Tuesday, 27 Jul 2021

Forestry Sector

Questions (3358)

Peter Burke

Question:

3358. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a planting ash dieback scheme application by a person (details supplied). [39205/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application for the Reconstitution and Under Planting (Ash Dieback) Scheme was submitted on behalf of the person named in November, 2020.

The application site is near twelve designated sites, including the Lough Lene and Scragh Bog SACs. Therefore, the impact of any forestry operations on the sites and the surrounding area, must be carefully considered before deciding on the application. Due to the proximity of the proposal with some of these designated sites, the project was screened in for Appropriate Assessment and referred to the Ecology Unit for specialist input.

A harvest plan & map were submitted by the applicant via his registered forester on the 29th June 2021. This file can now be processed by the Ecology Unit and we will issue a decision within the next three months subject to all information submitted being correct.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (3359)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

3359. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39209/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named entered GLAS 1 with a start date of October 1st 2015 and has received payments in respect of scheme years 2015-2020.

The applicant was selected for an inspection in 2020 which resulted in a penalty being applied in respect of the Low-input Permanent Pasture action. A request for a review of this decision has been received and this review is currently being carried out by the Regional Inspector. The outcome of this review will issue, in writing, directly to the person named.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (3360)

Seán Canney

Question:

3360. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will issue simple guidance to farmers to assist them in reducing their herd numbers to comply with the BEAM scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39210/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.

Just over 33,000 participants joined the scheme and, in doing so, gave a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021 as compared with the reference period of 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019 as recorded on the Department's AIM system.

In light of the difficulties some farmers were experiencing in meeting this reduction arising from COVID-19 Government Public Health restrictions, I introduced an alternative reduction period for those who required it. In that context, since 19th March 2021, BEAM participants were able to select the alternative reduction period of 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021, over which to meet their 5% reduction.

This facility remained open until 21st June 2021 and some 16,000 BEAM participants have opted for the alternative reduction period.

In terms of simple guidance to BEAM participants, since February 2021, the Department has taken a proactive approach to informing farmers of their situation and has provided a monthly update to all BEAM participants indicating the amount of bovine nitrates produced and the amount left to meet their 5% reduction requirement by 30th June 2021. The guidance also includes a table setting out the amount of bovine nitrates produced by different bovine types on a yearly, monthly and weekly basis. The bovine figures up to 31st May 2021 issued to all BEAM participants in recent days with the final bovine figures for the original reduction period up to 30th June 2021 to issue in mid-August 2021 once they are available from AIM.

BEAM participants who opted to defer will continue to receive monthly update letters from my Department and I would urge those farmers to act early in the alternative reduction period to ensure they meet their 5% bovine nitrates reduction requirement by 31st December 2021.

Forestry Sector

Questions (3361, 3362)

Carol Nolan

Question:

3361. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if forestry planting is permitted in areas in which the hen harrier is present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39259/21]

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Carol Nolan

Question:

3362. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a system enabling forestry to be planted in areas in which the hen harrier is present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39261/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3361 and 3362 together.

Afforestation applications in relation to areas that are known to be nesting areas for Hen Harriers can be approved by the Department, subject to a series of restrictions and following a detailed ecological appraisal process, provided that are outside the SPA network. This might entail restricting certain ‘disturbance operations’ undertaken as part of site development for afforestation (e.g. cultivation, the driving of fence posts) and / or the exclusion of areas from planting (up to and including the entire area of the proposal), for example, if the proposed area is near the nesting site and comprises important foraging habitat.

The Department is not approving any afforestation projects that are located within Special Protection Areas (or ‘SPAs’) designated for breeding Hen Harrier. The approach to be taken to any future afforestation within these SPAs will be set out in this Plan. The development of the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan is overseen by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Question No. 3362 answered with Question No. 3361.

Agriculture Industry

Questions (3363)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

3363. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions his Department has taken to support the indigenous wool trade industry; his plans to improve the prices that farmers receive for their wool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39309/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

One of the actions under the Programme for Government is to undertake a review of the potential demand in domestic and international markets for wool based products such as insulation and fertilisers. Following the allocation of €100,000 in Budget 2021 for this review, I initiated a public consultation process in early March 2021 to determine the terms of reference for such a review.

Interested parties were invited to submit comments on the proposed Terms of Reference and/or submissions on the potential market opportunities for wool products on the domestic and international markets.

The proposed terms of reference were as follows:

- the identification of market opportunities domestically and internationally for wool based products;

- carrying out economic feasibility and cost benefit analysis on proposed market opportunities;

- determining mechanisms that could be used to support industry initiatives; and

- identification of potential research projects applicable to supporting the identified market opportunities.

The closing date for submissions was 2nd April 2021 and over 40 submissions were received. A wide range of proposals on the potential market for wool products were received. As there were no material changes proposed in relation to the terms of reference for the review, they remain as detailed above.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the Request for Tenders (RFT) to carry out this major study was published on 8th July 2021. The closing date for receipt of submissions is 9th August 2021. The successful service provider will be contracted to carry out a feasibility study in accordance with the Terms of Reference detailed above and will be also required to examine and evaluate the proposals received under the public consultation process and produce a report on their findings.

The time frame for the completion of the review including the tendering process, consultation with the stakeholder group which I am currently establishing and publication of the final report is end of November 2021. The recommendations from this review will help focus the development of a robust policy roadmap for the Irish wool industry.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (3364)

Michael Creed

Question:

3364. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a BEAM payment for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; his views on correspondence which issued to the applicant in October 2019; his views on whether this target was fair and equitable for the applicant in view of further correspondence which issued to them on 28 May 2021; his further views on whether it is reasonable and fair to penalise the applicant in such circumstances in view of the latter correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39312/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.

One of the conditions of the BEAM scheme under which funding was provided by the EU was that there had to be an element of reduction or re-structuring built into the scheme - Article 1 (3) of (EU) 2019/1132 refers. Accordingly, in applying for BEAM, participants agreed to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on their holding by 5% for the reduction period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021 as compared with the reference period 1 st2018 to 30th June 2019.

Section 3.1 of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) Terms and Conditions define a holding as:

“All the production units managed by a farmer during 2018 and subsequent years and situated within the territory of the Republic of Ireland”

Where a BEAM participant has during the BEAM reference period (1st July 2018 - 30th June 2019) and/or the BEAM reduction period (1st July 2020 - 30th June 2021 or in the case of deferment 1st January 2021 - 31st December 2021), had one or more associated herdnumbers linked to their BEAM application herdnumber on the Department’s Corporate Customer System (CCS), these herdnumbers are deemed as being be part of the participant's holding in line with section 3.1 of the BEAM Terms and Conditions.

As part of the holding, any bovine animals in these associated herd numbers during the BEAM reference period or the BEAM reduction period will be included in the calculations of bovine nitrates figures for the holding. The associated herd number letters that issued in recent months to some BEAM participants reminded those participants of their obligations under the scheme vis a vis section 3.1. It should be noted that the option was made available for farmers to defer and choose the alternative reduction period of 1 January 2021 - 31 December 2021 on 19 March and this facility closed on 21 June 2021. Some 16,000 farmers chose to do so.

With regard to the specific case raised by the Deputy, the holding of the person named had two herdnumbers associated with it during both the reference and reduction periods and as such the accumulated figures for both will be assessed in calculating whether the participant has met the 5% reduction requirement in BEAM. My Department's most recent calculations indicate that the main herdnumber appears to have made the necessary adjustments and is projected to meet the 5% reduction but the bovine nitrates in the second herdnumber have increased in the reduction period relative to the reference period. Taken together, the overall effect is that holding will miss the 5% reduction requirement in the original reduction period of 1 July 2020 - 30 June 2021.

This has arisen because of movements of bovines between the two herdnumbers during the reduction period.

These calculations are on the basis of the original reduction period. As the person named, has opted to avail of the deferred reduction period of 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021, they will have the remainder of this year to make the necessary adjustments to both herds to deliver the required 5% reduction requirement and avoid a full or partial clawback of payment made under the scheme.

Forestry Sector

Questions (3365)

Martin Browne

Question:

3365. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of registered foresters in operation in each of the past ten years. [39320/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Department compiles a list of Registered Foresters once they meet the criteria for registration, which is to hold at a minimum, an ordinary bachelor’s degree in forestry, (National Framework of Qualifications Level 7). The forester must also provide evidence of professional indemnity insurance with a minimum value of €500,000 for any one claim and renew this annually.

The list is published on the Department’s pages of the Government of Ireland website, gov.ie. There are currently 184 Registered Foresters on the list.

Horticulture Sector

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3366 to 3368, inclusive, together.

In relation to peat extraction, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has no involvement in its regulation. This is a planning process under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) license process, under the remit of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Minister of State Pippa Hackett has ongoing engagement directly with the horticulture sector across a range of issues, including peat use, involving meeting as well as site visits to commercial Mushroom, Amenity horticulture vegetable production sites . This includes meeting with members of the IFA Horticulture committee last October and specifically with the Mushroom and Amenity representatives in June.

I also met with members of the sector in Monaghan and Wexford recently.

Furthermore, as the co chair of the Horticulture Industry Forum (HIF), Minister Hackett has met with the industry in October and April, where Peat was also discussed.

Question No. 3367 answered with Question No. 3366.

Question No. 3368 answered with Question No. 3366.

Departmental Records

Questions (3369)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

3369. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made to date regarding the digitisation of Land Commission records in the context of the development of key search aids; and if he has engaged an expert third-party for this project outside of the element of the records that were destroyed in the public records office. [39331/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I am advised by my officials that the project to digitise the search indices to the Irish Land Commission records is proceeding but at a slower pace than originally anticipated. Records Branch is a small unit within my Department and the necessity of complying with public health advice relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in the last 17 months has impacted on progress.

An internal scoping exercise to identify the items which will need to be digitised has been carried out and a guide to the items in question is being prepared which will in due course be utilised as part of any procurement process that may be required.

Preliminary analysis has identified in excess of 200 handwritten volumes, as well as various loose-leaf collections, card indices and maps which are regularly accessed by my staff when searching for documents and which will need to be preserved in the first instance.

Additionally, my officials are continuing their enquiries with other Government Departments and Offices who have carried out similar projects to learn from their experiences, so that the project is managed as effectively and economically as possible.

Departmental Records

Questions (3370)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

3370. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which persons may access Land Commission records in cases in which they contain information on blood relatives now deceased. [39332/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Access to the records of the former Irish Land Commission (ILC) held by the Records Branch of the Department at its premises in Portlaoise is governed by the Land Purchase Act Rules 1939 (S.I. No. 341 of 1939). Order XIX of the rules states—

Certified copies of Abstracts of Title or documents connected therewith, agreements for sale between vendor and purchaser, undertakings to purchase from the Land Commission, conveyances to purchasers, vesting orders and fiats, shall not be issued without leave of the Judicial Commissioner or the direction of the Examiner, except to vendors or purchasers their successors in title or their respective solicitors.

As can be seen from the above, in the case of a person such as those identified by the Deputy, who is not the registered owner (i.e. successor in title) of the lands in question, there is no automatic right under the Rules to gain access to Irish Land Commission records relating to their ancestors.

It may be of interest to the Deputy to know that the Data Protection Act 2018 (No. 7 of 2018) permits data processing for ‘archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes’. If an individual considers that their request falls within one of these provisions, then they should contact my officials in the Records Branch and make their case.

Every request is considered on its own merits having regard to the purposes of the request, the likely volume of documentation involved and the impact that complying with the request will have on the ability of my officials to carry out their regular duties. Arising from the current public health advice relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, my officials continue to work remotely where possible and practicable to do so.

Departmental Staff

Questions (3371)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

3371. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a list will be provided of all PRSI contributions paid between 7 April 1953 and 31 January 1993 by an established employee (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39349/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I wish to inform the Deputy that as the material requested is personal information, it is not appropriate for the Department to disclose it in this way.

If the individual wishes to contact the Human Resources Division of the Department, my officials will endeavour to provide the individual with the information that they require.

Forestry Sector

Questions (3372)

Michael Lowry

Question:

3372. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 634 of 13 July 2021, the level of grant aid and premium support and tax incentives specifically which is taken into account in the income foregone calculations, income from sale of carbon by forests owned by private entities and persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39362/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Department actively promotes afforestation as a land use and the current Forestry Programme 2014-2020, which commenced in 2015 and has been extended to the end of 2022, consists of 11 separate measures to encourage the planting of forests by land owners with a focus on afforestation of private lands. The Forestry Programme 2014 -2020 is 100% exchequer funded, State aid approved, and represents State investment in the forestry sector of some €482m over its lifetime.

The Department’s main Afforestation Scheme includes 12 different planting categories to promote a good species mix and covers 100% of the cost of establishing a forest through the payment of grants. The scheme also pays an annual premium to the landowner of up to €680 per hectare payable each year for 15 years.

Premium rates payable are linked to the category of tree species planted. The basis for the calculation of forestry premium rates was the level of income foregone to a forest owner by switching from agriculture to forestry. The outcomes of the Teagasc study on income figures for agriculture enterprises were used at the time for determining the baseline figures. A particular emphasis was also put on avoiding deadweight loss.

In addition, the Department supported the forestry premium calculations through an externally carried out financial analysis, ensuring that any premiums paid would not result in abnormally high profits compared to a) the returns earned by farmers for the same investment and b) to other types of similar investments (the counterfactual).

All grant-aided activities must be conducted in compliance with the laws of the State relating, inter alia, to tax and employment. Proof of compliance, such as the provision of Tax Clearance Certificates, may therefore be required as part of a valid application for grants and premiums by forest owners. As the Deputy is probably aware, the sale of timber is exempt from Income Tax which is one of the reasons why reforestation cannot be grant aided under State aid rules. The justification and level of funding provided by the national forestry programme in the form of premiums, grants and tax incentives takes into account the many benefits forests provide, including climate benefits and carbon sequestration.

Forest owners are free to avail of the opportunities offered through the different existing voluntary carbon trading schemes as long as they don't impact on Ireland's international accounting and reporting requirements.

Greyhound Industry

The number of litters for the period is 1004.

Fishing Industry

Questions (3378)

John Brady

Question:

3378. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the stage plans are currently at in relation to introducing a decommissioning scheme for fishing vessels; when the scheme will come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39430/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In March 2021, I established a Seafood Sector Task Force to examine the negative impacts of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the UK on Ireland's fishing fleet and on related coastal communities and to recommend mitigation measures to me that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring in order to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.

On 9th June I received an Interim Report of the Task Force which recommends the implementation, on a voluntary basis, of a temporary fleet tie-up scheme for certain segments of the fishing fleet, to mitigate the loss of income in 2021 for these fleets arising from the TCA quota reductions. The Interim Report recommends that this scheme be funded under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. A State Aid approval from the European Commission is also required.

The Final Report, due later this year, will include other Task Force proposals to support our fishing sector and our coastal communities that are dependent on fishing. Such proposals may include a recommendation to restructure our fishing fleet.

I await receipt of the Final Report and will give due consideration to any proposals made by the Task Force.