Written Answers Nos. 65-76
65. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work carried out by his Department to ensure access and promote Irish food products in the markets of countries that have concluded EU free trade since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41540/20]
View answerGaining third country market access and opening trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports have long been integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. This is particularly important as we deal with the challenges presented by Brexit.
Trade missions continue to play a key role, and in recent years the choice of destinations for Trade Missions has been informed by, inter alia, the need to leverage EU Free Trade Agreements. For example, successful visits have taken place in recent years to Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico, all of which have concluded FTAs with the European Union. Improved market access has been achieved through these visits, including the abolition of the age restriction on beef exports to Japan and the progression of beef access in South Korea.
My Department has also placed four additional Agriculture Attaches in the Irish Embassy network in recent years, in Berlin, Tokyo and Mexico City in 2019, and in Seoul, South Korea, in 2020. These latter three appointments have also been informed in part by the need to build on EU FTAs with these countries.
Of course, our traditional "in person" method of developing trade with customers is not feasible currently. To that end, Minister Heydon and I, in conjunction with Bord Bia, held a series of Virtual Trade Missions during November and December with customers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. These interactive engagements included Irish industry and existing and potential customers overseas. There has also been a series of virtual meetings with key international customers from Germany, the UK, Japan, China, UAE and SE Asia.
66. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he plans to address the challenge of climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41613/20]
View answerThe issue of climate change is one of the foremost challenges facing us all globally. Given the nature of the Irish economy, the importance of agriculture, coupled with the lack of heavy industry in comparison with some other EU Member States, agriculture is responsible for approximately 34% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, primary agriculture will need to step up and play its part in reducing absolute emission over the years ahead in line with EU and national targets, However it is critical to note that farmers have already made great strides in this regard and have shown a willingness to meet all our climate ambitions.
The Deputy's question is timely, as I am publishing a climate and air roadmap for the primary agriculture sector shortly. This roadmap will set a out a series of actions that farmers can start to implement on their farms to reduce overall emissions. We need to start seeing changes now. The roadmap will be very much based on the measures contained in the Teagasc Marginal Abatement Cost Curve for greenhouse gases which was published in 2018.
I want to continue to invest heavily in research and innovation in climate smart agriculture. By investing in research now, we can develop innovative solutions to further reduce the climate footprint of our sector in medium to long term.
Finally, I see the issue of carbon sequestration as an opportunity for Irish farmers. No other sector will have the ability to offset carbon emissions to the same extent as agriculture. Recently, I provided funding to Teagasc to establish a National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory. This observatory will facilitate the intensive monitoring of carbon emissions and removals across a range of Irish soils, putting Ireland at the forefront internationally in terms of understanding, supporting and rewarding farmers for practices that build carbon stores in our soils.
67. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work carried out by his Department to fund the necessary research and development activities that can develop tangible solutions to farmers and help them to maintain a climate-friendly agricultural system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/20]
View answerThe funding of research and development activities by this Department is central to provide the evidence base and solutions that will help address the climate challenges faced in the agricultural sector. A core focus of this effort is to encourage uptake and use of innovations by farmers in order to promote an agricultural system that reduces and prevents negative impacts on the climate.
Through a combination of both national and trans-national competitive research calls that my Department has operated or engaged in over recent years, significant funding has been invested in climate related research. Indeed, over the last 12-months alone, over €8.8m has been committed to support climate and environment-orientated research projects undertaken by early stage researchers in Irish research institutions for the benefit of the agricultural sector and which aim to help farmers work towards and achieve climate-friendly and climate-neutral farms.
In addition, during 2020 we continued to promote and support researcher engagement in relevant agri-climate research opportunities offered through the EU Green Deal, European Research Networks and the EU LIFE programme. Furthermore, with a focus on delivering a climate-friendly agricultural system relevant to farmers and the agri-food sector as a whole in Ireland, my Department’s work, both nationally and internationally, in the development of future research and innovation strategies, programmes and funding opportunities over the next 10-years continues to be of critical importance.
As we approach 2021, my Department is finalising a new thematic national research Call that will provide further funding to allow the research community to develop innovative solutions for farmers and their sector in order to support them in maintaining and delivering a sustainable and climate sensitive agri-food, forest and bio-based system. Under Budget 2021 I secured an addtional €3m which has been allocated to research, bringing the research budget within my Department to €18m.
This competitively allocated funding for research is additional to the grant-in-aid allocations to Teagasc of €147m in 2021, much of which goes towards research and advisory activities related to climate sustainability.
68. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of entitlements under the basic payment scheme, leased out in 2019 and 2020; the percentage each year that these represent of the number of entitlements; the value of the leased entitlements in each year; and the number of farmers that lease out at least a portion of their entitlements. [41599/20]
View answerDuring 2019 my Department processed applications to transfer over 164,000 entitlements by way of lease. This represents 3.7% of the total number of allocated entitlements. The value of those entitlements totalled approx €31.5m and the number of farmers transferring out entitlements by way of lease was 11,607.
With regard to 2020, my Department processed applications to transfer over 201,500 entitlements by way of lease. This represents 4.5% of the total number of allocated entitlements. The value of those entitlements totalled over €38.5m and the number of farmers transferring out entitlements by way of lease was 14,146.
69. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to conduct a second consultation process on trawling activity inside the six nautical mile zone in view of a recent High Court judgement which found that the previous consultation process was defective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41624/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in 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 give effect to these changes. A Judicial Review to the High Court was taken by two applicant fishermen challenging the validity of the Policy.
On 6th October 2020, the Judge held in summary that the High 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 Court’s ruling has been appealed by the State to the Court of Appeal and a stay is being sought on the orders granted therein. The date for the Court hearing directions is set for 11th December.
As this matter is sub judice, I am not in a position to comment until the matter can be resolved before the Courts. However, I would like to assure you that I am committed to delivering the promises made in the Programme for Government that inshore waters continue to be protected for smaller fishing vessels and pair trawling be prohibited inside the six-mile limit.
70. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he will employ to ensure that further lockdown periods if required will not have the same impact in view of reports that mart throughout was down approximately 30,000 head on corresponding 2019 figures during the recent restrictions. [41601/20]
View answerMarts operated succesfully under Level 5 restrictions from Tuesday 22nd October to Monday 30th November. From a position where few marts had online systems in place in April, there has been a rapid take up of the new systems by marts over recent months. Currently the vast majority of marts have online systems in place and are operating through online platforms. Thousands of cattle and sheep have been bought and sold successfully online.
The figures on mart throughput since Level 5 was introduced, from Thursday 22nd October to Monday 30th November, clearly show that marts and farmers adapted to this:
Cattle throughput is at 84.2% of the comparable period for 2019 (186,317 v 221,234 cattle)
Sheep throughput is at 82.7% of the comparable period for 2019 (135,881 v 164,330 sheep)
The same number of marts (approximately 80 per week) have continued to operate during the Level 5 restrictions, to date, as operated during the corresponding weeks in 2019.
In addition to the high throughput figures, clearance rates have been high and prices have been robust.
These figures are testament to the hard work and commitment of marts to keep operating in this difficult period. .
From the 1st of December, marts have been operating under Level 3 restrictions. Under level 3 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.
In recognition of the extra investment that marts are making in IT infrastructure to facilitate online sales, my Department plans to launch a grant scheme in early 2021 to help with the purchase of IT equipment.
My Department will continue to monitor the situation, and to adapt measures applied to marts in line with public health guidelines.
I wish to thank mart managers and farmers for adhering so closely to the Level 5 guidlines in helping to keep each other safe.
71. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it will be ensured that either an insurance scheme or a standard compensation package is in place for poultry farmers that have to cull flocks as a result of avian influenza outbreaks. [41600/20]
View answerThe Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides that compensation to owners of animals may be payable if a cull of those animals is directed by my Department in the event of an outbreak in that herd or flock of certain diseases, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The compensation may relate to the animal that is culled, or to an animal product, animal feed or similar item that is destroyed in relation to the outbreak. The compensation may not exceed the open market value of the animal or item.
In 2017 my Department engaged an external consultancy firm with specialised knowledge of poultry, to develop valuation tables relating to the most common species and types of poultry in Ireland, to be used to determine compensation payable in the case of an outbreak of poultry disease that necessitates a cull. These valuation tables are updated on a 6-monthly basis.
Ireland is currently in the high risk period (October to April) for the introduction of Avian Influenza as a result of the migration of wild birds returning to overwinter from areas where Avian Influenza is widespread.
On the 1st December I introduced two Statutory Instruments under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, these regulations require flock keepers to apply particular bio-security measures for poultry and other captive birds as a precautionary measure against Avian Influenza, the regulations also include a ban on the assembly of birds. Including, but no limited to, flock owners are to feed and water birds inside or under cover where wild birds cannot access the feed or water and keep poultry separate from wild birds by putting suitable fencing around the outdoor areas they access.
Flock owners should remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks, and report any disease suspicion to their nearest Regional Veterinary Office.
Our key priority is taking pragmatic steps to protect our commercial flock and farmers livelihoods.
72. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assessment he has undertaken which cast doubt on the role of forestry in carbon abatement. [41607/20]
View answerIreland, as part of the implementation EU Regulation 2018/814, is required like all EU Member states to submit a National Forestry Accounting Plan which assesses the carbon emissions and removals resulting from older forests. This also sets a forest reference level for the period 2021-2025.
These older forests for the purposes of greenhouse gas accounting under the regulation are referred to as “managed forest lands” and which are older than 30 years of age. This reference level is needed in order to account and report greenhouse gas changes from 2021-2025 against this land category. These forests represent about 60% of the forest estate. This detailed assessment has now taken place and is documented in the National Forestry Accounting Plan which has also been reviewed by the European Commission.
While the Managed Forest Lands 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 estate is storing and sequestering. It is estimated that these older forests will be a small net source of approximately 0.1 million tonnes of CO2 per year, when harvested wood products are included, over the period 2021-2025.
Although these older forests will be a small source of carbon dioxide over the period 2021-2025, projections indicate that the entire forest estate will remain a net sink over the entire period from 2021 to 2050. However, the net greenhouse balance of the estate is strongly dependent on the level of harvest, deforestation and afforestation.
73. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of meetings he has held with farmers’ organisations in the context of Brexit during December 2020. [41622/20]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I have engaged and consulted extensively with farm organisations, industry stakeholders and representative bodies on Brexit. This has particularly been the case through our national Brexit Stakeholder Consultative Committee, which contains representatives from all of the main farmers' organisations, and is due to meet again before Christmas.
As a result of my active engagement with farmers and industry I am very familiar with the challenges that Brexit poses for our agri-food sector and the wider economy. I know that this is a very challenging time for them when they are already trying to cope with the Covid-19 crisis.
However, I have been very clear that, regardless of the outcome of the EU-UK negotiations, from 1 January 2021, any business that moves animals, plants, animal products or plant products from, to or through Great Britain will be subject to a range of new customs formalities and other regulatory requirements. I am asking the farm organisations, and other organisations that I meet, to help me to get this message out to their members and to encourage them to avail of the broad range of supports, including financial, upskilling and advisory supports that are available to prepare for Brexit.
I can confirm to the Deputy that I addressed the ICMSA’s AGM on a number of issues, including Brexit, at a virtual event that took place on 3 December.
74. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work his Department is undertaking to ensure adequate farm safety training is provided to farmers in order to help reduce the unacceptably high number of fatal farm accidents each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41488/20]
View answerMy Department has and continues to undertake a range of initiatives in relation to the provision of farm safety training. To this end, the Government assigned my ministerial colleague, Martin Heydon, TD. the specific responsibility for Farm Safety within my Department.
As part of the package of new farm safety measures in Budget 2021, €1m in funding has been provided to support ‘locally-led’ farm safety initiatives.
Further to this, farm safety training will be included as part of the programme that will see over 50,000 farmers access farm safety and biodiversity training. This programme will be of huge benefit and will build on the over 14,600 farmers who have already received farm safety training as part of their applications for support under TAMS.
In addition my Department, in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority and the Irish Farmers Journal, jointly developed an on-line Tractor Safety Awareness Training course. The course is aimed primarily at young people who are starting to drive tractors on farms and highlights the daily safety elements that need to be considered. It can also provide a reminder for experienced operators of the practical application of farm safety in the operation of tractors. This course was launched in September of this year.
75. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the strategy for climate adaptation in agriculture has integrated the new higher ambition for greenhouse gas abatement. [41608/20]
View answerMy Department published an Agriculture, Forest and Seafood Sectoral Adaptation Plan in 2019. As envisaged in the National Adaptation Framework sectoral adaptation plans will be revised at a minimum every five years.
As the deputy will be aware, work has commenced on the successor to the 2019 Climate Action Plan, which my Department is actively engaged with. The revised Climate Action Plan will be a key mechanism for the delivery of the programme for Government commitments around the achievement of the 7% per annum greenhouse gas abatement target. This time around the intention is for the Plan to include an increased focus on resilience and our response to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Very often adaptation and mitigation actions are interlinked and particularly so in the agriculture sector, therefore, having this type of integrated approach is important as we seek to maximise the co-benefits of our climate interventions.
In addition, I will publish a climate and air roadmap for the sector which also recognises the need to build sustainable, resilient food production and land use management systems that meet our climate and environmental obligations. The actions in the roadmap also seek to maximise the benefits from both an adaptation and mitigation perspective where possible.
76. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement he has had with the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs during the week of 30 November 2020, on the impact of a no-deal Brexit on all island trade. [41621/20]
View answerI can confirm that I met both the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 1st December and that I avail of every opportunity to update them on the impact that Brexit will have on the agri-food sector.
The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland ensures that many of the changes arising from Brexit will not arise on the island of Ireland, regardless of whether there is an EU-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
It is important that we are clear and open about the challenges posed by the implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. These changes include the fact that goods from Northern Ireland will have UK origin. UK origin goods cannot avail of preferential tariff rates available under EU FTAs. Mixed origin goods, that is goods containing both UK and EU origin inputs, may be able to avail of EU FTAs but only if they meet the relevant product-specific rule for that product.
It is my view that traders across the island of Ireland must continue to prepare for the reality of all of the changes that will face us on 1 January 2021, including the practical impact that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will have in terms of access to EU FTAs.
Nevertheless, there may be opportunities, particularly in respect of ongoing trade negotiations by both the UK and the EU with third countries, to identify solutions to this challenge for all island supply chains. Not all the tools required to make progress on this issue are in our control, or even that of the EU.
I remain strongly engaged on this issue, but we must all face the reality that this is a very complex area and there exist fundamental challenges to progress towards a solution.
