Written Answers Nos. 474-493
474. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14042/18]
View answerThe applicant in question submitted a claim under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme of TAMS II. This file is being processed at present and a number of required checks are being carried out before payment is finalised. It is anticipated that these will be completed in the very near future.
475. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a 2017 GLAS payment for person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14043/18]
View answerThe above named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016. All 2016 GLAS payments have been made.
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 in this case. Once this case clears validations the 2017 advance payment will be made. GLAS payments are being made on a weekly basis.
476. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of organic farming payments for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14044/18]
View answerThe person named is a participant in the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS). However, an issue relating to separate applications to join both GLAS 2 and 3 created difficulties with processing his payment for Organics. This has now been resolved with the withdrawal of his application for GLAS 2, and work on processing his payments under OFS is currently under way.
477. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) received a reduced rate of areas of natural constraint, ANC, payment in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14062/18]
View answerAn application in respect of the 2015 Basic Payment and Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May 2015. On his application he declared an eligible area of 5.16 hectares of land and was paid accordingly.
Subsequent to this application, the person named submitted a request to have additional lands included in the application. This request is currently under review and an official from my Department will be in direct contact with the person named to clarify the position.
478. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the results of the mid-term review of the forestry programme 2014-2020 promised at the end of 2017 will be published; if no forestry financial approvals are taking place pending its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14064/18]
View answerThe proposals contained in the Midterm Review of the Forestry Programme were adopted by Government on 20 February 2018 and a copy of the review is now available on my Department's website. Financial approvals are being issued and the new higher rates introduced as part of the Midterm Review apply.
479. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for an oyster fishing licence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14083/18]
View answerThe applications for two aquaculture licences referred to by the Deputy are in respect of two sites located in Castlemaine Harbour, which is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive and a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive (Natura 2000 sites).
All applications in ‘Natura 2000’ areas are required to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of environmental compliance with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. Castlemaine Harbour was one of the first bays to be appropriately assessed in 2011 and the relevant licensing determinations were made based on applications to hand at the time of the assessment.
The specific applications referred to by the Deputy were submitted to my Department subsequent to the carrying out of the Appropriate Assessment process for the harbour. These applications will be appropriately assessed in the second Appropriate Assessment Report for Castlemaine Harbour which is currently underway. My Department will consider these applications and all other applications in the Harbour once this Report has been completed.
Every effort is being made to expedite the conclusion of this matter as soon as possible.
480. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce an option on a form (details supplied) under the rules for the movement of animals to bed and breakfast accommodation for compliance for the movement of cattle to enable persons to indicate that the next movement of animals is back to the original herd owner; if a computerised system is in place to enable online recording of such movements; and if not, his plans for such a system. [14084/18]
View answerThe bovine traceability system is operated in accordance with EU regulatory requirements whereby movements from holding to holding are recorded on a computer database. Under the Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system, herd keepers are required to obtain the appropriate Certificate of Compliance approving the movement of bovine animals from one holding to another holding for any reason, and which includes to/from another holding for feeding purposes such as bed and breakfast or feedlot operations. The application system allows herd keepers to apply for Certificates of Compliance either manually or online.
The current facility to record "feedlot movements" on AIM was introduced many years ago solely to assist in the establishment of stocking density for premia payments that is no longer applicable and therefore this movement type is no longer required. My Department is currently examining the removal of this “for feeding’’ option when applying for a Certificate of Compliance and a consultation process is underway.
Under EU Regulation No. 1760 /2000 as amended, my Department is required to record herd keepers details and movement from holding to holding. The legal position is clear in relation to the parameters for managing a database for traceability purposes and the AIM system records movements from holding to holding and has no remit with regard to ownership of bovine animals.
481. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the BPS section of his Department; the number of persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14086/18]
View answer482. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the BPS section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14087/18]
View answer483. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the ANC section of his Department; the number of persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14088/18]
View answer484. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the ANC section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14089/18]
View answer485. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the AEOS section of his Department; the number of persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14090/18]
View answer486. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the AEOS section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14091/18]
View answer487. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the beef genomic section of his Department; the number of persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14092/18]
View answer488. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the beef genomic section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14093/18]
View answer489. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the GLAS section of his Department; the number of persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14094/18]
View answer490. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the GLAS section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14095/18]
View answer491. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the knowledge transfer section of his Department; the number persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14096/18]
View answer492. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of vacant positions in the entitlements section of his Department; the number of persons that transferred out of the section in 2016, 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14098/18]
View answer493. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the entitlements section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14099/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 481 to 493, inclusive, together.
My Department avails of the Workforce Planning processes to identify the critical resource needs required to deliver our business goals. Workforce Planning is a key tool in enabling my Department to forecast its current and future staffing needs. The Workforce Plan aims to ensure a long-term, proactive and strategic plan by which my Department achieves the right level of talent in each location and Division at the right time. My Department operates in a rapidly changing environment and its structure must facilitate the flexibility to deploy resources as the need arises.
As business needs arise, staff are allocated to various Divisions within my Department. Overall staffing levels within Divisions are continually monitored and staff transfer in and out of Divisions as the workload demands. While Divisions have staffing levels, individual sections do not, and with regard to the work areas mentioned in these questions, I am satisfied that adequate staffing levels have been maintained in these areas to provide excellent service and quality results to the customers we serve.
