Written Answers Nos. 420-444
420. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if students who sit examinations for educational courses that qualify young farmers for a green certificate before the end of 2018 will be eligible to apply to the 2018 national reserve and young farmers scheme before the upcoming May 2018 deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11227/18]
View answerThe Terms and Conditions of the 2018 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme require applicants to have successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture giving rise to an award at FETAC Level 6 or its equivalent by the 15th May 2018.
Where an applicant has fully completed all aspects of their course by 15th May but has not yet been verified as successful or received final certification, a Confirmation of Education Form should be submitted with the young farmer’s application. This form is available to download on my Department’s website. The form is to be filled out by a representative of the college to confirm that the applicant has fully completed all aspects of the course by the 15th May.
Decisions in relation to the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme, including educational qualification requirements, are made in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies, and agricultural education and advisory services.
421. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of a proposal (details supplied) on an annual basis if implemented over the 2018 to 2022 period. [11228/18]
View answerEU Regulation 2017/2393 came into effect on 1st 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.
EU Regulations provide for the operation of the Young Farmers Scheme from 2015 to 2019. On this basis my Department has not carried out modelling on estimated costs of the scheme beyond the scheme end date of 2019.
422. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is technically possible under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, to transfer Pillar 2 funds to Pillar 1 in order to increase the young farmers scheme fund and national reserve after EU approval is received; and if it is technically possible to use only Exchequer funding to increase the fund and the national reserve. [11229/18]
View answerArticle 14 of EU Regulation No 1307/2013 (Direct Payments Regulation) and Article 58 of EU Regulation No 1305/2013 (Rural Development Regulation) allow Member States to transfer up to 15% of Pillar 1 funds to Pillar 2 and vice versa on an annual basis. Member States with direct payments per hectare less than 90% of the EU average may transfer up to 25% from Pillar 2 to Pillar 1 on an annual basis. If any transfers were to be made between Pillar 1 and Pillar 2, the deadlines to notify the Commission were 1 August 2014 for calendar years 2015-2019 and 1 August 2017 for any revised transfers from calendar year 2018. Ireland did not avail of this provision as there were no funds available under the Rural Development Programme to transfer to Pillar 1. There will be no underspend under the RDP and the €4 billion of EU/Exchequer funds provided for will be spent over the lifetime of the programme.
EU Regulation 1307/2013 sets out the basis for the establishment and replenishment of the National Reserve. In 2015, in the first year of implementation of the Basic Payment Scheme, Ireland applied the maximum 3% of the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling to establish a National Reserve fund of over €24 million. Since 2015 the three methods for replenishing the National Reserve are:
- Surrender of entitlements that remain unused by farmers for two consecutive years;
- Clawback derived following the transfer of entitlements without land. In Ireland the rate of clawback is currently set at 20% on the sale of entitlements without land;
- A linear cut to the value of all farmers’ entitlements.
EU Regulation 1307/2013 also sets out the basis for financing the Young Farmers Scheme. Ireland has applied the maximum 2% of the national ceiling to establish a Young Farmers Scheme of some €24 million in each year from 2015 to 2019.
There is no Regulatory provision to allow for the use of Exchequer funding to supplement either the National Reserve or the Young Farmers Scheme.
423. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the manufactured beef products exported to the United States of America on an annual basis in the 2015 to 2017 period by volume and value in tabular form. [11230/18]
View answer424. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the volume and value of exports of beef, lamb, pigment and dairy product to the USA on an annual basis over the period 2015 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11231/18]
View answer426. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the original value and volume targets his Department put on beef exports to the United States of America for 2015, 2016 and 2017; the actual value realised in each such year for such exports; and the amount of Irish manufacturing beef and ground beef which has been permitted to enter the market in the United States of America on annual basis during this period. [11233/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 423, 424 and 426 together.
In order to provide a breakdown, as requested, it is necessary to use Central Statistics Office (CSO) trade statistics. The following table provides all the Beef, Pigmeat and Dairy exports for each of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 to the USA, in both value and volume terms. Ireland does not currently have sheep meat access to the USA.
In view of the volume of statistical data collected as part of agri-food trade statistics, some errors in respect of individual products may occur. Where these anomalies are identified, the Department will liaise with the CSO to highlight and amend the information as required.
|
|
2015 |
|
2016 |
|
2017 |
|
|
|
€000s |
tonnes |
€000s |
tonnes |
€000s |
tonnes |
|
Beef |
5,452 |
912 |
9,840 |
1,772 |
7,719 |
1,571 |
|
Pigmeat |
27,465 |
6,827 |
25,427 |
6,360 |
19,021 |
4,860 |
|
Dairy |
1,862 |
31,232 |
1,725 |
33,819 |
1,890 |
37,830 |
In relation to beef, according to the CSO exports have increased from under 1,000 tonnes in 2015 to over 1,500 tonnes in 2017. Ireland was the first EU MS to secure market access to the USA for beef in January 2015 and was the first Member State (MS) to export beef to the USA. In July 2016 Ireland received approval to send Beef Intended for Grinding (BIFG), also known as manufacturing beef to the US.
CSO data is classed by CN (Combined Nomenclature) codes in line with EU requirements and data on manufacturing/ground beef is not available. However, it can be seen from the data that the majority of beef exports, around 90% in 2017, comprised frozen bovine boneless beef and frozen edible bovine offal. Ireland does not have market access to the USA in terms of processed beef, which may also be called manufactured beef. Therefore exports of these types of products did not occur.
The role of my Department is to open new markets and maintain existing markets for Irish food exports and overall targets are set out for agri-food exports in Foodwise 2025, in terms of an increase to €19 billion by 2025. However, volume and value targets are not set on a country or commodity basis. My Department works very closely with the meat industry but once a market has been opened trade arrangements are left to individual companies and exporters and the actual trade volumes will vary depending on a range of factors such as currency fluctuations, global supply and demand as well as local and international factors.
425. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress on gaining access for Irish meat products, that is, beef, lamb and pigment to the USA; the remaining stages in the approval process outstanding; and the approximate timeframe for all stages to be completed and full access granted. [11232/18]
View answerThe USA was the second biggest destination for Irish food exports in 2017 after the UK. Irish agri food exports to the USA have more than doubled from around €520 million (85,000 tonnes) in 2012 to €1.125 billion (190,000 tonnes) in 2017.
Ireland was the first EU Member State to be granted beef market access to the USA in 2015. In July 2016, my Department received approval to send Beef Intended for Grinding (BIFG), also known as manufacturing beef to the US. A total of 10 Irish plants have been approved for the export of raw intact beef to the US, of which 2 are also approved for BIFG. According to the CSO, beef exports have increased from under 1,000 tonnes in 2015 to over 1,500 tonnes in 2017.
Sheepmeat exports from the EU to the US are currently banned due to the presence of TSE in certain EU Member States. Sheepmeat access to the USA will depend in the first instance on the USA lifting its TSE ban on EU Sheepmeat. The Food Safety Inspection Service of USDA visited Ireland in September 2017, primarily on a beef and pigmeat inspection, but they also visited 2 Irish sheepmeat plants. My Department submitted a sheepmeat questionnaire (SRT) in 2017 in preparation for the lifting of this ban and continues to raise this issue with US officials, both as part of the Trade Missions to the USA and with visiting US officials to Ireland. However, it is not possible to predict a timeline for sheepmeat market access to the USA.
Ireland has enjoyed uninterrupted access to the US market for raw pork since 2001 and a total of 3 plants are approved for the export of raw pork to the USA. Pigmeat exports to the US have increased from €8 million (4,100 tonnes) in 2012 to €19.0 million (4,860 tonnes) in 2017.
427. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress on getting access for Irish meat products such as beef, lamb and pigmeat to China; the remaining stages in the approval process outstanding; and the approximate timetable for all stages to be completed and full access granted. [11234/18]
View answer428. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeline for finalising a veterinary health certificate with AQSIQ to get Irish beef access to China; when an inspection visit by the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration to approve individual processing plants for export will take place in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11235/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.
My Department has made significant progress towards securing market access for Irish beef in recent years including the lifting of the BSE ban by Chinese authorities in 2015 and a successful AQSIQ inspection visit in 2016. I signed a protocol on the export of beef from Ireland to China with the AQSIQ Minister Zhi Shuping in Dublin in April 2017. At the end of last year my Department received a copy of the draft Report of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) inspection which had taken place in August/September 2017 to assess individual processing plants. In early 2018, my Department responded to the draft report clarifying a number of issues and is now awaiting a response from CNCA. A draft veterinary health certificate has also been submitted to the Chinese Authorities. There is no CNCA inspection scheduled for 2018. I understand that Ireland is now in the final stages of the market access process for beef. However, it should be noted that the timelines are not within the control of my Department.
In terms of pigmeat access, Ireland has had market access to China for over 10 years. China has developed into a major market for Irish pigmeat, and for the past several years it has been the second-most important market for Irish pigmeat worldwide, behind only the UK. Ireland exported over €100 million of pigmeat, or around 65,000 tonnes, to China in 2017.
For sheepmeat, my Department has previously made contact with the Chinese authorities in relation to opening market access and submitted a questionnaire on animal health risk factors for Irish sheepmeat products in 2014. However, my officials were informed that AQSIQ would consider only one species application at a time, and the process for beef access was already underway.
429. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the ANC review with regard to redesignation using a set list of biophysical criteria; if the new approach must be introduced from January 2019; if his Department has completed mapping of all current ANC lands; the specific actions which have been completed to date; the remainder outstanding; the timetable for remaining actions; and when he expects to submit final ANC data to the EU Commission in 2018. [11236/18]
View answerUnder EU regulation, Less Favoured / Disadvantaged Areas (with the exception of the islands) were to be replaced by newly designated Areas of Natural Constraints from 2018 with eligible areas being designated using a set list of bio-physical criteria such as soil drainage, texture and slope. However, as part of legislative amendments at EU level a proposal was made to extend the 2018 deadline to 2019 on an optional basis. This proposal has recently been approved at EU level, along with a number of other regulatory changes in what is referred to as the “omnibus proposal”.
My Department has commenced work on this project, and relevant technical experts are currently working on analysing the data in relation to the new criteria. Once this process is complete, the data will provide the basis for the identification of eligible areas in the ANC scheme from 2019 onwards.
In addition to the technical work on the biophysical criteria, the Regulation allows for a linked process of fine tuning to finalise the determination of what lands will be eligible under the new scheme. This fine tuning is based on objective criteria, with the purpose of excluding areas which are deemed to have met the thresholds for biophysical criteria but in which ‘significant natural constraints’ have been overcome by investment, economic activity, normal land productivity, production methods or farming systems. The process of sourcing and analysing data for this process is also underway.
In order to progress this work, my Department is in on-going communication with the EU Commission in relation to the accepted parameters and technical aspects of this project. Any change to the ANC scheme on foot of this process will require formal agreement with the EU Commission via an amendment of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020.
430. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the financial allocations on an annual basis under the RDP 2014-2020 to the organic farming scheme in tabular form; the annual amount expended on the programme in each year since being established; the number of approved applicants in the scheme that have received payments in each year; and the number that have not received payments in each year of the scheme since being established. [11237/18]
View answerThe following table outlines the annual budget and expenditure for the Organic Farming Scheme under the RDP 2014-2020 which includes payments to participants in the previous Organic Farming Scheme. In 2015, the underspend identified is largely attributable to the fact that the new online Organic Farming Scheme payments for the year in question related to a seven month period only. In addition, there was a reduced number eligible for payment under the previous Organic Farming Scheme, due to completion of contracts. It is important to note that the current scheme is fully subscribed and all allocated funds will be spent over the lifetime of the RDP.
Payment figures refer to the specific year in question and not the date of issue.
|
Year |
Participants |
Budget |
Expenditure |
Paid |
Not Paid |
|
2014 |
1022 |
€4,000,000 |
€4,427,726 |
1022 |
0 |
|
2015 |
1580 |
€12,000,000 |
€4,175,420 |
1563 |
17 |
|
2016 |
1663 |
€10,000,000 |
€8,110,362 |
1590 |
73 |
|
2017 |
1588 |
€10,500,000 |
€8,312,213 |
1253 * |
335 |
|
Year |
Participants |
Budget |
Expenditure |
Paid |
Not Paid |
|
2014 |
1022 |
€4,000,000 |
€4,427,726 |
1022 |
0 |
|
2015 |
1580 |
€12,000,000 |
€4,175,420 |
1563 |
17 |
|
2016 |
1663 |
€10,000,000 |
€8,110,362 |
1590 |
73 |
|
2017 |
1588 |
€10,500,000 |
€8,312,213 |
1253 * |
335 |
*Payment figures for 2017 refer to the advance payment only.
431. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targets committed to (details supplied) under the organic farming scheme for the RDP 2014-2020 window; and the progress to date on these targets. [11238/18]
View answerThe Organic Farming sector has seen unprecedented growth in the last few years, driven very largely by the new Organic Farming Scheme designed and introduced under Ireland’s RDP 2014-2020.
The targets committed under the Organic Farming Scheme for the RDP 2014-2020 were to attract some 16,000 hectares of new land into production and to support 46,000 hectares of converted land. The Organic Farming Scheme has achieved and exceeded these targets for the RDP period.
Evidence of this is that 26,000 hectares were converted to organic farming during this period. As a consequence there are currently approximately 72,000 hectares of land under organic production.
432. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied). [11260/18]
View answerThe person named was a successful applicant under the Young Farmer Scheme in 2016. The Terms and Conditions of the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme required the applicant to have completed the required educational qualification at FETAC Level 6 or equivalent, or have commenced the course leading to the required qualification on or before 16th May 2016.
In 2017 the person named applied for the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2017 National Reserve and also applied for continued participation in the Young Farmer Scheme in 2017. The Terms and Conditions of the 2017 National Reserve required applicants to have completed the required educational qualifications at FETAC Level 6 or equivalent by 15th May 2017. As the documentation submitted to my Department in support of the 2017 National Reserve application by the person named states that he will not have completed the required education course until May 2018, his application was deemed to be unsuccessful and he was notified of this decision in writing on 22nd June 2017 and was offered the opportunity to submit an appeal of this decision. All postal records held by my Department have been checked and there is no record of the letter of appeal dated 7th July 2017 from the person named having been received by my Department.
My Department will now accept the copy of the letter provided as an appeal of the decision in relation to the 2017 National Reserve application. The decision will be reviewed and my Department will notify the person named directly in writing of the outcome of his appeal.
As the 2017 Young Farmer Scheme application submitted by the person named was for continued participation in the scheme, my Department wrote to him in October 2017 to confirm that he was successfully progressing through his agricultural education course. This is in line with Section 1.4 of the Terms and Conditions of the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme under which the person named had first been successful. The required documentation was received by my Department on 12th October 2017 and a letter confirming his acceptance under the 2017 Young Farmers Scheme issued to the person named on 13th October 2017.
433. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive an organics and a GLAS payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11434/18]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016 and has received full payments in respect of the 2016 scheme year.
The 2017 GLAS advance payment has also recently been paid.
The Organic Farming Scheme payment has passed all validations and will be processed for payment this week.
434. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive a GLAS payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11435/18]
View answerThe above named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of January 1 2016.
The Department deemed the participant not to have complied with the terms and conditions and accordingly rejected the application from the scheme. The participant subsequently appealed this decision. The appeal was partially successful.
The case has been listed for re-instatement and is being progressed by the Department. Once complete GLAS payments will issue. GLAS payments are issuing on a weekly basis.
435. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) will receive a green certificate before August 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11443/18]
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.
436. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the installation aid grant is being held up for young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11444/18]
View answerThe person named submitted an application to my Department under the Young Farmers Scheme. My Department is currently finalising the necessary administrative and on-farm checks in relation to a small number of Young Farmers Scheme applications and it is expected that these cases will be completed shortly.
437. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a GLAS payment will issue to a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11462/18]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of January 1 2016 and has received all payments in respect of the 2016 scheme year.
Administrative checks involving a number of sections within the Department take place on all GLAS claims. All cases must clear validation checks before payment can issue. Department officials are working proactively to complete the checks to allow for the issue of payments. Once this case clears validations the 2017 advance payment will be made. GLAS payments are being made on a weekly basis.
438. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11513/18]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full payments in respect of 2015 and 2016 including GLAS Plus payments.
The Department is progressing a matter related to BPS. When this has been finalised, further payments can be processed. GLAS payments continue to be processed on a weekly basis.
439. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a chuirfear in iúl do na Comhairlí Áitiúla cén liúntas atá acu le haghaidh athchoiriú ar chéanna agus obair eile ghaolmhar óna Roinn i mbliana [11529/18]
View answerIs iad na hÚdaráis Áitiúla, agus a máthair-Roinn, an Roinn Tithíochta, Pleanála, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil agus an Rialtas Áitiúil dá éis sin, atá freagrach, sa chéad ásc, as céanna agus calafoirt faoi úinéireacht Údaráis Áitiúil a chothabháil, a dheisiú agus a fhorbairt.
Soláthraíonn mo Roinn cistiú teoranta, áfach, chun cabhrú le hÚdaráis Áitiúla chun tabhairt faoi thionscadail ar scála beag chun céanna, calafoirt agus fánáin a fhorbairt atá faoina n-úinéireacht faoin gClár um Fhorbairt Bonneagar Cósta agus Calafort Iascaigh, faoi réir an chistithe atá ar fáil ón Státchiste agus tosaíochtaí foriomlána náisiúnta.
Is deas liom an Teachta Dála a chur ar an eolas gur fhaomh mé cistiú €2 milliún do ghné an chláir um Fhorbairt Calafoirt agus Fóillíochta Mara an Údaráis Áitiúil de Chlár um Fhorbairt Bonneagar Cósta agus Calafort Iascaigh 2018 mo Roinne. Cuireann seo leis an €25 milliún a deonaíodh cheana féin d’Údaráis Áitiúla chun cabhrú leo maidir le hoibreacha cothabhála agus forbartha ó 2010 ar aghaidh.
An 31 Eanáir 2018, tugadh cuireadh d’údaráis áitiúla chun liostaí de thionscadail ar tugadh tús áite dóibh a sheoladh ar aghaidh go ndéanfar breithniú orthu. Ba é an 14 Feabhra 2018 an dáta deiridh chun na hiarratais seo a fháil. Fuarthas 188 iarratas agus i ndiaidh measúnú tosaigh a dhéanamh, iarradh ar iarratais mhionsonraithe ó Údaráis Áitiúla maidir le sraith ghearrliostaithe de thionscadail. Is é an dáta deiridh chun na hiarratais mhionsonraithe seo a fháil an 9 Márta 2018.
Déanfar cinneadh ar chomhdhéanamh deiridh chlár 2018 an Údaráis Áitiúil i ndiaidh meastóireacht a dhéanamh ar na haighneachtaí mionsonraithe, agus critéir na scéime, an tús áite a thugann an tÚdarás Áitiúil ábhartha do gach tionscadal, an cistiú atá ar fáil, agus an gá le leathadh fairsing geografach tionscadal a chinntiú. Tá súil leis go gcuirfear na tionscadail in iúl d’Údaráis Áitiúla a bhainfidh cistiú amach in 2018 roimh dheireadh Mhárta.
440. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if discussions have taken place with Galway County Council in relation to transferring sole responsibility for Cleggan Pier to Galway County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11530/18]
View answerPursuant to the Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 (as amended), my Department is responsible for the management, control and operation of the six Fishery Harbour Centres located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros an Mhíl.
My Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons throughout Ireland, which were constructed under the auspices of the ex-Congested Districts Board. In addition my Department has responsibility for infrastructural works it carried out under the Marine Works (Ireland) Act 1902, some works at Cleggan Pier being part of this. Galway County Council is responsible for the non 1902 Act infrastructure at Cleggan Harbour.
To date there have been no discussions between my Department and Galway County Council in relation to the transferring sole responsibility for Cleggan Pier to the Council.
My Department does provide limited funding to assist coastal Local Authorities in carrying out small scale projects for the development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
Most recently funding of €82,500 was granted to Galway County Council under the 2016 Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for repair works at Cleggan Harbour. No application for funding in relation to Cleggan Harbour was received from Galway County Council under the 2017 or 2018 Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programmes.
441. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the compensation funds available to farmers that had farm equipment, infrastructure and produce damaged and loss of livestock by the severe weather caused by storm Emma. [11567/18]
View answerThroughout the period of adverse weather conditions last week caused by storm Emma, my Department was directly involved in a co-ordinated response as a member of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG), convened by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the lead Government Department on Severe Weather Incidents.
While the South and East of the country bore the brunt of the storm and its after effects, many other areas experienced disruptions to daily life and the business of farming to a greater or lesser degree. Because the storm occurred at this time of year it proved particularly disruptive as farmers coped with challenging weather conditions alongside the normal busy workload of spring; calving and lambing and winter feeding. The key on-farm challenges revolved around preventing the freezing up of water supplies at a critical time for lactating animals, the provision of fodder and shelter to stock against the worst of the snowfall and dangerous conditions for farmyards and environs. Delayed turn-out of some stock is increasing the demand for fodder and accommodation. In this regard it should be noted that the targeted, localised scheme to provide a subsidy for long distance transport of fodder is open and available to farmers affected by fodder shortages in the West and North West of the country.
Throughout this period and immediately afterwards Department staff, together with Teagasc worked at local level to ensure that the farming community had access to the best advice on how to cope with the numerous issues thrown up by the storm. To support those in more immediate difficulties the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine emergency phone line for animal welfare issues remained open and attended at all times. All requests for support were responded to.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the significant assistance the farming community provided within the wider local community at this busy time as they looked in on neighbours, cleared roads and helped to restore access to more remote rural areas.
At sector level my Department worked closely with all stakeholders and with industry to minimise disruption to critical activities including milk collection services. I am happy to be able to report that all major issues were resolved in the shortest possible time thanks to the coordinated efforts of farmers, industry and my own Department staff.
As the storm abated and the sector slowly returned to normal it became clear that the main problem centred on damage to horticulture and other on-farm structures. Such structures will principally be insured and it is important that insurance companies respond rapidly and flexibly to the needs of their farmers customers. It is important to emphasise that public support cannot be provided for insurable risks.
In order to respond where possible to the issue of structural damage I believe that it is appropriate to consider what aspects can be addressed through on-farm investment support schemes operated by my Department and I have asked my officials to examine this as a matter of urgency.
442. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 167 and 168 of 21 February 2018, when payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11646/18]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received payments in respect of 2015 and the 2016 advance.
The Department is aware of an issue with this case that resulted in the subsequent payments not being made. A solution has been identified and work is underway to resolve the case. Once implemented the 2016 balance payment will issue. GLAS payments continue to issue on a weekly basis.
443. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on unpaid payments for forestry harvested under farm partnerships entered into by over 600 farmers with Coillte from the 1990s onwards through various forestry schemes; if he had discussions with Coillte in this regard in ensuring payments due are paid; and if he has directly asked the State body under his remit for an immediate review of all such schemes and unpaid payments. [11647/18]
View answerCoillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the Coillte Farm Partnership Scheme, are the responsibility of the company.
Coillte has confirmed, however, that there are no cases where farmers have not been paid what they are due and that it is fulfilling all of its contractual obligations. They have also confirmed that all timber that is harvested to date has been included in profit calculations that determine payments to the partners.
The company has been updating my Department in relation to this matter on a regular basis since it was raised by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine in December 2017. My colleague, Minister of State Andrew Doyle, TD, who has special responsibility for forestry, met with Coillte on 6 February 2018, at which Coillte provided a comprehensive update. Coillte also provided an update to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine at its meeting on Tuesday, 27 February 2018. As advised by Coillte at the latter meeting, Coillte retained KPMG to carry out an independent review of how payments are calculated and to verify that the calculation methodology is in line with the contract.
444. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farm partnerships per county that farmers have entered into with Coillte; and the number of hectares this covers by county in tabular form. [11648/18]
View answerCoillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the Coillte Farm Partnership Scheme, are the responsibility of the company.
The company has, however, provided the following information in relation to the Coillte Farm Partnership Scheme:
|
County |
Partnerships |
Leased Area (Ha) |
|
Carlow |
13 |
166 |
|
Cavan |
29 |
469 |
|
Clare |
33 |
559 |
|
Cork |
62 |
1108 |
|
Donegal |
21 |
366 |
|
Galway |
99 |
1850 |
|
Kerry |
13 |
216 |
|
Kilkenny |
73 |
1380 |
|
Laois |
19 |
350 |
|
Leitrim/Sligo |
10 |
134 |
|
Limerick |
37 |
724 |
|
Longford |
17 |
256 |
|
Mayo |
7 |
90 |
|
Meath/Louth |
11 |
140 |
|
Monaghan |
6 |
59 |
|
Offaly |
5 |
73 |
|
Roscommon |
14 |
180 |
|
Tipperary |
99 |
1891 |
|
Waterford |
44 |
904 |
|
Westmeath |
19 |
447 |
|
Wexford |
22 |
464 |
|
Wicklow/Dublin |
42 |
977 |
|
Total |
695 |
12803 |
Coillte advise that the figures for counties where there are less than 5 partnerships have been included with the neighbouring county. I understand that, while Coillte has circa. 630 Farm Partners, there are circa. 695 farm partnerships in total, as shown in the table.
