View answerThe details requested by the Deputy are an operational matter for Teagasc who deliver the Green Cert.
In line with Dáil procedures, this information can be requested directly from Teagasc using the dedicated email address: Oireachtas@teagasc.ie.
The Deputy’s question has already been passed on by my Department via this mechanism. Teagasc will revert directly.
452. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a basic payment scheme review for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8590/18]
View answerThe person named submitted an application on 11 April 2017 under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). In order to qualify for payment under the BPS an applicant must have an eligible hectare of land in respect of each entitlement held.
This Department actively investigates incidents of illegal burning using satellite imagery. Where land has been burned between the period of 1 March and 31 August of any given year it is not eligible for payment under the BPS.
As part of this process, parcels declared by the person named on his 2017 BPS application have been identified as having been burned outside of the permitted timeframes. Accordingly over-claim(s) arose as the area declared on the 2017 application of the person named was greater than the maximum eligible area of the parcel(s) determined by my Department. My Department has processed the 2017 BPS payment in this case, based on the reduced area on the over claimed parcel(s).
The person named was also written to by my Department on 6 December 2017, outlining his current 2017 BPS application position and the options available to him in relation to the over- claimed parcels, including the right to seek a review. To date there is no record of a request for a review from the person named. Should the person named seek a review, he should ensure that he submits any supporting documentation which he deems relevant. Any such submission will be reviewed accordingly by my Department.
454. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of delayed GLAS payments to persons in County Wexford in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8600/18]
View answerGLAS 2017 advance payments have now issued in over 44,400 cases, representing 95% of all farmers that are eligible for the payment. Payments are continuing every week.
GLAS payments cannot issue until all regulatory requirements are met. Each GLAS payment claim must be put through a suite of checks for each action and where any individual check fails the issues must be investigated and resolved before being cleared for payment.
In addition to the checks outlined above, in approximately 2,700 cases, applicants remain ineligible for payment until they complete the steps they must take before the Department can process their payment. The general issues preventing payments taking place include the non-submission of nutrient management plans, commonage management plans, low emission slurry spreading forms, rare breeds forms and 2017 BPS application issues that remain to be resolved.
Details of GLAS payments to Wexford applicants are as follows:
|
|
|
GLAS 1 |
|
|
GLAS 2 |
|
|
GLAS 3 |
|
|
Total |
|
|
County |
Cases |
Advance |
Advance not paid |
Cases |
Advance |
Advance not paid |
Cases |
Advance |
Advance not paid |
Cases |
Advance |
Advance not paid |
|
Wexford |
758 |
660 |
98 |
263 |
210 |
53 |
308 |
269 |
39 |
1,329 |
1,139 |
190 |
455. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the possibility of re-opening the crop compensation scheme for persons that have suffered crop losses in 2017 due to adverse weather conditions has been examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8643/18]
View answerFirstly I wish to acknowledge that tillage farmers have come through a very difficult period over the last few years with weak market returns and sometimes challenging weather conditions.
In 2017, I supported this very vital sector through a number of measures. Last year I introduced the €150m Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme and extended it through provision of additional national funding, to cover the tillage and horticulture sectors. There was a very positive reaction by farmers, including tillage farmers, to the Scheme, which has proved that significant demand exists for low cost flexible finance. The “Agriculture Cashflow Loan Scheme” has provided a template for access to finance schemes, including the recently announced “Brexit Loan Scheme” for SMEs. I am also considering the development of a potential Brexit response loan scheme for farmers, fishermen and for longer-term capital financing for food businesses; for which my Department has secured €25 million of funding in 2018.
As a further support to tillage farmers I introduced the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme under TAMS II which opened for online applications on the 8 March 2017. The specific areas of investment include Minimum Disturbance Tillage Equipment, Sprayers, Rain Water Harvesting, Grain Storage and Grain dryers. There has been a significant level of interest in investments by the tillage sector, with a total number of 796 applications received so far and 639 approvals. Over €1.38m has now issued in respect of 126 payment claims. Payments will continue on an ongoing basis. This is the latest of the Targeted Modernisation Schemes (TAMS II) to be launched under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The Scheme is co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
While the challenges facing the sector at this point in time are real, in Ireland we can grow cereals with the highest yields in the world and this is an advantage we must press home and look to exploit other areas under our own control, for example, my Department provides a high quality official crop seed certification scheme to the industry in addition to an extensive national crop variety evaluation programme. I would also encourage tillage growers to fully implement the advice and research provided by Teagasc in relation to efficient and sustainable production of crops. I remain committed to assisting all involved in the sector to optimise efficiency and sustainability. Notwithstanding the range of its current supports my Department will continue to closely engage with the tillage sector particularly through the Tillage Stakeholders Group.
Finally in regard to the Weather Related Crop Loss Support measure I introduced in July 2017; this was a one-off targeted measure in response to the exceptionally challenging harvest conditions of September 2016 and confined to addressing that issue.
456. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the possibility of seeking permission from the EU to establish an adverse weather scheme under the rural development programme for persons that have suffered crop losses in 2017 due to adverse weather conditions will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8644/18]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the importance of the tillage sector and its contribution to the competitive development of the agri-food industry. This valuable sector has encountered some challenging times recently, including a number of years of weak markets and a period of challenging weather in the autumn of 2016.
My Department is working with all of the stakeholders to address various challenges and provides a range of supports to underpin the sector. Last year I introduced the €150m Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme and extended it through provision of additional national funding, to cover the tillage and horticulture sectors. There was a very positive reaction by farmers, including tillage farmers, to the Scheme, which has proved that significant demand exists for low cost flexible finance. The “Agriculture Cashflow Loan Scheme” has provided a template for access to finance schemes, including the recently announced “Brexit Loan Scheme” for SMEs. I am also considering the development of a potential Brexit response loan scheme for farmers, fishermen and for longer-term capital financing for food businesses; for which my Department has secured €25 million of funding in 2018.
As a further support to tillage farmers I introduced the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme under TAMS II which opened for online applications on the 8 March 2017. The specific areas of investment include Minimum Disturbance Tillage Equipment, Sprayers, Rain Water Harvesting, Grain Storage and Grain dryers. There has been a significant level of interest in investments by the tillage sector, with a total number of 796 applications received so far and 639 approvals. Over €1.38m has now issued in respect of 126 payment claims. Payments will continue on an ongoing basis. This is the latest of the Targeted Modernisation Schemes (TAMS II) to be launched under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The Scheme is co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
Ireland's 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme does not contain a measure for restoring agricultural production potential damaged by natural disasters and introduction of appropriate prevention. Following detailed analysis and public consultation at the formation of the programme, it was concluded that because of its geographic position Ireland is not generally prone to suffering from natural disasters and that pre-existing nationally funded measures are considered to be sufficient to address any possibilities.
In response to the exceptionally challenging weather conditions experienced during the harvest period in 2016, I introduced a nationally funded Weather Related Crop Loss Support measure in July 2017. This was a one-off targeted measure confined to addressing that event.
