Written Answers Nos. 375-391
375. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the review of biosecurity practices that has taken place following the confirmation of two cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N8 in the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35902/20]
View answerIreland is currently in the high risk period (October to April) for the introduction of Avian Influenza (AI) as a result of the migration of wild birds returning to overwinter from areas where AI is widespread. This year a particularly virulent form of the disease, known as Highly Pathogenic AI (HPAI) with subtype H5N8, has been confirmed in several species of wild birds on mainland Europe. There have also been confirmed cases in poultry flocks in the Netherlands, Germany and one in Cheshire in the UK. The virus can spread from the wild bird population to poultry farms, through direct contact and in particular through faeces from wild birds infected with the virus. While this subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, no human infections with this virus have been reported world-wide and therefore risk to humans is considered to be very low.
The risk of incursion of highly infectious and economically damaging diseases, such as HPAI, can be reduced through the practice of effective biosecurity at farm level. If consistently applied, biosecurity measures will help prevent disease, whether exotic to or endemic in Ireland, from entering a farm and from spreading within a farm. The strategy emphasises the importance of good biosecurity in protecting and improving animal health and welfare as well as contributing to good public health outcomes. The strategy will provide a road-map that seeks to ensure that good farm biosecurity is consistently practiced by all farmers at all times, and not just in the face of an immediate risk of a disease outbreak.
The Department is in close contact with industry stakeholders in relation to the strict bio-security measures are necessary to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into poultry and captive bird flocks. Flock owners are urged to remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks, and report any disease suspicion to their nearest Department Veterinary Office.
My Department is currently finalising a National Farmed Animal Biosecurity Strategy, which will be launched before the end of the year.
376. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter regarding the sheep welfare scheme (details supplied). [35909/20]
View answerThe Sheep Welfare Scheme was launched in December 2016, for a period of four years. The scheme reflected the commitment of the Government to the sheep sector in Ireland and was introduced as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme
The current budget allocated to the scheme reflects the rate of payment of €10 per eligible ewe, which is based on the agreed costings underlying the actions to be undertaken in the scheme, and the number of eligible ewes held by participants in the scheme.
As part of Budget 2021, I secured an additional allocation of €17m for the extension of the Sheep Welfare scheme for a further year in 2021. This will allow for a roll-over of the Sheep Welfare Scheme in it’s current format and existing terms and conditions, including the payment rate of €10 per eligible ewe on completion of all selected actions.
377. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine the recent High Court ruling which overturned a ban on fishing vessels greater than 18 m being allowed to fish within 6 miles of the coastline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35910/20]
View answerIn December 2018, following a public consultation process in which over 900 submissions were received, the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine announced that vessels over 18m will be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from 1 January 2020. A transition period of three years for vessels over 18m targeting sprat was allowed to enable adjustment for these vessels, as the sprat fishery is concentrated inside the six nautical mile zone.
A Policy Directive was issued by the Minister to the independent Licensing Authority for Sea Fishing Boats under Statute and was intended to give effect to the measures announced by the then Minister. As stated above, this Policy Directive provided that vessels over 18m LOA (Length Overall) will be excluded from trawling activity inside six nautical miles, including inside the baselines, from 1 January 2020. The Policy Directive directed the Licensing Authority to insert a condition to this effect into the licences of affected vessels.
A Judicial Review was taken by two applicant fishermen challenging the validity of the Policy.
On 6th October 2020, the Judge held in summary that the Court’s final order should be, among other matters, a declaration that Policy Directive 1 of 2019 was made in breach of fair procedures and is void and/or of no legal effect.
The breach of fair procedures as referenced above related to a failure with obligations to consult with the applicants in accordance with, and to the extent required by, the consultation process and in particular by failing to consult with them once a preferred option had been identified.
The High Courts ruling of Judicial review proceedings which relate to Policy Directive 1 of 2019 has been appealed by the State to the Court of Appeal and a stay is being sought on the orders granted therein.
As this matter is sub judice, I am not in a position to comment on the policy until the matter can be resolved before the Courts.
378. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has ordered the closure of the three remaining fur farms here in the interests of public health in view of a mutated strain of Covid-19 which can spread from mink to humans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35928/20]
View answerMy Department is in the process of preparing a Bill to provide for the phased introduction of a ban on fur farming which will include a prohibition on mink farming.
The Bill will make it illegal for any new fur farms to be established and will put in place phase out arrangements for the small number of current operators. The Programme for Government 2020 contains a commitment regarding the prohibition of fur farming and Department officials have been working on appropriate steps to give effect to this.
Following the outbreak of a new form of Covid 19 in mink in Denmark and the possibility of the mutation moving from mink to humans, my Department has initiated testing of animals on the three mink farms. Public safety is our main concern and as the results of testing become available we will work with our colleagues in the HSE to progress this matter.
379. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an additional payment can be claimed for preparatory works required in respect of TAMS grant applicants for the replacement of slots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35952/20]
View answerThe financial allocation in respect of TAMS for the full Rural Development Programme period is €395m. To date, total expenditure, including transitional expenditure, has reached €252m with committments of an additional €130m made to scheme participants who have yet to draw down those commitments.
Uptake under the scheme has been significant with 33,354 applications approved to date. All outstanding approvals issued represent potential outstanding liabilities for my Department and we must have a budget in place to pay these claims.
There are a wide variety of items available under the suite of seven measures under TAMS II, including grant aid for the replacement of slats under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Measure, Organics Capital Investment Scheme and the Young Farmer Capitals Investment Scheme. I can confirm that standard site preparation costs needed for the replacement of slats are included in the reference cost for grand aid.
380. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the technical manner in which grass-fed standard is assured; the way in which the matter is managed by his Department or a body under its aegis; the details of such inspections; if such inspections are carried out as part of a broader regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35965/20]
View answerThe Bord Bia Grass Fed Beef and Dairy Standards have been developed by Bord Bia following consultation with my Department, Teagasc, farmers and processors. The Standards were validated by the Irish National Accreditation Board under the Bord Bia ISO17065 schedule and approved by the EU Commission under the Technical Directive 2015/1535.
The approved Standards largely utilise existing feeding and housing data recorded as requirements of the Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) and Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS) and confirmed through the current Bord Bia farm audit system.
The Grass Fed Standards also set out requirements for the processing industry for certification under the Standards. Compliance audits are also conducted at processor level.
The Standards are publicly available on Bord Bia’s website, www.bordbia.ie.
381. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to address the issue in respect of the national forestry accounting plan 2021-25 finding that 54% of forestry in Ireland emits more carbon than it sequesters. [35967/20]
View answerIreland’s forests and harvested wood products play a significant role in climate change mitigation by removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The national forest estate is an important store for carbon, estimated at over 312 million tonnes. Ireland’s total forest area is not a net emitter of greenhouse gases and is a substantial sink for carbon dioxide compared to other land uses.
As part of the implementation EU Regulation 2018/814, Ireland, like all EU Member States, had to submit a National Forestry Accounting Plan which sets out the emissions and removals resulting from older forests. These forests for the purposes of greenhouse gas accounting under the regulation are referred to as “managed forest lands”. The regulation also requires that a forest reference level is set for the period 2021-2025. This reference level is needed in order to account and report greenhouse gas changes from 2021-2025 against this land category. Ireland’s forests in this category include all forests that are older than 30 years of age during the period 2021-2030. While the Managed Forest Lands (MFL) area, because of particular circumstances and timing, will be a small emitter over the upcoming period, the amount in question will be far outweighed by what the rest of the forest estate is storing and sequestering.
The forest reference level is based on the continuation of sustainable forest management, as documented in the period from 2000 to 2009 with regard to dynamic age-related forest characteristics in national forests, using the best available data. It is the intention to continue to manage these forests sustainably and based on harvest levels outlined in the long term round wood production forecast. Roundwood production will increase over the next number of years as forests mature and replanting takes place.
The important point to note is that the entire forest estate under long term projections is and will remain a net sink for carbon dioxide up to 2050 as outlined in the National Forest Accounting Plan. Detailed modelling, projections and sensitivity analysis will be required to estimate carbon removals post 2050 in conjunction with the level of harvest, afforestation and deforestation in the coming decades.
382. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans in respect of the nitrates derogation review; his engagements with EU representatives in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35968/20]
View answerThe Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the lead authority for the Nitrates Regulations (SI 605 2017). The purpose of these Regulations is to give effect to Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme for the protection of waters against pollution caused by agricultural sources. The set of measures in these regulations provides a basic level of protection against possible adverse impacts to waters arising from the agricultural sources.
Ireland's current Nitrates Action Programme concludes in 2021 and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in collaboration with my Department, will shortly commence the process of reviewing the Nitrates regulations and derogation. This review will be subject to two-stage consultation with all stakeholders.
Ireland recently notified members of the 'EU Nitrates Committee' of its intention to commence the formal process of reviewing its Nitrates action programme, which includes the Nitrates Derogation. Ireland will shortly discuss with the Commission the formal process involved which will include both technical and scientific presentations.
383. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department or an agency operating under his Department has encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by his Department in 2020; if so, the expenditure in respect of such products; if the expenditures will be recouped from the sellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35997/20]
View answerMy Department implements the Biocidal Product Regulation (EU No. 528/2012) to ensure that biocidal products placed on the Irish market are safe for humans, animals and the environment. Hand sanitisers and indeed certain other products such as disinfectants and some brands of wipes are biocidal products. All biocidal products, including hand sanitisers must be registered with my Department before being placed on the market
I wish to advise the Deputy that before centrally purchased supplies became fully available, it is possible that some small amounts of hand sanitiser products purchased locally may have been of a brand subsequently subject to a recall. However, all these supplies would have been used up before the recall that occurred later in 2020. On that basis, my Department can report that it is not seeking any reimbursements.
As regards the twelve State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.
384. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all hare coursing activity will be suspended for the purpose of restricting the spread of Covid-19 for the duration of all travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36017/20]
View answerHare coursing is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. Hare coursing is managed and regulated by the ICC. Hares can only be collected for coursing by clubs affiliated to the ICC, in accordance with the terms of two licences granted by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
This Department is not responsible for licensing or attendance at coursing events. It is a matter for the licensing authority and the Department of Health as to the current arrangements for coursing events and their compliance with public health guidelines.
385. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the matter of no funding having been identified for the delivery and administration of the LEADER 2021 programme will be addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35942/20]
View answer386. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the interim rural development programme will be announced for the period 2021 to 2023 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36028/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together.
The current 2014-2020 LEADER programme, which is co-funded by the European Commission, is due to end in December this year as far as new project approvals are concerned. As the Deputy will be aware, due to delays at EU level, the next EU LEADER programme will not commence until 2022 at the earliest.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to prioritise a State-led programme to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next EU programme. The objective of the Transitional Programme is to allow locally-led rural development projects to continue to be delivered using the LEADER model until the new EU programme commences.
The duration of the transitional period at EU level has not yet been agreed. We are therefore planning for Ireland’s Transitional Programme to run for an initial period of 12 months, but with the scope to extend this if necessary, to align with the outcome of the discussions at EU level between the Commission and the Parliament.
An extra €4 million has been provided for LEADER in Budget 2021, to bring the total allocation for next year to €44 million. I can confirm that this allocation will be used to fund a combination of existing projects as they come to completion, as well as for new projects to be approved under the Transitional Programme. The funding will also support the administration costs of Local Action Groups, who deliver the programme locally, in closing out the existing programme and delivering the Transitional Programme.
It is important to recognise that LEADER is a multi-annual programme and that payments in respect of projects which are approved in any given year are generally not drawn down until subsequent years as the projects are completed. Therefore, costs related to projects under the Transitional Programme are likely to be met from the provision in my Department’s Vote in 2022 and 2023, as well as in 2021.
The details of the Transitional Programme are currently being finalised and I hope to be in a position shortly to announce the full details of project and administration allocations under the Programme.
387. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35863/20]
View answerMy Department currently only occupies office space at two locations - Trinity Point, Dublin 2, and Government Buildings, Ballina, Co. Mayo. The offices occupied in Ballina are in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW), while the lease arrangements in relation to Trinity Point are managed on our behalf by the OPW.
My Department does not have any lease arrangements with any of the companies in question.
388. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department leases additional office space that is outside its departmental building and the estates section of the OPW; and, if so, the details of the lease, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35881/20]
View answerMy Department currently only occupies office space at two locations - Trinity Point, Dublin 2, and Government Buildings, Ballina, Co. Mayo. The offices occupied in Ballina are in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW), while the lease arrangements in relation to Trinity Point are managed on our behalf by the OPW.
389. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding allocated to each local authority for the local improvement scheme in 2020; the proposed allocation per county for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35973/20]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the Local Authorities.
Since the LIS was re-launched in 2017, over €58 million has been allocated to Local Authorities for improvements to qualifying roads under the scheme.
An allocation of €10 million was made available for 2020 for the Local Improvement Scheme, and works under the scheme are nearing completion. I expect a full drawn down of the 2020 allocation by year-end. The LIS 2020 funding allocation for each County can be found on the Gov.ie website at: https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/d309ea-local-improvement-scheme/
Recognising the value of the scheme for people living in rural areas, I was very pleased to secure an increase in the allocation for LIS in Budget 2021. Funding for the scheme next year will increase by 5%, to €10.5 million. The distribution of this funding to each of the relevant Local Authorities will be announced early next year when I formally launch the scheme for 2021.
390. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will allocate funding towards the development of a hub (details supplied) under the rural regeneration programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35974/20]
View answerThe third call for Category 1 applications under the Rural Regeneration and Development scheme - relating to large-scale capital projects at an advanced stage of readiness - is currently open. The closing date for applications is the 1st December 2020 and no applications have yet been submitted.
The application process for the Fund is competitive in nature and applications under this call will undergo a comprehensive assessment by my Department under the oversight of a Project Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from key Government Departments as well as independent experts.
Recommendations for successful projects will then be submitted to me, as Minister, based on the outcome of the internal assessment process, the observations and advice of the Project Advisory Board, the extent to which projects align with the overall objectives of the Fund and the requirement to achieve balanced regional development.
391. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department or an agency operating under her Department has encountered expenditure in respect of hand sanitisation products or other PPE products that were subsequently subject to a recall by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2020; if so, the expenditure in respect of such products; if the expenditures will be recouped from the sellers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36010/20]
View answerNo expenditure was incurred by my Department or any of the agencies under its aegis in respect of the products referred to by the Deputy.
