Written Answers Nos. 1128-1146
1128. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is a cap on the amount an individual farmer can receive for stone wall quality and or tree planting under the results-based environment-agri pilot project scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21278/21]
View answer1129. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it will be ensured that the results-based environment-agri pilot project scheme has a payment of €10,000 to make it viable for farmers to participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21279/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1128 and 1129 together.
The Programme for Government commits to rewarding farmers for adapting to more sustainable methods of farming and to the development of a new agri-environment scheme capable of delivering broad environmental and biodiversity benefits that will align financial supports with climate objectives. To advance this aim, the Results-Based Environmental Agri Pilot Project (REAP) opened for applications last week.
REAP is an innovative and ambitious initiative designed to test the results-based model on participating farms and will feed into the development of the next national agri-environment scheme to follow on from GLAS. It is not an agri-environment scheme but rather a pilot to test certain actions to see if they would be suitable for inclusion in the next large-scale agri-environment scheme.
While the project will support our environmental objectives, it will also support farm income by providing up to €12,600 to participating farms over the two-year term of their REAP contract. This record level of investment in on-farm agri-environment measures demonstrates the commitment of this Government to achieving our environmental goals while investing in farm incomes.
Full details of the project including payment rates, terms, conditions and specifications are now available on the Department's section of the Government website.
1132. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider changing the terms and conditions of the TAMS scheme for low emission slurry spreading equipment to allow registered agricultural contractors who do not own a farm to apply for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21345/21]
View answerTAMS II is a capital investment scheme for on-farm investments. The EU regulations under which the scheme operates under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014 – 2020, provide that beneficiaries must be farmers or groups of farmers. The regulatory transitional provisions for support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in the years 2021 and 2022 do not alter this definition.
Therefore, the Department is precluded from funding the purchase of equipment by contractors under TAMS II.
Under the terms and conditions for the LESS measure, the scheme is open to farmers who hold a Department identifier, and prior to submitting the nline TAMS II application have a minimum of 5 hectares of “eligible land” owned and/or leased or rented which have been declared under the Basic Payment Scheme or equivalent in the year of application or preceding year, or are engaged in the breeding, rearing or fattening of pigs and have a minimum of 60 production units at the time of application in accordance with Annex B of the Scheme.
The Department is fully committed to encouraging the use of this equipment. Over €40.4 million has been paid to date for investments in LESS equipment under TAMS II. The interest in the LESS measure of TAMS II has been very strong with 7,376 farmers approved to purchase machinery to date.
1133. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when work on dredging Howth harbour will resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21347/21]
View answerHowth Fishery Harbour Centre (FHC) is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under Statute.
The siltation in Howth Harbour has been recognised as an issue for some time, and the requirement for a dredging project to restore adequate depth in the entrance channel and within the harbour is accepted. The Harbour was last dredged in the early 1980s. The possibility of a dredging project has been under consideration for some time.
The project will involve the dredging of circa 240,000 cubic meters of dredge material and reuse of material in land reclamation. The land reclamation area will provide a mix of recreational public access green areas, slipway access to the water for small craft and provide areas for business, harbour operations and transport.
My Department tendered for a Consulting Engineering practice on 3rd October 2018 to bring the project through the planning, environmental permitting and design phase and should a decision be made to progress the project, this consultant will also be responsible for the supervision of onsite works.
The project will require Planning Permission, an Environmental Impact Assessment Report and a Waste License. A variety of factors will impact on the cost of a potential dredging project, including the disposal options, overall scale of the project, and market factors.
As part of the planning process, my Department has recently completed a Public Consultation process and the closure date for submissions was Friday 9th April 2021.
Following the collation of information received during the consultation process which is currently underway, it is hoped to submit an application for planning permission in May 2021, with the required EPA licencing process to follow after grant of Planning Permission. It is expected that the planning and permitting phase could take at least 12 months.
As is the case with all developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres, any future decision with regard to initiating a full dredging project in Howth FHC will only be considered on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing national priorities.
All other works in Howth FHC including the Middle Pier Project are stopped under current Government Covid 19 restrictions and will reopen once permitted.
1134. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the way the number forestry licences with ecology input processed between November 2020 to February 2021 equates to one licence per ecologist per week given that 21 full-time equivalent ecologists have been employed; his views on whether this work rate is below that which is needed to address the crisis in the forestry sector; when the ecology target of 220 licences will be achieved; and the number of full-time ecologists that will be needed to achieve this target. [21352/21]
View answerThe licensing situation in the forestry sector continues to be our main challenge. We have committed to issuing 4,500 licences this year and that is still our intention.
While the current licensing situation is still not as we wish, this quarter has shown an improvement on the same period last year, with an increase of 24% on the number of licences issued.
The area of land approved for planting has improved with each passing month this year and we approved 1,300 hectares in the first three months of this year compared with 1,100 for the same period in 2020. In the last five weeks, our ecologists have prioritised afforestation files.
Forest Road licence approvals for the first three months of this year, at 76 kilometres are well over twice as much as the first three months of 2020 time last year.
Felling area and volume is also up when comparing with the first three months of last year. (1.7 million cubic metres approved compared with 1.1 million cubic metres)
We are taking on more staff to assist to deal with the situation and these will be supplemented by additional contract ecologists. Resources are not our only focus. We have just introduced a new system for streamlining the preparation of documents which inform the Appropriate Assessment process, which removes some of the manual non ecology tasks. This process is currently live for felling files and will soon be rolled out to road and then afforestation files. While we are still going through the early training and testing stages the early signs are good in terms of the potential the new system has to increase the rate at which files are processed. No doubt, further refinements to the system will be identified as part of the process review. Both additional resources and systems improvements will increase output to ensure we reach the target of 4,500 licences in 2021.
1135. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has engaged or employed an ecologist from outside the State to assess forestry licences. [21353/21]
View answerAll external ecologists employed by the Department are companies or sole traders registered within the State.
1136. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to a matter (details supplied) regarding the ANC stocking rate retention of seven months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21369/21]
View answerOne of the eligibility criteria applicants for the Areas of Natural Constraints scheme must satisfy is the requirement to maintain a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare for seven consecutive months within the calendar year, i.e. 1st January to the 31st of December.
Examples of the seven consecutive month period would be the 1st January to 31st July inclusive, the 19th May to 18th December inclusive and 1st June to 31st December inclusive.
In addition to the seven month retention period, applicants are also required to maintain an annual average stocking density of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the 12 months of the calendar year.
It is not intended to reduce the retention period from the current seven consecutive month period. However, as outlined above, applicants have until the 1st June to commence the retention period.
Where applicants have been unable to meet the minimum stocking requirements during the scheme year on the grounds of Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances, applicants can submit an appeal to my Department outlining the reasons why it was not possible for them to meet these requirements and providing any supporting documentation (eg medical evidence in the form of a letter from their GP or Consultant). Any such appeals received by my Department will be examined on a case-by-case basis and the outcome of the appeal communicated to the applicant.
A member of staff of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to discuss their specific issues with regards to the 2021 scheme year.
1137. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No.1999 of 24 March 2021, if he will provide additional information (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21406/21]
View answerThe timber revenue income per hectare from growing trees is related largely to the productivity of the lands planted. Enclosed land is, in general, more fertile and less exposed than unenclosed land and trees planted on enclosed land generally perform much better than trees planted on soil types associated with unenclosed land. This position is supported by many publications including ‘Sitka spruce in Ireland, Joyce, P.M. and OCarroll, N. 2002, and by ‘The distribution and productivity of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) in Ireland in relation to site, soil and climatic factors’. Farrelly N. et al 2009. and the Code of Best Forest Practice - Ireland (2000).
Phosphorus release from forest harvesting on an upland blanket peat catchment by Rodgers et al in 2010 established that peat soils do not buffer phosphate in the same way mineral soils do and that there will be a release of phosphate into receiving waters post-harvesting, even with the installation of protective setbacks along watercourses.
In 2016, COFORD published a report ‘Land Availability for Afforestation’. The report did not recommend a return to unrestricted planting of unenclosed land and removing the 20% rule. Subsequent to the report being published greater clarity was given around land classification and some better unenclosed lands that were previously classified as Grant Premium Category 1 (the old unenclosed land category) were elevated to a higher category ‘Land types for afforestation (DAFM 2017).
Under Project Woodland, the issue around the planting of unenclosed land will be examined.
1138. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he last spoke formally with the CEO of Greyhound Racing Ireland. [21416/21]
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.
I last spoke with the CEO of RCÉ on 7th October 2020. I am due to speak to the CEO and Chairman shortly.
My officials are in regular contact with officials from Rásaíocht Con Éireann.
1139. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of efforts by his Department working with Donegal County Council to secure the necessary funding to complete the breakwater at Greencastle Harbour, County Donegal, mindful of the huge outlay of public funding already invested in a half finished project. [21445/21]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute.
As the Deputy will be aware, Greencastle Harbour is owned by Donegal County Council and responsibility for its maintenance and development rests with the Local Authority.
Any future decision as regards centrally funding this project can and will be taken in the overall budgetary context, with regard to competing national priorities.
1140. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure the immediate publication of the European Commission 2018 audit and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority administrative enquiry that has led to the revocation of the derogation for the fishing industry to weigh fishery products following transport away from the place of landing; and his views on whether it is only fair to provide the evidence that justifies such a decision. [21446/21]
View answer1169. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will contact the European Commission and obtain its 2018 audit report carried out on the Irish fisheries; and if he will publish and distribute same to an organisation (details supplied) and the relevant fishers organisations. [22318/21]
View answer1170. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will contact the SFPA regarding the administration enquiry report on Irish fishers carried out by it; if he will request that it be made available to the relevant fishers organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22319/21]
View answer1171. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has seen the audit reports by the European Commission on Irish fishers and the administration report by the SFPA; if he contacted the Commission or the SFPA regarding these reports; if he will request a copy of these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22320/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1140 and 1169 to 1171, inclusive, together.
Following on from a commission Audit in 2018, Ireland received a formal decision of the Commission's intention to conduct an administrative inquiry under Article 102(2) of the 2009 EU Fisheries Control Regulation to evaluate Ireland's capacity to apply the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The findings of the inquiry were communicated to Ireland in December 2020. Ireland has subsequently received a Commission Implementing Decision revoking the approval of the Irish control plan submitted for the weighing of fishery products in accordance with Article 61(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.
The monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are law enforcement matters for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, all operational issues of this nature are exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. I am aware that the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) have written to and also met with industry representatives in relation to the revocation of the derogation in the control plan. It is the responsibility of the SFPA to set out new procedures in relation to this changed position. I am expressly precluded from getting involved in operational matters such as those referred to by the Deputy.
My officials have commenced a process of engagement with the EU Commission, in association with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority which is responsible for operational matters. In the context of this engagement, I am not in a position to comment on the EU Commission's findings and the package of measures that the Commissioner has set out. To do so at this juncture would be to prejudice Ireland’s position.
The engagement with the Commission will allow a full evaluation of the findings of the Inquiry and consideration of the actions that the Commission has identified. The EU Commission advised my Department previously that, under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, no documents relating to the administrative enquiry could be made public.
1141. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the 46 recommendations made by a company (details supplied) into the review of the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency; the person or body that appointed the Steering and Oversight Group; the date such appointments were made; if they are reporting back to him directly or to the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency; the details of the creation of the post of director of transformation at the Agency; the justification for the rise in the budget of the Agency from €11 million in 2014 to € 24.8 million in 2020 which is a rise of 225% in just over six years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21541/21]
View answerThe SFPA commissioned an independent review of the Organisational Capability of the SFPA in 2019 and this was completed by Price Waterhouse Coopers. A Steering Group comprised of three senior and expert persons, all independent of the SFPA, was put in place to oversee the review.
The principal objective of the review was to contribute to the ongoing and future development of the SFPA. The areas covered by the review are the organisational capabilities of the SFPA to deliver on its mission for the effective and fair regulation of the sea fishing and seafood sectors that fall within its mandate.
The Review was completed in April 2020 and made 46 recommendations which, when implemented, will address issues identified to improve the effectiveness of the organisation. An independent Advisory Board, nominated by my Department was put in place to assist the management of the SFPA in the implementation of the Report. This Board is purely advisory and does not have any executive role in the operations of the SFPA. A dedicated Director of Transformation was appointed to the SFPA in January 2021, with overall responsibility for managing the implementation of the review’s recommendations.
The responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations rests with the SFPA, which is an independent agency as set down in the 2006 Act. My role, as Minister, relates solely to corporate governance.
The 2021 budget allocation of €24.810m is to allow the SFPA to continue to meet its National and EU obligations as Ireland's competent Authority for the enforcement of Sea Fisheries and seafood safety law and to meet challenges arising from Brexit. This budget includes a provision of €5.808m under EU- funded programmes for IT and other developments which previsously had been provided for in the general Department's budget.
The additional funds have been allocated over recent years to strengthen the Authority. Staff numbers have increased from 104 in October 2017 to 150 in 2021. In addition, a programme of recruitment is planned for this year to provide for strengthened control and enforcement functions, including supporting the new requirements for seafood trade following the UK departure from the EU.
1142. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1983 of 24 March 2021 and pursuant to the Programme for Government 2020, the status of legislation to provide for the introduction of a ban on fur farming which will also include a prohibition on mink farming; the timeline for when this legislation will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21589/21]
View answerThe 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. The Department is continuing to progress legislation in close consultation with other Government colleagues.
The Bill will make it illegal for any new fur farms to be established and will provide for the closure of the small number of existing farm operations.
1143. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of Ireland’s contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21634/21]
View answerAssisting 100 million people in 88 countries, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations humanitarian organisation saving and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. It works in partnership with other UN and international organisations, NGOs, civil society and the private sector to enable communities and countries to meet their own food needs. The WFP plays a significant role in the UN’s global campaign for Zero Hunger (Sustainable Development Goal 2) and is at the forefront of dealing with the migration crisis. For its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict, WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.
My Department leads on Ireland’s engagement with the WFP, which is funded exclusively from voluntary contributions. Ireland’s commitment to the WFP, expressed through three-yearly Strategic Partnership Agreements, was €70million for the period 2019-2021. My Department is currently leading on the preparations for the next SPA (2022-2024). This contribution will help save lives and support food security and nutrition and rebuild livelihoods in fragile settings and it reaffirms Ireland’s role as one of WFP’s most engaged partners. Ireland also chairs Friends of Nutrition, an informal space where Member States and the World Food Programme can come together to discuss the shared ambition for nutrition. Also, my Department represented Ireland at the WFP Executive Board in 2018 and 2019 as part of the rotating board membership. Ireland will sit on the Board again in 2023.
1144. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the land and buildings under the control and management of his Department across Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21635/21]
View answerThe information requested is set out in the table.
1145. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the relationship his Department has with Horse Sport Ireland; the basis on which that relationship was set up; the reporting mechanism that exists for funds provided by his Department to the organisation; if he plans to establish Horse Sport Ireland on a statutory basis; the objective in terms of co-ordinating the affiliate organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21664/21]
View answerHorse Sport Ireland (HSI) is a company limited by guarantee and is the national governing body for equestrian sport in Ireland. It is recognised by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the Irish Sports Council, the Olympic Council of Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. It was established in 2007 when the Equestrian Federation of Ireland and the Irish Horse Board were amalgamated, bringing together the breeding and competition sectors, on the basis of a Government commissioned report on the sector at the time. It receives State funds from the Department and through Sport Ireland.
It is responsible for devising and implementing strategies for the development and promotion of an internationally competitive Irish sport horse industry (breeding, sport and leisure aspects). HSI is approved by DAFM to maintain the Irish Sport Horse, Irish Draught Horse, Irish Sport Pony and Irish Cob Studbooks and it operates a comprehensive breed improvement programme and undertakes promotional and marketing initiatives.
There are annual Service Level Agreements between my Department and Horse Sport Ireland which set out the governance/funding arrangements and reporting mechanisms in detail.
The Board of Horse Sport Ireland, which was rationalised following the implementation of an independent report by Indecon Consultants in 2017, provides links with the all affiliate bodies through advisory councils. Indecon Consultants had carried out a comprehensive review of the structure in the 2017 report and recommended certain governance changes which have since being implemented.
I am not aware of any proposal or any request to change its configuration.
1146. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with representatives from the farming community such as an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the new REPS scheme and its design; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21698/21]
View answerI presume the Deputy's question relates to planning for the future agri-environment schemes under next CAP.
The preparation of Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 (CSP) is underway in my Department. Development of the plan involves a number of stages, including SWOT analysis, needs assessment, intervention design, financial allocations, target setting (including monitoring) and governance systems. The draft CSP will also be subject to an ex-ante evaluation, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment including a public consultation on the draft CSP and draft Environmental Report.
Despite Covid restrictions, I and Department officials have continued to engage extensively with stakeholders. Consultations on the CAP negotiations and development of the CSP will continue via the CAP Consultative Committee, which comprises representatives of the main stakeholders including farm bodies, NGOs, industry representatives, and other Government Departments.
In addition to the work of the CAP Consultative Committee, I will also continue to engage with stakeholders as we develop our CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
