Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:503. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce legislation to amend the nursing home subvention scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7023/19]
View answerNursing Homes Support Scheme
Questions (503)
Written answers
The proposed policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), to cap contributions from farm assets at 3 years where a family successor commits to working the productive asset, has been approved by Government. My Department is working on the development of draft Heads of Bill while considering a number of complex ancillary policy and operational matters which may need to be addressed in the proposed legislation.
It is intended that this proposed policy change, the 3 year cap, will be extended to eligible existing participants in long term residential care so that they are not disadvantaged, but that there would be no retrospective recoupment of contributions for those who have paid contributions over and above the 3 year period.
A draft General Scheme of a Bill is currently with legal advisers for advice and legal quality control review. Subject to legal advice, I expect to bring the heads of bill to Government soon. The changes to the Scheme will come into effect in 2019 subject to the legislative process.
National Children's Hospital
Questions (504)
Clare Daly
Question:504. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recent opening of an 18,000 sq. m, 148-bed, state-of-the-art children’s hospital in Germany (details supplied). [7027/19]
View answerWritten answers
The new children’s hospital project includes a hospital on the St James’s campus and two outpatient and urgent care centres on the campuses shared with Connolly and Tallaght Hospitals. Together, they will provide all secondary, or less specialised, acute paediatric care for children from the Greater Dublin Area. Furthermore this hospital will also be the single national tertiary/quaternary centre for highly specialised paediatric care for children from all over Ireland with the critical mass to deliver best outcomes.
The Outpatient and Urgent Care Centres will improve geographic access to urgent care for children in the Greater Dublin Area. Consultant-led urgent care, with 4-6 hour observation beds, appropriate diagnostics and secondary outpatient services including rapid access general paediatric clinics as well as child sexual abuse unit examination, observation and therapy rooms will be provided in the Outpatient and Urgent Care Centres. The centre at Connolly will also include two HSE paediatric care primary care dental services operating theatres.
An international cost benchmarking study commissioned by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board to identify construction costs for similar large scale international hospital projects, sourced data provided in relation to 10 projects ranging in size from 45,000 sq.m to 350,000 sq.m. The report concluded that, in terms of cost per sq.m, the new children's hospital was at the higher end but aligned with similar projects, reflecting that the cost per sq.m of €6,500 matches international norms.
The cost per sq.m range is inevitably impacted by the individual briefs for each of these projects and the limitations of international cost benchmarking generally. There are challenges in drawing cost comparisons between the national children's hospital due to be completed in 2022 and an 18,000 square metre 148 bed, children’s hospital in Germany which is already open. With its focus on education, research and innovation, the new children’s hospital will also be a research-intensive academic healthcare institution, which creates a path between the patient, the classroom and the laboratory. In relation to bed numbers, the number and breakdown in type of bed across the three sites reflects the new model of care which has been planned and designed in a sustainable manner to deliver modern paediatric care now and into the future.
Health Services Staff
Questions (505)
John McGuinness
Question:505. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 814 of 15 January 2019 and the reply issued by the HSE on 22 January 2019, the further meetings that have taken place between the staff concerned, the union and the HSE to help resolve all outstanding issues and fully deal with the Labour Court recommendations; if a redundancy package has been offered to employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7036/19]
View answerWritten answers
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
National Children's Hospital
Questions (506)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:506. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a series of matters (details supplied) relating to the national children's hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7040/19]
View answerWritten answers
In relation to maternity co-location, as has been outlined already, it is proposed to relocate the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital to the St James's Hospital campus, thereby achieving tri-location of adult, paediatric and maternity services. A site for the proposed maternity hospital is identified in the Site Master Plan, and the new children's hospital design has incorporated the required operational links with both the maternity and adult hospitals. While the construction of the new maternity hospital will not commence until the new children's hospital is completed, work will begin to move ahead with the project brief for that hospital.
In relation to theatres - the new hospital will include 22 operating theatres and procedure rooms, a significant increase on current theatre capacity. In relation to the other issues identified in the Deputy's question relating to baths, hotdesks, car parking and Code of Ethical Business Conduct, as these are operational matters, I have asked Children's Health Ireland to respond to the Deputy directly.
Hospital Services
Questions (507)
Pat the Cope Gallagher
Question:507. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of a report (details supplied) into the future and long-term sustainability of three community hospitals in County Donegal; if he will provide a copy of other relevant documents relating to the decision to maintain the long-stay accommodation units in all three community hospitals and recent reports into the future of the long-term accommodation units and capacity at these three hospitals that were conducted internally in the HSE or his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7099/19]
View answerWritten answers
As outlined on 7 November 2018 at a meeting with public representatives and local delegations the policy position adopted in 2015 to replace St Joseph’s, Stranorlar and Ramelton Community Nursing Unit has now been officially revised. The HSE's Social Care Directorate and its National Capital and Property Steering Group have accepted recommendations from HSE CHO 1 to retain and upgrade both facilities, in the context of future capacity requirements for these areas. This revises the original decision to replace the existing long stay residential beds on both sites as part of the Capital Investment Programme for Public Residential Care Centres for Older People 2016. It further revises the scale of the proposed new unit at Letterkenny from the original 130 beds to 110 beds. Importantly, the decision to revise the proposals was informed not just by the technical and feasibility studies in relation to the physical infrastructure in these two sites but also on the basis of a broader analysis of population projections and National Planning norms carried out by the HSE.
The need for additional beds and the potential to develop a replacement facility to the existing community nursing unit in Lifford will be reviewed further post 2021, when new Census data is available and the Health Service Capacity Review and the National Development Plan have been advanced. The existing unit at Lifford will continue to operate in the intervening period. As I advised at the November meeting, I welcome the community continuing to engage with the HSE at local level, in the first instance, as appropriate, regarding further ideas and proposals for community based options that may be considered.
As the reports referred to by the Deputy were commissioned by the HSE I have forwarded this aspect of his request to the Executive for direct reply.
Primary Care Centres
Questions (508)
John Curran
Question:508. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available in 2019 to ensure work commences on the primary healthcare centre at Rowlagh, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 in view of the budgetary overrun on the national children’s hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7107/19]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Service Executive is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2019. The HSE Capital Plan will determine the projects that can progress in 2019 and beyond having regard to the available capital funding, the number of large national capital projects currently underway and the relevant priority of each project.
The requirements of the new children's hospital and other health capital projects, currently at various stages of development, are being considered as part of this process.
Once the HSE has finalised its Capital Plan for 2019, it will then be submitted to me for consideration.
Drug Treatment Programmes
Questions (509)
John Curran
Question:509. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have been in receipt of Suboxone in each of the past five years; the number receiving Suboxone; if an evaluation of the treatment has been undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7108/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Addiction Treatment Services
Questions (510)
John Curran
Question:510. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the expenditure and allocations attributable to drugs programmes that were made available in each of the past five years; the projects and programmes supported by the funding, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7110/19]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Health allocated funding of almost €100m to the HSE for addiction services in 2019 in line with their 2019 Service Plan. The HSE National Service Plan 2018 sets out the type and volume of health and social care services to be provided by the Health Service Executive in 2019, having regard to the funding allocated. In addition, the Department provided €28m to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces through various channels of funding, including the HSE.
The attached table outlines the allocations and expenditure for the drug programmes directly funded by the Department of Health for the period 2014 to 2018.
I am committed to providing additional resources to enhance service provision under the national drugs strategy. These resources should be directed towards those interventions which are most likely to lead to a reduction in problem substance use and positive improvement in public health, safety and wellbeing.
Department of Health - Drug Programmes Allocations and Expenditure 2014-2018
|
2018 Allocation |
2018 Expenditure |
2017 Allocation |
2017 Expenditure |
2016 Allocation |
|
|
14 LDTFs |
€4,145,518.00 |
€4,126,093.54 |
€4,145,518.00 |
€4,061,876.00 |
€4,145,518.00 |
|
10 RDTFs |
€1,107,690.00 |
€1,105,522.00 |
€1,107,690.00 |
€1,062,659.00 |
€974,874.00 |
|
National Family Support Network |
€152,048.00 |
€169,483.00 |
€152,048.00 |
€170,158.00 |
€152,048.00 |
|
CityWide |
€206,118.00 |
€206,118.00 |
€209,181.00 |
€206,118.00 |
€209,181.00 |
|
Health Research Board (NACD pre 2018) |
€400,000.00 |
€400,000.00 |
€388,000.00 |
€67,782.06 |
€388,000.00 |
|
City of Dublin Youth Services Board |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
|
Task Force Initiatives |
€245,000.00 |
€245,000.00 |
|||
|
Alcohol Initiative |
€250,000.00 |
€0.00 |
|||
|
Youth Services |
€250,000.00 |
€0.00 |
|||
|
Total |
€6,806,374 |
€6,302,217 |
€6,052,437 |
€5,618,593 |
€5,919,621 |
|
2016 Expenditure |
2015 Allocation |
2015 Expenditure |
2014 Allocation |
2014 Expenditure |
|
|
14 LDTFs |
€4,138,145.50 |
€4,143,987.00 |
€4,074,365.89 |
€4,089,400.00 |
€4,025,086.41 |
|
10 RDTFs |
€971,581.50 |
€974,874.00 |
€973,537.00 |
€972,574.00 |
€955,504.00 |
|
National Family Support Network |
€170,158.00 |
€152,048.00 |
€170,553.27 |
€152,048.00 |
€170,051.00 |
|
CityWide |
€209,181.00 |
€209,181.00 |
€209,181.00 |
€209,181.00 |
€209,181.00 |
|
Health Research Board (NACD pre 2018) |
€57,441.00 |
€388,000.00 |
€389,489.51 |
€388,000.00 |
€380,837.00 |
|
City of Dublin Youth Services Board |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
|
Task Force Initiatives |
|||||
|
Alcohol Initiative |
|||||
|
Youth Services |
|||||
|
Total |
€5,596,507 |
€5,918,090 |
€5,867,127 |
€5,861,203 |
€5,790,659 |
Drug Treatment Programmes Data
Questions (511)
John Curran
Question:511. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the expenditure and allocations attributable to the drugs programmes made by the HSE for each of the past five years; the projects and programmes supported by the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7116/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services
Questions (512)
Tom Neville
Question:512. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a service level agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7131/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Questions (513)
Michael McGrath
Question:513. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when an assessment of need report will be issued in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Cork; when the child will have a CAMHS assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7133/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Hospitals Data
Questions (514, 515)
Alan Kelly
Question:514. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if funding is being provided in the 2019 capital plan for the new 60-bed modular unit at University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7134/19]
View answerAlan Kelly
Question:515. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 721 of 15 January 2019, if the reply is accurate in view of his comments at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health regarding the proposed new 60-bed modular unit for University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7135/19]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together.
Last autumn I announced that a modular ward block would be built at University Hospital Limerick to provide interim patient accommodation. This 60 bed ward block will have 3 wards comprising of 20 single room occupancy with en-suite facilities, two of which will be full isolation facilities. The additional 60 beds will also directly increase capacity allowing patients access to an increased number of beds and improve patient flow across the hospital.
As I outlined to the Deputy at the Oireachtas Health Committee on 6th February, the modular ward block at University Hospital Limerick will go ahead as part of the capital plan.
The HSE reply to your previous parliamentary question is accurate in pointing out that the Capital Plan is yet to be finalised.
Medical Negligence Cases
Questions (516)
James Browne
Question:516. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health if the period allowable for compensation claims for negligence within the health service will be extended from two to five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7140/19]
View answerWritten answers
The current limitation period, in respect of a clinical negligence action, is 2 years from the date of incident giving rise to the claim or the date of knowledge i.e. when the injured person first learnt that his/her injury was related to the clinical negligence event.
I understand that Part 15 of the Legal Services Regulation Act, 2015, which provides for a pre-action protocol for use in clinical negligence cases, is set to amend the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act, 1991 in respect of clinical negligence actions by increasing the current 2 year limitation period to 3 years. This follows a recommendation made by the Working Group on Medical Negligence and Periodic Payments in 2012 while also being intended to enable potential claimants to engage in the new pre-action protocol process. Preparations for the commencement of Part 15 and the issue of the relevant regulations by the Minister for Justice and Equality are at an advanced stage.
Brexit Preparations
Questions (517)
Lisa Chambers
Question:517. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has formally met with the farming organisations here and in Northern Ireland to discuss the implications of Brexit for the sector; if so, the details of these meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7124/19]
View answerWritten answers
Within two weeks of the UK Referendum result in 2016, I established a Stakeholders Consultative Committee as a forum through which a full exchange of information between my Department and the range of farming, agri-food and fisheries stakeholders in Ireland could take place as the Brexit process unfolds. To date the Committee has met on 10 occasions. Some 31 different stakeholder groups have been represented at these meetings, including the main farming organisations.
I have also taken the opportunity through the All-Island Civic Dialogue process to discuss with the farming organisations here the challenges presented by Brexit, and of course have met with them on a regular basis outside of these formal occasions to monitor and discuss developments. This engagement has been very useful in helping not only to quantify the scale of the challenge facing the agri-food sector, and to discuss possible approaches to preparedness and contingency planning, but it has also helped to inform my approach to the negotiations, through the whole-of-Government approach being co-ordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
While I have not had any formal meetings with the main Northern Ireland farming organisations, I have on occasion met with representatives of these organisations through the All Island Civic Dialogue process, and in the context of discussing developments with political representatives from the Oireachtas and from the Northern Ireland assembly. Discussion at these meetings has generally focused on the Irish Government’s commitment to the avoidance of a hard border on the island of Ireland and discussion around the main asks of the negotiations from the Government's perspective, including continued access to the UK market without tariffs, and with minimal additional customs and administrative procedures.
Organic Farming Scheme Payments
Questions (518)
Brendan Griffin
Question:518. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an organic farming scheme payment will be made available to a farmer (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6246/19]
View answerWritten answers
Issues in respect of the 2017 Organic Farming Scheme balancing payment for the person named have now been resolved. As a consequence, the 2017 Organic Farming Scheme balancing payment will issue shortly. Upon satisfactory completion of the necessary validations in respect of the 2018 Organic Farming Scheme payment for the person named, the 2018 payment will issue shortly thereafter.
Agriculture Scheme Eligibility
Questions (519)
Eamon Scanlon
Question:519. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a degree in agricultural food science is not recognised for the green certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6249/19]
View answerWritten answers
The recognition of education qualifications to qualify for trained farmers status is an operational matter in the first instance for Teagasc.
Revenue Leaflet SD2B lists the agricultural courses that qualify trained farmers for certain scheme payments and tax incentives. The minimum education qualification is Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications as validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Holders of the Teagasc Green Cert (Level 6) qualify for “trained farmer” status.
Teagasc can validate agricultural degrees not included in schedule SD2B to assess equivalence to approved awards listed in the schedule. In order to be deemed eligible for inclusion in SD2B, the award must meet minimum standards of agricultural content. A copy of the award syllabus and content must be included with the application as evidence of the required agricultural curriculum.
Further information regarding the validation process is available from local Teagasc education staff.
Hen Harriers Threat Response Plan
Questions (520)
Jackie Cahill
Question:520. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in County Tipperary who have applied for the hen harrier scheme; the number who have been paid; the maximum and average payment made, respectively; his plans to take more farmers into the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6274/19]
View answerWritten answers
The Hen Harrier Programme is operationally independent of my Department and is run by the Hen Harrier Project team. The information below has been sourced from them.
The number of farmers with Tipperary herd numbers who have applied to join the Hen Harrier Programme is 129.
The number under contract is 59; 51 of those have been paid and the remaining eight will receive their payment shortly.
The maximum amount paid out was €8,216.30 and the average amount paid out was €3,045.52.
These payments represent the habitat component only of the Hen Harrier Programme; further payments will be made in respect of the Hen Harrier Programme next month. Participants are currently applying for the Supporting Actions payment which will be paid in the Autumn. All of these payments are in addition to GLAS Hen Harrier payments where applicable.
The Hen Harrier Team have resumed their selection process of participants and a further 17 applicants with Tipperary herd numbers were selected in January 2019. Further selections will be made in February, March and April 2019.
Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme
Questions (521)
Jackie Cahill
Question:521. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who have been taken out of the ANC scheme are informed of the reasons they have been excluded in order that they can mount an appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6275/19]
View answerWritten answers
Further to the completion of the review of eligible lands under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme, which was required by EU regulation, my Department has written to all impacted farmers advising of the status of their lands under the 2019 ANC scheme. These letters included a form to instigate an appeal. The appeals form is also available on www.agriculture.gov.ie.
For any farmer who wishes to appeal the status of a particular townland under the 2019 ANC scheme, an independently chaired appeals process is available. Should a farmer wish to make such an appeal, my Department will provide full information in relation to the data underpinning the status of the townland in order that an appeal can be based on full information. There is no set closing date for receipt of these appeal forms but applicants should lodge their appeals without delay so that appeals can be processed promptly.
Applicants are also advised to ensure that they apply for the 2019 ANC scheme when they make their online application in the coming weeks.
Fisheries Protection
Questions (522)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:522. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a matter relating to the catching of dogfish (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6281/19]
View answerWritten answers
The current prohibition on landing picked dogfish, also known as spurdog, in all EU waters is due to the current condition of the stock. The stock was subject to high harvest rates for more than four decades, and fisheries were not managed during this time. While dogfish is showing some signs of recovery from the historical lows of the mid 2000s, the period is very short in comparison to the longer-term historical decline.
The spawning biomass of this species is at an extremely low level, although conservation measures in recent years have had an impact in terms of stabilising the decline. The species is a long-lived, slow growing and late maturing species and is, therefore, particularly vulnerable to over-fishing. The scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) is that there should be no targeted fisheries in 2019 and 2020 and that any possible provision for landing of by-catch should only happen as part of a management plan, including close monitoring of the stock and fisheries. ICES also states that, based on medium term projections, any bycatch should not exceed 2,468 tonnes in total for EU and Norwegian waters.
For 2019, there is a very limited quota available (53t for Ireland) for use only in pilot schemes designed to reduce such by-catches. Any such schemes are subject to EU Commission approval and must relate to reducing by-catches of dogfish in other fisheries i.e. the targeting of dogfish would remain prohibited. Such a scheme for dogfish avoidance was explored by the Marine Institute and, following consultation with industry, a draft pilot scheme was submitted for review to the Commission’s Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).
STECF raised a number of queries about the proposed scheme, in particular on whether or not it would result in a reduction in catches of dogfish relative to the catches that would occur in the absence of a scheme. Having considered the STECF comments and concerns, the Marine Institute reviewed the draft scheme and has now advised that Ireland should not proceed further with the dogfish avoidance scheme but rather work collaboratively with other Member States and the Commission to explore possible bycatch reduction management measures. On the basis of the available scientific advice, there is no possibility of reintroducing a targeted fishery.
Organic Farming
Questions (523)
Jackie Cahill
Question:523. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the national and sectoral targets under the new strategy for the development of the organic food sector here, in tabular form. [6289/19]
View answerWritten answers
The new Organic Strategy which was launched last week by my colleague, Minister Doyle, is a strategy for the development of the Organic Food Sector for the period up to 2025. This period coincides with the Food Wise 2025 Strategy which is the over- arching strategy for the Irish food and drink sector and allies it to the stated aims contained therein, to drive added value for Irish agricultural produce. The Strategic Objective of the new Organic Strategy is to create a consumer led viable Organic Food Sector in Ireland, enhancing the sustainability credentials of Irish Food, which will produce a wide range of organic products to meet increasing domestic and export market opportunities.
The targets per subsector are outlined hereunder as requested:
|
Sub Sector |
Target |
|
Cereals & Pulses |
To increase the area under organic cereals and pulses from 2,426 hectares in 2017 to 5,000 hectares |
|
Dairy |
To increase organic milk production annually by 10% over the lifetime of the plan with more significant increases possible thereafter. |
|
Horticulture |
To encourage import substitution where possible and increase the area under organic horticulture from 524 hectares in 2017 to 750 hectares. |
|
Beef |
To increase organic cattle production from 0.8% of total cattle in 2016 to 1.6% |
|
Sheep |
To maximise organic sales to match current levels and pattern of supply, through a marketing campaign focussed on peak supply periods. |
|
Aquaculture |
To increase the quantity of salmon produced to organic standards from 20,000 tonnes to 26,000 tonnes. |
|
Poultry/Eggs |
To increase the area under organic cereals and pulses will impact positively on the potential for increased organic poultry. |
The targets set for the individual sub-sectors recognise the importance of promoting organic food production not alone having regard to market demand but also the imperative of climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection requirements. However, the targets recognise the current very low production levels and are set at a level to build a platform for further increases. In this context the Organic Sector Strategy group recommended that the targets should be subject to review after five years.
Forestry Premium Payments
Questions (524)
Jackie Cahill
Question:524. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount and percentage of forestry payments received in 2018 by farmers and non-farmers, respectively, under the Forestry Programme 2014-2020. [6290/19]
View answerWritten answers
The current Forestry Programme (2014-2020) commenced in 2015 and offers an ambitious and attractive set of forestry measures aimed at increasing timber production and continuing to provide up to 12,000 jobs in the forestry sector while at the same time improving the quality of the natural environment. The afforestation scheme offers a fixed grant towards the costs, subject to the maximum laid down in the scheme’s terms and conditions. In addition, annual premiums are payable to new forests which qualify for an afforestation grant for a maximum period of 15 years.
There is no distinction between the rate paid to farmers and non-farmers under the 2014-2020 Forestry Programme as the aim is to make the afforestation scheme accessible to all landowners. It should be noted that the category of non-farmer below includes those with an association with farming and includes retired farmers, sons and daughters of farmers or other relatives who have inherited land and wish to retain their connection with the land. For this reason, I am satisfied that the bulk of payments are paid to and remain in rural Ireland.
The table below shows the breakdown by farmer/non-farmer of the payments in 2018.
Annual premiums paid 2018
|
Farmer |
Non-Farmer |
|
|
Payments made (€000) |
€12,872 |
€10,417 |
|
% payment |
55% |
45% |
It is worth noting that farmers have established 66% of forestry planted to date under the Forestry Programme 2014 - 2020.