Written Answers Nos. 476-490
476. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if women’s rights to a partner may continue to be restricted on the basis that there has been a failure to invest in expanding services and infrastructure (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26669/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
477. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if women’s rights to a partner may continue to be restricted on the basis that the national maternity strategy has not been implemented; if restrictions will continue because a unit is understaffed or other non-Covid related reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26670/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
478. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if community pools and leisure centres will be permitted to hold swimming classes for children in primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26697/21]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that swimming lessons and classes resumed on 7 June.
479. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of grant payments for a person (details supplied); if the grant will continue to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33968/21]
View answerThe person named applied to participate in both the 2019 and 2020 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme years. However, he did not qualify for payment in either year as he did not satisfy the minimum stocking requirements set out in the terms and conditions of the scheme.
An appeal was received on behalf of the person named on 21st June 2021. Following a review of the case, I can confirm that the appeal was successful and payment will issue to the person named shortly in respect of both 2019 and 2020 ANC scheme years.
480. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional funding will be provided for the REAP scheme given the significant demand by farmers for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33985/21]
View answer481. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the scoring criteria for the REAP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33986/21]
View answer482. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of REAP scheme applications received; the number rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33992/21]
View answer483. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grounds that will be considered for reviews of decisions from REAP scheme applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33994/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 480 to 483, inclusive, together.
I was delighted to see the huge level of interest in the Results-Based Agri Environment Pilot (REAP), demonstrated by over 10,800 applications being received by the Department.
Initially, as REAP is a pilot initiative, we were limited to 2,000 spaces. However, the participation numbers in the project have been increased following consultation I had with the EU Commission. Approvals have now issued to 4,926 farmers for support to undertake environmental commitments to increase the environmental value of their farm features. This figure is more than double the original participation figure envisioned and there are no plans to increase the figure further.
As REAP was oversubscribed, a ranking and selection process was used to assess applications. This process considered the presence of priority water areas (as defined by the EPA) and the proportion of Natura and ANC land on the holding. The details of the selection process is outlined in section 10 of the REAP terms and conditions.
Applicants have a right to request a review of the decision to be declined entry to REAP, similar to other Department decisions, if they feel that decision was incorrect. Such review requests must set out the reason why the decision is considered to be incorrect. Full details of this option and contact details are included in correspondence that has issued directly to the farmers concerned.
484. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to private forestry farms (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34010/21]
View answerA Natura Impact Statement (NIS) should only be supplied as part of the forestry licence application when specifically requested to do so by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Where the Department seeks an NIS, the areas that the applicants ecologists should pay particular attention to when completing the NIS are highlighted, with respect to the European sites screened in for that application.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Department will not be producing NIS’s or paying for them, if they are required.
Where the Department has sufficient information on file to prepare an Appropriate Assessment Report and Appropriate Assessment Determination, an NIS is not required from the applicant.
The Department has recently reviewed its systems for the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Screening Determinations, Appropriate Assessment Reports and Appropriate Assessment Determinations. We have made some improvements to the system to optimise the time of the ecologists to concentrate on the ecology aspects of each application. Currently, these improvements are only applied to private tree felling licence (TFL) applications with ecologists working mostly on these files in advance of the system being developed further to assist with forest road works and afforestation licence applications.
You will note that there has been a week-on-week increase in output of private forestry licences for the last six weeks as a result of these improvements. In that time, we have issued an average of between 90-100 licences per week.
Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, I am committed to seeing this trend continue.
485. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1196 of 15 June 2021, the basis for the Irish Deer Management Forum being disbanded following the publication of its 2015 report; if he plans for a similar group to be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34044/21]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, in 2015, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, together with the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht, which at the time was the parent Department of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), published "Deer Management in Ireland – A Framework for Action" which recommends a series of actions on deer management and conservation in a number of areas, including addressing the impact of deer in places where they are abundant.
The Irish Deer Management Forum was established to implement the various actions listed in the Report. The last meeting of the forum was held in 2018 and the forum has not been formally disbanded.
486. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Coillte has not responded to a query (details supplied); the reason it has failed to provide the records requested; when a response will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34060/21]
View answerCoillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters are the responsibility of the company.
I have therefore passed the questions raised to Coillte for response and direct reply to the Deputy.
487. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when his Department will issue a policy document regarding the 20% rule on unenclosed land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34113/21]
View answerA decision was made by the Department to restrict the planting of unenclosed land in December 2010, to no more than 20% of any one application. (Circular 10 of 2010 - Changes to Afforestation Grant and Premium Schemes 2011)
Unenclosed land is, in general, less fertile and more exposed than enclosed land and trees planted on unenclosed land generally do not perform as well as trees planted on soil types associated with enclosed land.
Prior to the decision to restrict planting of unenclosed land, a number of well-known studies supported the position that habitat types associated with unenclosed land are more environmentally sensitive than enclosed land.
At the time, another consideration was the fact that many plantations on unenclosed land that received grant and premium aid failed which required the Department to recoup the monies paid. This was a difficult process for the applicants and the Department.
Concerns also existed in relation to the importance of unenclosed land for foraging and breeding by a wide range of protected bird species (e.g. Hen harrier). Similarly, concerns existed in relation to undesignated Annex 1 habitats such as wet and dry heath, and highly endangered protected species such as freshwater pearl mussel, whose life cycle is dependent on natural habitats typically associated with unenclosed land. Such environmental issues were discussed at this time with the European Commission.
Hen harrier, Freshwater Pearl mussel, Breeding waders including Curlew and High Nature Value farmland remain key concerns of the Commission in relation to Ireland's afforestation programme.
The planting on unenclosed land will be reviewed in the context of Project Woodland by Working Group 4.
488. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will supply a policy document for the decision making to increase the buffer zone radius on all forestry projects to 15 km; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34114/21]
View answer489. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of forestry projects which are captured within the 15 km buffer zone radius and screened in for appropriate assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34115/21]
View answer491. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures taken by his Department prior to increasing the buffer zone radius to 15 km and to ensure the necessary resources were in place to minimise adverse effects on the forestry industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34117/21]
View answer492. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the approach by his Department to introduce a 15 km buffer zone radius on all forestry projects compares to procedures in Northern Ireland and Scotland in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34118/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 488, 489, 491 and 492 together.
There were many discussions with environmental consultants, amongst others, at the time with clear advice around the Department moving to the implementation of the wider zone of influence. As previously outlined, the decision to move to the 15 km was based on a number of factors including the advice from environmental consultants, NPWS, feedback from the FAC and industry standards in other sectors.
Almost all applications for forestry licensing have at least one European site within 15 kilometres. However, what is important is what sites are screened in and what sites are screened out. Some projects may have many sites within 15 kilometres but the screening rules for the qualifying interests of those sites allows for those sites to be screened out and barring any other issue the file can be approved without an appropriate assessment. Most European sites within 15 kilometres of a forestry project are screened out due to the screening rules that apply. It is therefore not the buffer distance of 15 kilometres that screens sites in, it is the screening rules.
A significant amount of sites are screened in, not because of the 15 kilometre buffer but because of the compliance with European and National Case law in relation to the consideration of mitigation at screening stage. This is a legal requirement that has to be met and compliance with the law could not be suspended until additional resources were in place.
In relation to an examination with Northern Ireland, Scotland and other countries, I understand that a comparison of the licensing of forestry operations in other Countries will be carried out in the context of the work of Working Group 4 in Project Woodland.
490. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry licence applications to his Department in June 2019 before the buffer zone was increased to 15 km; the number of forestry licence applications currently with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34116/21]
View answerIt is not possible to say at this remove the number of forestry licences that were on hand prior to June 2019.
The Department made significant changes to its Appropriate Assessment procedures in 2019. These were in relation to increasing the zone of influence for consideration of appropriate assessment from 3 km to 15 km and to implement European and National Case law in relation to the consideration of mitigation at screening stage. It is well known that these substantive changes resulted in delays in the processing of licences and in a backlog of applications. We have invested heavily in ecology resources and training in order to service these new requirements, and have been engaged in a process of continuous improvement, including streamlining of procedures, so that output may improve. These measures are now taking effect, with 1,594 licences issued to date this year which is 27% up on the same time last year.
There is a still a great deal of work to do as there are 5,978 forestry licence applications on hand. Not all of these could be considered to be in backlog, as this figure for instance includes 1,724 outstanding from the batch application of 1,864 licences received from Coillte in mid-March
In this regard, Project Woodland, which was launched in February this year, has been set up with the objective of reviewing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the forestry licensing system, as well as the creation of a shared national vision for forestry and the development of a new Forest Strategy.
Two working groups in particular are looking at the licensing situation. Working Group 1 is tasked with looking at the backlog. This Group has examined in detail the cases on hand and is producing specific recommendations for improving output, including a definition of the backlog, which will be brought to the Project Board for consideration. Working Group 4 is concentrating on licensing process improvement. A business analyst has commenced work on an end-to-end process review. In addition, proposals for a pre-application process and a planning grant are under development and will be submitted to the Project Board shortly. The Group is also actively considering how best to conduct a regulatory review of the licensing system. The Forestry Policy Group which meets this week will receive a full update on progress to date.
Furthermore, we have set ourselves a target of issuing 4,500 licences this year which is a 75% increase on last year and I remain hopeful that we will reach this target.
