Written Answers Nos. 474-479
474. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to permitting the land that grows hemp to be eligible for the single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25353/21]
View answerProviding that all other standard requirements of the scheme are met, hemp is an eligible crop for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). It was also an eligible crop under the Single Payment Scheme which preceded the BPS.
475. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he plans to take to protect small food producers killing their own animals for meat, butchers and small abattoirs in view of attempts by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland to force them to pay for the full cost of follow-up inspections; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such an application of charges will undermine Brexit commitments given by Government to support small food producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25356/21]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) does not levy fees on premises or operators approved and supervised by the HSE. The Department only charges fees to DAFM approved and supervised premises.
476. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the scientific studies used to support the answer to Parliamentary Question No. 682 of 5 May 2021 regarding bird species which require foraging distances from 3km to 15km from forestry projects averaging seven hectares in size; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25383/21]
View answerThe Habitats Directive and the transposing legislation SI 477 of 2011 require, inter alia, that an appropriate assessment is undertaken where screening identifies a likelihood of the project having a significant effect on a European site(s). This is true regardless of the separation distance between the project and the European site(s).
A likely zone of impact is used in order to identify those European Sites to be specifically addressed during screening. In making a decision regarding the likelihood of a project having a significant effect on a European Site(s), all European Sites within a certain radius (or ‘likely zone of impact’) should be considered at screening stage, in addition to hydrologically-connected European Sites. For example, in relation to a Special Protection Area, it is important to consider whether the project area lies within the foraging distance of bird species for which that SPA was designated, and many of these foraging distances exceed 3km. After considering a range of inputs including NPWS guidance, feedback from the FAC and advice from the Department's environmental consultants, this was set at 15km for forestry applications which is also the standard generally used for applications in other sectors.
In determining the foraging distance of bird species, the Scottish Natural Heritage publication (2016) Assessing Connectivity with Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Guidance (version 3) was among the reference material used. The purpose of this publication was to help identify the connectivity between development proposals and SPAs. It recommended that, in most cases, the core range should be used when determining whether there is connectivity between the proposal and the qualifying interests.
It identified the core foraging range from nest site during breeding season (for example, 5km for Merlin) and the core foraging range from night roost during winter season for a range of species (for example, 5km for Whooper swan, 5 – 8km for Greenland White fronted goose and 15km for barnacle goose). For Hen harriers Irwin et al ., 2012 found that the maximum distance travelled from the nest was 7.5 km (female) and 11.4 km (male).
References
Scottish Natural Heritage (2016) Assessing Connectivity with Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Guidance (version 3).
Irwin, S., Wilson, W., O'Donoghue, B., O'Mahony, B., Kelly, T., O'Halloran, J. (2012). Optimum scenarios for Hen Harrier Conservation in Ireland; Final Report 2012. Prepared for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine by the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork
477. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1949 of 24 March 2021, if he will urgently take steps at a national level to give legal protection to the native Irish honey bee also known as apis mellifera mellifera and to take the necessary conservation measures to protect the species given confirmation by the European Commission that such national measures may be taken by the Government outside of the confines of the habitats directive (details supplied). [25417/21]
View answerIn relation to the importation of honeybees into Ireland, this is allowed under regulations governing intra-Community trade with other EU Member States. The specific health requirements for trading in bees are laid out in Regulation 2016/429. All imports of bees must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the country of export after a physical inspection of the bees and their packaging has taken place. This is to ensure that imported bees are healthy and do not harbour pathogens or parasites that may be harmful to our native bee stocks.
Officials in my Department are evaluating the current measures and supports in place for apis mellifera mellifera as well as possibilities around the merits of further research. While the European Commission has noted that a member state may at national level decide whether or not to give legal protection to a sub-species and to take the necessary conservation measures to protect it, the importation of bees is subject to EU regulation on intra community trade, any legal protection that would contravene that trade would need to be scientifically robust and also be justified and proportionate.
I fully acknowledge the important contribution bees make to agriculture and biodiversity as both pollinators and honey producers. In this regard, my Department provides a range of supports and initiatives to encourage and assist beekeepers and the national beekeeping associations. These supports include funding to carry out applied research through the National Apiculture Programme, grants to national beekeeping associations and grant aid to fund capital investments for beekeepers. My Department is also a partner in the All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021 – 2025 and is a member of the All-Ireland Honeybee Strategy Steering Group.
My Department has funded a number of studies under the Genetic Research Grant Aid Scheme looking at various aspects of this honeybee species and specifically apis mellifera melliferra. In 2021, funding has been allocated for an innovative queen rearing project. My Department also supports the conservation work of the Native Irish Honey Bee Society.
478. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the information his Department collates as per circular 20/2019 (details supplied); the date this report was issued; the location on his Departmental website on which it can be found; and the progress in relation to green procurement that has been made to date. [25425/21]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that under the terms of the Office of Government Procurement's Circular 20 of 2019, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is required to publish an annual progress report in relation to green public procurement.
This reporting requirement commences with the Department's 2020 Annual Report which will be published later this year.
479. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the information her Department collates as per circular 20/2019 (details supplied); the date this report was issued; the location on her Departmental website on which it can be found; and the progress in relation to green procurement that has been made to date. [25438/21]
View answerVoted expenditure by my Department generally relates to the provision of grant funding with procurement arrangements being the responsibility of grant recipients, subject to compliance with overall procurement requirements.
In terms of green procurement, the relevant contracts entered into by my Department relate to goods and services needed for our daily operational requirements for example, office cleaning, paper provision etc.
On foot of the reporting arrangements established by Circular 20/2019, my Department will outline progress in relation to Green Public Procurement as part of its Annual Report, commencing with the 2020 report which is due to be published mid-year. My Department will be reporting that no new contracts relevant to the circular were entered into in 2020. However, all future procurement in the relevant areas will be carried out in accordance with green procurement guidelines.
