Written Answers Nos. 1005-1024
1005. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals he has put to the European Commission in relation to the provision of assistance to farmers facing difficulties with inadequate fodder supplies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36931/18]
View answerI would like to give the Deputy a full account of the actions and measures I have put in place over the last short while to meet the challenges in this sector. Following the fodder difficulties of last Winter and Spring I formed a representative group chaired by Teagasc, including stakeholders such as Co-ops, banks, farm bodies, amongst others, to coordinate advisory messages to farmers this Summer around replenishing depleted stocks of fodder.
With respect to engaging with the EU Commission I met with Commissioner Hogan on the 24th July last and briefed him on the impact on Irish Agriculture of the dry spell. I secured agreement from the Commissioner to pay higher advance payments this Autumn. As a result, advances for Pillar 1 and 2 payments will be increased to 70% and 85% respectively, resulting in €260 million in additional cash flow for farmers at a vital time of the year. I also proposed to Commissioner Hogan certain flexibilities for participants under the GLAS scheme which will replenish their fodder stocks for the Winter period. In this connection I am pleased to have secured the agreement of the European Commission for these measures which, are now in place since 1st September and which together bring a potential additional 270,000 hectares into fodder production. I have also highlighted the difficulties facing Irish farmers with my EU Ministerial colleagues at a meeting of Agriculture Ministers in Brussels in July.
In addition and following consultation in August with my Government colleague the Minister for Planning, Housing and Local Government Mr. Eoghan Murphy T.D. and with the EU Commission, flexibility has been granted on an extension to the closed period for spreading of chemical and organic fertilisers in order to capitalise on Autumn grass growth for fodder production. This extra two weeks granted by Minister Murphy will allow application up to the 30th September and 31st October respectively and again maximise the opportunity for Autumn production.
Furthermore on the 3rd August I announced a €2.75 million Fodder Production Incentive for Tillage Farmers to encourage tillage growers to actively engage in the fodder market. This measure will provide an incentive of €155 per hectare for tillage growers who grow a temporary crop of short rotation grasses for fodder production over the winter months and €100 per hectare for those growing catch crops such as fodder Rape, Turnips and Brassica crops. Currently over 23,000 hectares of catch crops are supported under the Agri-Environment Scheme, GLAS. This additional funding commitment aims to incentivise a doubling of this area. I am confident this measure will support Tillage farmers to supply into the market for fodder. Tillage farmers are a critical part of our agricultural sector, supplying the brewing and distilling industry, grain to the feed industry and straw to the livestock sector, whilst also delivering other benefits.
On the 22nd August I announced a €4.25million Fodder Import Support Measure for Autumn 2018. The measure seeks to reduce the cost to farmers of imported forage, that is: hay, silage, haylage, alfalfa and others from outside the island of Ireland. The measure will operate through the Co-operatives/registered importers and will cover forage imported from 12th August 2018 to 31st December 2018 and will of course be subject to EU State Aid (de-minimis ) rules. I wish to confirm that while the measure will operate through the Co-operatives/registered importers, the actual beneficiaries will be farmers who need supplies of fodder.
I know that the range of measures introduced by me to-date taken together and targeted at producing as much fodder as possible from our own land provide the most effective response to a fodder shortfall. I can also assure you that I will continue to closely monitor and engage on this significant challenge during this difficult period.
1006. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the beef forum is due to next meet; and the number of meetings to date since the forum was established, in tabular form. [36932/18]
View answerThe next Beef forum is scheduled for early October 2018 and will be the 12th convening of the forum. The meetings to date have been held as follows:
1 - April 2014
2 - June 2014
3 - October 2014
4 - November 2014
5 - February 2015
6 - July 2015
7 - December 2015
8 - July 2016
9 - November 2016
10 - July 2017
11 - February 2018.
1007. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the dairy forum is due to next meet; and the number of meetings to date since the forum was established, in tabular form. [36933/18]
View answerThere have been 5 meetings of the Dairy Forum since the first meeting held on 29th September 2015. I am very conscious of the issues that dairy farmers have been presented with in 2018 and I hope to convene the next meeting of the Dairy Forum at the earliest opportunity.
The following is the breakdown of meetings to date:
1 - September 2015
2 - March 2016
3 - June 2016
4 - December 2016
5 - September 2017.
1008. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the tillage forum is due to next meet; and the number of meetings to date since the forum was established, in tabular form. [36934/18]
View answerThe following is the position regarding the number of Tillage Forum meetings held:
I have chaired two meetings of the Tillage Forum, the first was held on the 6 October 2016 and another Forum was held on the 16 February 2017 .
A further meeting of the Tillage Forum is not currently tabled however, I do wish to add that the stakeholders, including the farming organisations have continued to engage with me and my Department on a regular basis. One such meeting led to the Fodder Production Incentive Measure for Tillage Farmers whereby I provided €2.75 million in funding to support the tillage sector role in producing additional fodder for livestock farmers.
1009. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the costs associated with running and facilitating the various round table forums in each sector including beef, dairy, tillage and so on, in tabular form. [36935/18]
View answerIn 2017 and 2018, I facilitated meetings of roundtable forums for the beef, dairy and tillage sectors. These forums have built on the success of the Beef Roundtable which had its first meeting in April 2014.
Roundtable forums bring together all stakeholders for constructive discussion on how the various sectors in Irish agriculture can develop and meet challenges as they arise, with the overall aim of realising the objectives laid down for them in Food Wise 2025.
Costs are kept to a minimum including holding meetings in-house wherever possible. The total cost to date is €4,720 – the breakdown per sector reflects the number of meetings per sector held to date.
The costs of the roundtable meetings that have been held thus far are as follows:
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|||
|
Beef Round Table Costs |
€3,583 |
Dairy Round Table Costs |
€764 |
Tillage Round Table Costs |
€373 |
1010. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a crisis hardship fund to support farmers who have had to expend significant funds to source fodder and feed cattle as result of reduced fodder availability as a result of severe drought summer type conditions. [36939/18]
View answerI would like to give the Deputy a full account of the actions and measures I have put in place over the short last while to meet the challenges in this sector. Following the fodder difficulties of last Winter and Spring I formed a representative group chaired by Teagasc, including stakeholders such as Co-ops, banks, farm bodies, among others, to coordinate advisory messages to farmers this Summer around replenishing depleted stocks of fodder. I have requested the group to co-ordinate advice on managing grazing and fodder conservation through this extended period of extraordinarily dry weather. Practical advice is being shared across the group on dealing both with the current weather and on filling the significant fodder gap.
On the 26th June last, I launched a national fodder survey to be compiled by Teagasc through its client network as well as clients of the other fodder group stakeholders, with another survey being conducted this week. Given the findings of this survey, the overall priority must be to conserve as much fodder for the coming Winter as possible when the opportunity to do so arises.
I met with Commissioner Hogan on the 24th July last and briefed him on the impact on Irish Agriculture of the dry spell. I secured agreement from the Commissioner to pay higher advance payments this autumn. As a result, advances for Pillar 1 and 2 payments will be increased to 70% and 85% respectively, resulting in €260 million in additional cash flow for farmers at a vital time of the year. I also proposed to Commissioner Hogan certain flexibilities for participants under the GLAS scheme which will replenish their fodder stocks for the winter period. In this connection I am pleased to have secured the agreement of the European Commission for these measures which, are now in place since 1st September and which together bring a potential additional 270,000 hectares into fodder production.
Furthermore on the 3rd August I announced a €2.75 million Fodder Production Incentive for Tillage Farmers to encourage tillage growers to actively engage in the fodder market. This measure will provide an incentive of €155 per hectare for tillage growers who grow a temporary crop of short rotation grasses for fodder production over the winter months and €100 per hectare for those growing catch crops such as fodder Rape, Turnips and Brassica crops. Currently over 23,000 hectares of catch crops are supported under the Agri-Environment Scheme, GLAS. This additional funding commitment aims to incentivise a doubling of this area. I am confident this measure will support Tillage farmers to supply into the market for fodder. Tillage farmers are a critical part of our agricultural sector, supplying the brewing and distilling industry, grain to the feed industry and straw to the livestock sector, whilst also delivering other benefits.
Also, following consultation in August with my Government colleague, the Minister for Planning, Housing and Local Government, Mr. Eoghan Murphy T.D., flexibility has been granted on an extension to the closed period for spreading of chemical and organic fertilisers in order to capitalise on Autumn grass growth for fodder production. This extra two weeks granted by Minister Murphy will allow application up to the 30th September and 31st October respectively and again maximise the opportunity for Autumn production.
On the 22nd August I announced a €4.25million Fodder Import Support Measure for Autumn 2018. The measure seeks to reduce the cost to farmers of imported forage, that is: hay, silage, haylage, alfalfa and others from outside the island of Ireland. The measure will operate through the Co-operatives/registered importers and will cover forage imported from 12th August 2018 to 31st December 2018 and will of course be subject to EU State Aid (de-minimis) rules. I wish to confirm that while the measure will operate through the Co-operatives/registered importers, the actual beneficiaries will be farmers who need supplies of fodder.
I know that the range of measures introduced by me to-date taken together and targeted at producing as much fodder as possible from our own land provide the most effective response to a fodder shortfall. I can also assure you that I will continue to closely monitor and engage on this significant challenge during this difficult period.
1011. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a low cost loan scheme to support farmers who have had to expend significant funds to source fodder and feed as a result of severe drought summer type conditions and reduced prices for produce. [36940/18]
View answerOne of my priorities is to improve access to finance for the agri-food sector. I announced in Budget 2018 that my Department is considering the development of potential Brexit response loan schemes for farmers, fishermen and for longer-term capital financing for food businesses. These schemes are developed and delivered in cooperation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland and take time to develop and operationalise. Consideration and discussions with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Finance are ongoing on a long-term investment scheme and an announcement in this regard is expected to be made shortly.
While continuing to explore additional funding mechanisms to address gaps in the market, I also liaise with the main banks on access to finance issues relating to the agri-food sector. I have had ongoing engagement with the banks on the cash flow pressures arising from the effects of the weather on grazing and fodder stocks and I welcome that they are following through on their commitment to support the sector. The delivery of last year’s Agriculture Cash Flow Loan Scheme is acting as a catalyst to encourage financial institutions to improve and develop new loan products for the sector. A recently announced initiative by one of the main banks mirrors the Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme in offering a discounted interest rate with extended and flexible repayment terms. The ‘Milk Flex’ loan product developed by the Irish Strategic Investment Fund, with dairy co-op and private banking participation, is another good example of innovation in this regard.
I know that many farmers will be relying heavily on co-op and merchant credit to navigate through the current situation. Therefore, I have also welcomed recent initiatives by co-ops in relation to credit facilities for their suppliers.
1012. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons who applied to the 2018 national reserve without having completed a green certificate by the May 2018 deadline. [36941/18]
View answerProcessing of applications under the 2018 National Reserve is ongoing. Details of the number of applicants that applied to the 2018 National Reserve without having completed the required agricultural educational qualification by the closing date for receipt of applications of 15th May 2018 will be available when processing of all applications has been completed.
Payments under the 2018 National Reserve are due to commence in early December 2018 following the issuing of balancing payments under the Basic Payment Scheme.
1013. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications to the 2018 national reserve and young farmers scheme by county, in tabular form. [36942/18]
View answerThe number of applications received under the 2018 National Reserve and the 2018 Young Farmers Scheme, by county, is set out in the following table:
|
County |
2018 National Reserve applications |
2018 Young Farmers Scheme applications |
|
Carlow |
6 |
127 |
|
Cavan |
35 |
391 |
|
Clare |
35 |
417 |
|
Cork |
101 |
1,137 |
|
Donegal |
33 |
403 |
|
Dublin |
3 |
43 |
|
Galway |
96 |
864 |
|
Kerry |
50 |
542 |
|
Kildare |
15 |
153 |
|
Kilkenny |
32 |
342 |
|
Laois |
14 |
296 |
|
Leitrim |
12 |
251 |
|
Limerick |
30 |
381 |
|
Longford |
17 |
169 |
|
Louth |
8 |
100 |
|
Mayo |
106 |
796 |
|
Meath |
32 |
287 |
|
Monaghan |
21 |
243 |
|
Offaly |
13 |
275 |
|
Roscommon |
29 |
371 |
|
Sligo |
29 |
238 |
|
Tipperary |
56 |
548 |
|
Waterford |
20 |
245 |
|
Westmeath |
17 |
198 |
|
Wexford |
15 |
384 |
|
Wicklow |
19 |
170 |
In addition to the figures in the table, there are further applications to the 2018 National Reserve and the 2018 Young Farmers Scheme which were submitted under temporary reference numbers (where an application for a herd number has been made and is currently being processed). Therefore the figures in the table are subject to change.
1014. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of suckler cows by county, in tabular form. [36943/18]
View answerThe following table shows the number of suckler cows per county as of June 30th 2018. Please note that data on suckler cow numbers provided to the Deputy previously were given on the basis of numbers in December of the relevant years and are therefore not directly comparable with the figures below due to seasonality factors.
|
COUNTY |
SUCKLERS |
|
Carlow |
15,816 |
|
Cavan |
45,747 |
|
Clare |
71,015 |
|
Cork |
73,699 |
|
Donegal |
39,670 |
|
Dublin |
4,465 |
|
Galway |
102,405 |
|
Kerry |
45,441 |
|
Kildare |
18,636 |
|
Kilkenny |
33,043 |
|
Laois |
34,206 |
|
Leitrim |
26,484 |
|
Limerick |
34,903 |
|
Longford |
25,955 |
|
Louth |
11,917 |
|
Mayo |
76,043 |
|
Meath |
34,905 |
|
Monaghan |
32,142 |
|
Offaly |
31,246 |
|
Roscommon |
53,382 |
|
Sligo |
30,921 |
|
Tipperary |
57,365 |
|
Waterford |
20,655 |
|
Westmeath |
36,352 |
|
Wexford |
32,646 |
|
Wicklow |
22,695 |
1015. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if adequate financial support will be provided for farmers to ensure they are not disadvantaged when TB controls are imposed on their farms. [36944/18]
View answerThe bovine TB eradication Scheme is an example of a shared animal health programme administered by my Department to the benefit of all related stakeholders. Thanks to the efforts of all stakeholders, bovine TB levels have reduced significantly in recent years. Herd incidence stood at 8% in 2000 and was under 3.5% in 2017. This represents considerable progress. In the absence of a robust TB eradication Scheme, many more farmers would have suffered a TB breakdown. When a breakdown occurs, certain controls are put in place in an effort to eradicate the disease from that holding and to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading to other holdings. These controls are critical and are to the overall benefit of farmers. While much progress has been made in reducing bovine TB levels, I am concerned that previously observed downward trends in disease levels may have stalled. In an effort to deliver on my stated objective of eradicating bovine TB by 2030, government has approved the establishment of a TB Stakeholder Forum with an independent Chair who have been tasked with bringing forward proposals consistent with eradicating TB by 2030. I look forward to considering these proposals in due course.
In relation to compensation, a comprehensive regime is in place for herdowners who are affected by bovine TB, including compensation both for direct and indirect losses.
The primary compensation scheme for TB Affected herds is the On-Farm Market Valuation (OFMV) Scheme under which compensation is payable for cattle removed as reactors on thebasis of the open market value, subject to certain ceiling limits. Herdowners with restricted and TB affected Herds may also qualify for supplementary payments under the Income Supplement and Hardship Grants Schemes subject to compliance with the relevant criteria.
Entitlement to compensation is conditional on herdowners complying with the provisions of National and EU legislative requirements and controls relating to animal welfare, disease, movement and identification.
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 significant range of financial supports to herdowners in a TB breakdown.
1016. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated to the TB eradication and support programme in each of the years 2010 to 2018; and the amount expended in each year and to date in 2018, in tabular form. [36945/18]
View answerFollowing is a table setting out the actual expenditure from the Exchequer on the TB and Brucellosis eradication programmes from 2010 to date.
|
Year |
Budget Allocation |
Expenditure |
|
2010 |
€55,090 |
€40,465 |
|
2011 |
€50,000 |
€39,799 |
|
2012 |
€40,000 |
€38,886 |
|
2013 |
€37,000 |
€31,739 |
|
2014 |
€35,300 |
€35,253 |
|
2015 |
€35,000 |
€30,251 |
|
2016 |
€32,400 |
€30,776 |
|
2017 |
€34,312 |
€32,570 |
|
2018* |
€34,460 |
€24,105 |
*as at 03/09/18
As the cost of the eradication programme is significantly dependent on (i) the number of the reactors disclosed and (ii) the actual price of cattle in any given year – both of which may vary significantly - the budgetary allocation made available within the overall animal health and welfare area is managed to ensure sufficient funds are available to deliver the necessary programme measures. Please note that the reference point for budgetary planning for the eradication programmes is notionally set based on the outcome from the previous year.
1017. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the payment rates per hectare for farmers for the recently announced knowledge transfer scheme to establish knowledge transfer groups for forestry; when farmers will be able to apply to this scheme; and the criteria that will apply to applicants. [36946/18]
View answerKnowledge Transfer Groups (KTG) are now well-established, with 19,000 farmers participating in agricultural KTG schemes, in various farming sectors. I was very pleased to recently add forestry to the sectors available for KT groups. Peer-to-peer learning is a key element of these groups and is a proven success.
KTGs involve groups of up to 20 forest owners, who meet at seven meetings or events. Events can include outdoor activities, such as visits to forests or sawmills, with a maximum of two events per group. KT facilitators, holding at a minimum a NFQ Level 8 qualification, liaise with KTG organisers, manage the learning events, select from various optional subjects and cover mandatory topics.
Applications are now open to KTG organisers to submit proposals to my Department, outlining the structure of the programme they are offering. Following the closing date on 14th September, those applications will be evaluated according to the scheme terms and conditions. Successful groups will then be invited to submit a Form 1 application, which seeks approval by the KTG organiser to establish a group. Those KTG organisers that are approved to establish a group will then seek forest owner participants.
The funding structure, following successful completion of the KTG’s programme of meetings and events is:
- €70 per event, providing a minimum of four events have been attended to a maximum of seven, payable to each participant. The maximum payable is €490.
- €6,500 per KTG organised, payable to the KTG organiser.
Full details on how payments are made are in the scheme terms and conditions.
Form A applications, scheme terms and conditions and a list of approved KTG facilitators are currently available on my Department’s website.
1018. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the confirmation that 1,000 new customs and veterinary inspectors will be hired in the event of a no-deal hard Brexit scenario, the estimated impact in terms of resourcing for export certificates and health certificates required for third country exports in March 2019; and the contingencies in place for the necessary infrastructure to be of sufficient scale to allow for the seamless export of thousands of tonnes of food product to third countries weekly and to ensure there is no delays in this regard. [36947/18]
View answerMy Department is working through whole of Government structures, with other Departments, to prepare contingency plans for Brexit. From an agri food perspective, this will include arrangements and resources to apply any necessary import controls at ports and airports for products imported from the UK, and to provide any necessary export certification for animal and plant based products destined for the UK and to facilitate transit arrangements through the UK to the rest of the EU. These plans are at an advanced stage.
My Department is committed to supporting exporters and will continue to provide the appropriate certification for product destined for export markets, as and when such certification is required.
1019. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated in each year of the 2014-2020 rural development programme to the early retirement scheme; the amount drawn down in each year and to date in 2018; the number of farmers who participated in the scheme; and his views on having such a scheme post-2020. [36948/18]
View answerAt the start of the 2014 - 2020 Rural Development Programme there were 904 applicants in the scheme. The following table shows annual expenditure and allocation as requested.
In recent years the priority of my Department has shifted to the encouragement of generational change for farmers. The focus under the 2014 - 2020 Rural Development Programme is for an enhanced capital investment scheme for young trained farmers. This new Scheme provides grant aid at a rate of 60% of the cost of the investment, compared to the standard grant rate of 40%, and is an important support and encouragement to young farmers starting in agriculture for the first time. No decisions have been taken yet on schemes post-2020.
Early Retirement Scheme – Allocation and Expenditure 2014 – 2020
|
Year |
Expenditure (€m) |
Allocation (€m) |
|
2014 |
10.522 |
10.636 |
|
2015 |
7.143 |
8.144 |
|
2016 |
4.248 |
4.602 |
|
2017 |
2.430 |
2.573 |
|
2018 |
0.663 |
0.886 |
|
2019 |
N/A |
0.211 |
|
2020 |
N/A |
N/A |
1020. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of knowledge transfer group participants who have and have not completed animal health measures, respectively, by county, in tabular form. [36949/18]
View answer1021. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of knowledge transfer group participants who have and have not completed respectively farm improvement plans; and the number of knowledge transfer groups meetings that took place by the 31July deadline by county, in tabular form. [36950/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1020 and 1021 together.
The detailed information requested is being gathered and I will be in contact with the Deputy shortly.
|
County |
AHM Completed |
AHM Not Completed |
FIP Fully Completed |
FIP Partially Completed |
FIP Not Completed |
|
Carlow |
175 |
109 |
217 |
2 |
65 |
|
Cavan |
368 |
64 |
394 |
13 |
25 |
|
Clare |
416 |
106 |
419 |
31 |
72 |
|
Cork |
1,479 |
495 |
1,688 |
30 |
256 |
|
Donegal |
1,267 |
145 |
1,333 |
7 |
72 |
|
Dublin |
20 |
57 |
51 |
1 |
25 |
|
Galway |
2,085 |
361 |
2,096 |
46 |
304 |
|
Kerry |
819 |
153 |
856 |
9 |
107 |
|
Kildare |
137 |
118 |
208 |
1 |
46 |
|
Kilkenny |
473 |
198 |
573 |
5 |
93 |
|
Laois |
247 |
177 |
358 |
3 |
63 |
|
Leitrim |
392 |
37 |
401 |
4 |
24 |
|
Limerick |
653 |
175 |
685 |
15 |
128 |
|
Longford |
315 |
49 |
334 |
2 |
28 |
|
Louth |
165 |
68 |
200 |
0 |
33 |
|
Mayo |
1,690 |
224 |
1,739 |
5 |
170 |
|
Meath |
313 |
120 |
371 |
15 |
47 |
|
Monaghan |
447 |
110 |
440 |
6 |
111 |
|
Offaly |
260 |
82 |
304 |
5 |
33 |
|
Roscommon |
837 |
106 |
859 |
4 |
80 |
|
Sligo |
508 |
43 |
512 |
1 |
38 |
|
Tipperary |
945 |
451 |
1,062 |
56 |
279 |
|
Waterford |
187 |
58 |
212 |
1 |
31 |
|
Westmeath |
354 |
43 |
371 |
2 |
24 |
|
Wexford |
479 |
274 |
674 |
8 |
71 |
|
Wicklow |
200 |
107 |
246 |
1 |
60 |
|
Total Online submissions |
15,231 |
3,930 |
16,603 |
273 |
2,285 |
1022. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 585 of 12 July 2018, the status of the data in relation to quarter one. [36951/18]
View answerThe Brexit Loan Scheme opened on the 31st March 2018 and will remain open until 31st March 2020, or until it is fully subscribed. It is operated by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) through the banks.
SBCI have informed my Department that the banks have reported the first official data on the Scheme and that this is currently being compiled into a report that will be made available shortly. In this regard they noted that the end of the first reportable quarter was 30 June and that the participating banks have a 45 day timeline within which they are required to report official data to the SBCI.
1023. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of landings made from the UK exclusive economic zone for each specific fishing stock, in tabular form. [36952/18]
View answerI have set out in a table the volume of each species landed by the Irish fishing fleet which was taken from the UK EEZ and the percentage this represents of overall Irish landings of that species. Figures have been compiled by the Marine Institute and are an average of landings from the period 2011-2015
Average Irish landings in the UK EEZ by volume (kilotonnes) value (millions of euro) for 2011-15
|
Stock |
UK EEZ kt |
% of tonnage |
|
Mackerel |
47.7 |
63.68% |
|
Nephrops |
3.7 |
40.13% |
|
Horse mackerel |
10.3 |
27.89% |
|
Anglerfish |
0.7 |
18.00% |
|
Herring |
8.7 |
31.32% |
|
Megrim |
0.7 |
22.94% |
|
Edible crab |
0.2 |
3.45% |
|
Other species |
0.7 |
8.14% |
|
Scallops |
1.1 |
42.02% |
|
Whiting |
1.4 |
22.55% |
|
Blue whiting |
0.3 |
2.27% |
|
Hake |
0.2 |
8.00% |
|
Albacore |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Haddock |
0.8 |
18.39% |
|
Boarfish |
6.3 |
17.56% |
|
Cod |
0.4 |
23.63% |
|
Razor clams |
0.0 |
5.36% |
|
Sole |
0.0 |
17.00% |
|
Pollack |
0.1 |
6.79% |
|
Whelk |
0.3 |
23.76% |
|
European lobster |
0.0 |
1.17% |
|
European sprat |
0.0 |
0.44% |
|
Turbot |
0.0 |
11.37% |
|
Saithe |
0.1 |
7.72% |
|
Witch |
0.1 |
21.12% |
|
Lemon sole |
0.1 |
17.49% |
|
Rays and skates |
0.3 |
23.28% |
|
Ling |
0.1 |
20.92% |
|
Common shrimp |
0.0 |
0.01% |
|
Palaemonid shrimps nei |
0.0 |
0.02% |
|
John dory |
0.0 |
19.29% |
|
Plaice |
0.1 |
19.35% |
|
Squid |
0.1 |
33.46% |
|
Palinurid spiny lobsters nei |
0.0 |
0.01% |
|
Spinous spider crab |
0.0 |
0.33% |
|
Velvet swimcrab |
0.0 |
0.30% |
|
European flat oyster |
0.0 |
0.76% |
|
Brill |
0.0 |
11.19% |
|
Sharks, rays, skates, etc. nei |
0.1 |
21.28% |
|
Mussels |
0.0 |
11.82% |
|
Mullets nei |
0.0 |
0.44% |
|
Atlantic bluefin tuna |
0.0 |
7.27% |
|
Pandalus |
0.0 |
37.96% |
|
Gurnards, searobins nei |
0.0 |
21.62% |
|
Surf clams nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Clams, etc. nei |
0.0 |
0.99% |
|
Penaeus shrimps nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
European conger |
0.0 |
33.58% |
|
European pilchard(=Sardine) |
0.1 |
16.81% |
|
Swordfish |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Blackbelly rosefish |
0.0 |
7.02% |
|
Atlantic halibut |
0.0 |
2.73% |
|
Forkbeard |
0.0 |
0.41% |
|
Common periwinkle |
0.0 |
12.01% |
|
Nursehound |
0.0 |
32.62% |
|
Deep-sea red crab |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Horned and musky octopuses |
0.0 |
9.04% |
|
Green crab |
0.0 |
0.01% |
|
Common cuttlefish |
0.0 |
80.28% |
|
Anchovy |
0.0 |
18.04% |
|
Solid surf clam |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Surmullet |
0.0 |
17.53% |
|
Red gurnard |
0.0 |
15.43% |
|
Common dab |
0.0 |
24.76% |
|
Sevenstar flying squid |
0.0 |
39.16% |
|
Flatfishes nei |
0.0 |
31.97% |
|
Wolffishes(=Catfishes) nei |
0.0 |
9.34% |
|
Cuttlefish |
0.0 |
89.00% |
|
Spiny lobsters nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Atlantic redfishes nei |
0.0 |
0.31% |
|
European seabass |
0.0 |
68.20% |
|
Sand gaper |
0.0 |
1.68% |
|
Octopuses nei |
0.0 |
26.08% |
|
Tusk |
0.0 |
4.27% |
|
Common mora |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Sand sole |
0.0 |
23.34% |
|
Wrasses, hogfishes, etc. nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Flat oysters nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Greenland halibut |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Flathead grey mullet |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Black sole |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Amer. plaice(=Long rough dab) |
0.0 |
0.55% |
|
Red mullet |
0.0 |
51.53% |
|
Pouting(=Bib) |
0.0 |
20.20% |
|
Redfish |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Pacific cupped oyster |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Breams |
0.0 |
25.74% |
|
Blue ling |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Ballan wrasse |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Common spiny lobster |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Threadfin rockling |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Swimming crabs, etc. nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Common octopus |
0.0 |
16.36% |
|
Sea cucumbers nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Orange roughy |
0.0 |
17.39% |
|
Smooth-hound |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Argentine |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Gadiformes nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Scorpionfishes nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Rabbit fish |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Moras nei |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Brown king crab |
0.0 |
0.00% |
|
Grand Total |
84.9 |
32.92% |
1024. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made on targets to increase fish exports in volume and value terms as per Food Wise 2025. [36953/18]
View answerFood Wise 2025 has identified the seafood industry as one of the key drivers of export growth for Ireland’s agri-food sector and the value of seafood exports reached €666 million in 2017, a 10% increase year-on-year. The main driver of export growth was Irish Organic Salmon increasing in value by 69% from €71 to €121 million. Other export products such as seaweed, shrimp, prawn and whiting also experienced strong growth. France is the most important market for exports accounting for over one quarter of the total value. The UK and Spain are the other top export partners both accounting for over 10% of total export value.
To assist our seafood processing sector in achieving its growth potential in the years ahead, and informed by Food Wise 2025, the Government is focussed on encouraging the sector to add value to fish raw material through increased innovation and development of new consumer products, encouraging the sector to further enhance its scale to make it more competitive on world markets, and encouraging the development and diversification of our export markets. My Department’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme is providing the development funding for these objectives and Bord Iascaigh Mhara is delivering these EMFF supports through the Seafood Innovation, Seafood Scaling and Seafood Capital Investment Schemes, while Bord Bia is significantly expanding its seafood promotion programme.
