Written Answers Nos. 201-214
201. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has a programme in place to protect and restore the elm species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40690/20]
View answerDutch elm disease is a forest disease caused by a fungus (Ophiostoma spp.) that affects elms in Europe and North America. Even though a fungus causes the disease, it spreads due to the action of bark beetles, which carry fungal spores allowing the fungus to infect new trees.
Wych elm (Ulmus glabra ) is the only native elm species in Ireland and is highly susceptible to Dutch elm disease. Once a very abundant tree in the Irish landscape, it is uncommon to find living mature elm trees nowadays. Even though there is natural resistance to the disease within elm populations, it is extremely rare. Most living elms are thought to have been able to “avoid” the insect rather than being resistant to the disease and those that have survived occur mainly in semi-natural woodland and in hedges in a range of localities around the island. A significant percentage of the mature elm trees in Ireland occur in urban areas where pollution, traffic, buildings and management of parks and gardens protect elm trees from getting in contact with the bark beetles that carry Dutch elm disease.
Teagasc collects samples of mature elm trees growing in Ireland with a view to propagating them vegetatively as a first step to creating a collection of candidate elm genotypes for screening for resistance to Dutch elm disease. The candidate elms must be older than 40 years or have a diameter larger than 45 cm. In addition, neighbouring elms must show recent signs of the disease. These requirements are used to confirm that the trees are old enough to get infected and that the disease is active in the area. Teagasc continues to ask the public to notify them when an elm tree fulfilling these requirements is identified. Elm is not on the Department’s list of accepted tree species for the afforestation scheme but the Department is supportive of actions that can lead to the conservation of elm under its Native Woodland Conservation scheme.
202. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the application for a grass-fed PGI status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40691/20]
View answerFollowing detailed scrutiny by my Department, including a National Opposition Procedure and extensive stakeholder engagement, my Department has now submitted the application from Bord Bia for PGI status for 'Irish Grass Fed Beef' to the European Commission.
The European Commission must now also complete a detailed process in evaluating this application. I have written to Commissioner Wojciechowski to emphasise that PGI status for our unique quality, Irish grass fed beef would have benefits for all those in the supply chain, principally the primary producer, at this critical time for the Irish beef sector.
203. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Bord Bia will be instructed to work with the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Environment, Climate and Communications and Rural and Community Development in the north and other stakeholders such as farming organisations to assist them with implementing a grass fed standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40692/20]
View answerIn submitting the application for PGI status for 'Irish Grass Fed Beef', I have emphasised to Commissioner Wojciechowski that Ireland would strongly support and recommend the PGI being extended on an all-island basis, when a grass-fed verification system is in place in Northern Ireland.
Bord Bia have already had detailed engagement with their Northern Ireland counterparts and stakeholders to explain the technical detail of the grass-fed standard and verification system which is a key pillar of the PGI application.
I wrote last week to my counterpart, Minister Poots, to emphasise that my Department and Bord Bia are ready and willing to further assist Northern Ireland counterparts with the development of a verification system for grass-fed. My officials have already followed up to propose scheduling a joint seminar on this topic.
204. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that have been taken to address greyhound culling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40693/20]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
RCÉ had sought, as part of the modernising of the legislative framework governing the greyhound industry, that a traceability system would be introduced in relation to racing greyhounds. This is now provided for on a statutory basis in the Greyhound Racing Act, 2019. RCÉ tendered for a traceability system in earlier this year and work has been going with the appointed contractor over recent months. RCÉ expects to have the system operational by year end.
Regulations will be advanced in 2021 to underpin the system and ensure enforcement of the provisions for traceability. The traceability system will provide for the recording of important life events in the life of the racing greyhound including birth, microchipping, registration, racing career, changes of ownership/trainer, location, export, retirement and end of life.
RCÉ’s Code of Practice for the Care & Welfare of the Greyhound, prepared in accordance with Section 6 of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 specifies ‘Euthanasia must only be performed by a registered veterinary practitioner unless on exceptional grounds. The owner must obtain a death certificate appropriately stamped and signed by the registered veterinary practitioner’. Public consultation on the updated Code of Practice has recently concluded.
RCÉ also operates a 24/7 confidential phone/email line for reporting of any care and welfare issues relating to greyhounds. Any reports of inappropriate behaviour will be followed up by RCÉ’s Welfare Officers.
205. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reduce the level of antibiotic use in animals; his further plans to address anti-microbial resistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40694/20]
View answerIreland’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017–20 (iNAP) outlines Ireland’s commitment to the development and implementation of a holistic, cross-sectoral ‘One Health’ approach to the problem of antimicrobial resistance. iNAP was developed jointly by the Department of Health and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine following consultation with key industry stakeholders. iNAP 2017-2020 will conclude this year however work is underway to develop the next iteration of iNAP (2021-2025) which will build on the progress already made. This plan will be developed in partnership between the Department of Health and my Department.
From my Department's perspective, this will see an increased focus on capturing usage data, seeking to influence human behavioural changes needed to reduce AMU and interrupting those usage patterns which are the main drivers of antibiotic usage (AMU) on farms in Ireland.
My Department is focused on developing a National Secure Veterinary Digital Prescription System to collect prescription level usage data. As well as meeting a strategic objective under i NAP, this project reflects the requirements of EU Regulations 2019/6. It is currently envisaged that the usage data will be gathered from prescribing vets, with the plan to allow for real time recording of all medicines being used in food producing animals.
The recently published HPRA report on sales of veterinary antibiotics in Ireland in 2019 (published last week) shows a noteworthy reduction in the overall sales of veterinary antibiotics, with reductions in several classes of antibiotics noted. Most importantly, sales of the highest priority critically important antibiotics were also reduced. This report is a tangible sign that the collaborative efforts of the farming and veterinary stakeholders who sit on the i NAP Animal Health Sector Committee are having the desired effect of reducing the level of antibiotics being used in our animals.
Ireland’s second National Action Plan on AMR, in common with the current plan, will, in addition to a range of issues in the human medicine field, have as a primary objective the improvement of animal health, thus reducing the need for antimicrobial use. In the second plan, there will be an increased focus on outcomes in order to better measure progress. The actions will also be extended to include the companion animal and equine sector as well as further work on awareness raising, farm biosecurity and animal health programmes. This second One Health national action plan will build on the strong platform created through collaborative actions already taken to sustainably address the issue of AMR.
206. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role his Department will play in the cull of minks on mink farms; the expected time frame for the cull to be completed; the mitigation and support measures to be provided to the farms concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40695/20]
View answerThe Chief Veterinary Officer within my Department recently received a communication from the Chief Medical Officer setting out the view and concern of the Department of Health relating to the identification of mutations of SARS-CoV-2 in the mink population in Europe. The demonstration of one strain which appeared in laboratory tests to exhibit decreased susceptibility to antibodies from previously infected people and the concern that this variant, if spread, might be less easily be controlled by vaccines currently under development. The conclusion from the Department of Health was that the continued farming of mink represents a potential significant and ongoing risk to public health and recommended that farmed mink in Ireland should be culled in the interest of public health in Ireland.
Officials in my Department continue to engage with the farmers concerned, the Department of Health and the Office of the Attorney General to consider the next steps. In the meantime, the farms continue to operate subject to strict biosecurity protocols and animal welfare standards.
207. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which physical attendance will be facilitated for buyers at marts upon the end of the current level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40696/20]
View answerSince the beginning of the Covid19 global pandemic, my Department has worked intensively, in cooperation with marts representative organisations, to ensure that marts may remain in operation. My Department has adapted the conditions under which marts must operate since April, to reflect the various measures introduced by the Government to stop the spread of this disease.
The Taoiseach announced that from Tuesday 1st December, the country will operate under Level 3 restrictions. For marts, this means a return to conditions under which they operated in October. My Department wrote to the marts and marts representative organisations on Monday, 30th November, advising them of these changes.
These conditions include mandatory face coverings for all staff and visitors, physical distancing throughout the mart and cleaning and hand hygiene arrangements. Buyers can attend the sales ring subject to adhering to 2 metre social distancing, and can view stock in the pens without prior appointment subject to maintaining a minimum social distance of 2 meters.
208. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has assessed the potential impacts that the European Commission’s 2030 Climate Target Plan will have on Irish agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40697/20]
View answerThe European Green Deal is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making Europe climate neutral in 2050. The President of the European Commission has made the European Green Deal a priority for her mandate from the start and it includes raising the EU's ambition on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030 and is in line with the Paris Agreement objective to keep the global temperature increase to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to keep it to 1.5°C.
The Commission’s focus is on overhauling relevant climate and energy legislation to align with the newly proposed target to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030, as compared to 1990 levels. The 'step-up' in ambition at national level will be subject to agreement through a revision to the 'Effort Sharing regulation' which will not be concluded until the middle of 2021.
At national level, it is not yet clear what this will mean for individual sectors. However, it is clear that, as a result of the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, there is an increasing focus on achieving positive environmental outcomes in Agriculture.
Ireland's farmers are well placed to deliver on this objective giver our reputation as a source of high quality food produced to the highest environmental standards. Farmers can also embrace these changes in the knowledge that much of what is being asked of them can contribute to improving overall farm profitability, and that there are strong synergies between environmental performance and market dynamics .
209. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if applicants in respect of forestry licences who submit a Natura impact statement can expect a speedier determination as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40699/20]
View answerThe Department has put in place a process for dealing with forestry licensing applications requiring ecology input. A dedicated project plan, using a systematic approach to processing the backlog of licences requiring an appropriate assessment (AA), prioritises cases where the applicant submits a Natura Impact Statement (NIS).
On receipt of a satisfactory NIS, the length of time it would take to complete the AA process is estimated to be between two and three months. Licences normally issue in a matter of weeks after the ecologists complete their work.
210. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce mandatory timeframes in respect of the process and determination of forestry licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40700/20]
View answerI am acutely aware that current timescales for the determination and issue of forestry licences are not in line with expected norms. These delays have arisen because of significant changes introduced in the Department's appropriate assessment process, as a result of European Court of Justice cases and their subsequent interpretation by the courts and the Forestry Appeals Committee.
My Department's overall approach to tackling the backlog of applications is subject to continuous improvement and review with the aim of increasing the output of licences on a weekly basis. At the beginning of the year, there were just two ecologists working on the backlog of applications referred to ecology but this figure is now sixteen. Additional forestry inspectors have also been hired to support this work.
This delivered increased output in October and November compared to other months this year. While this still has some considerable way to go, I am encouraged by this progress and intend to sustain and build on this output of licences issued each week.
I am taking the current issues in the forestry sector extremely seriously. It is an absolute key priority for me and the rest of the Department.
211. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made to ensure equal access to financial support for students of agricultural colleges such as the student hardship fund and once-off Covid-19 payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40701/20]
View answerI very much appreciate that students in the agricultural colleges face financial challenges this year due to the impact of COVID 19.
To assist those learners, Teagasc is proposing broadly similar measures to those recently announced by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in the wider education sector to support remote learning and to provide financial assistance to fulltime students.
It includes a targeted measure to support disadvantaged students whose circumstances limit their ability to access remote learning and once off supports for recipients of the Teagasc student maintenance grant and those who paid the fulltime course fee on Level 5 and Level 6 programmes.
It is intended that these measures will be implemented before year end.
212. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to address the imbalance in ferry subsidies on islands (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40533/20]
View answerMy Department invites requests for tenders for each of the subsidised transport services to the islands. When preparing the tender documentation, consideration is given to the requirements of the island communities – which is established through prior consultation - and to the budgets available to the Department to support these services.
The nature of the service being tendered for varies from island to island, contingent on a range of variables including distance from the mainland, services available on the island, mainland transport requirements, etc.
The subsidy provided to any of the ferry operators is ultimately influenced by the tenders received, having regard to the reasonableness of their costs. Tenderers are required to set out the costs associated with the proposed services and calculate the subsidy they feel is required to provide the service in question. Costs included by tenderers include those associated with fuel, vessel and crew costs.
I would also point out that in the case of some of the islands referenced by the Deputy, not all of the sailings provided by operators are subsidised by the State.
213. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has had regard to contracts of employment within the sectors under her remit; and if she is in receipt of correspondence on concerns raised by those sectors. [40548/20]
View answerSectors relevant to my Departments remit include charities, social enterprises and community and voluntary groups in addition to those organisations delivering in rural Ireland. Contracts of employment within these sectors are generally a matter for the employers concerned. My Department is not aware at this time of specific concerns raised on contracts nor in receipt of correspondence on this issue.
214. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an organisation (details supplied) could receive funding under the Community Services Programme Support Fund for the costs of relocating gardens and the fitting of a new Irish Water connection at the new allotments given that the organisation is a community-based organisation that provides local social and environmental services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40739/20]
View answerThe Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 420 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. CSP funding is provided as a fixed annual contribution towards the wages cost of an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions and a manager, where warranted. It does not provide funding towards capital costs as outlined in the Deputy's question. In addition, the organisation in question is not currently supported under the CSP.
Funding may be available for the project referenced by the Deputy, through the LEADER Programme. LEADER is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country. Funding is provided under a broad range of themes. The decision to approve a project, or otherwise, is a matter for the LAG which administers the programme in each LEADER area. Interested applicants should, in the first instance, contact the relevant LAG through its Implementing Partner to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The list of all Local Action Groups, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c45498-local-action-groups.
The project may also be eligible for funding under the Community Enhancement Programme. The 2020 Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) with funding of €2m providing small capital grants to community organisations was launched in June. Separately, under the July stimulus package my Department launched a €5m fund for repairs or upgrades to community centres and community buildings. While it is now closed for 2020, it is hoped to run the CEP again in 2021. Full details of the 2021 Scheme will issue to all Local Authorities when finalised.
