Written Answers Nos. 936-947
936. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive an ANC payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51133/21]
View answerThe person named submitted an application to participate in the 2021 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme on 15th April 2021.
As set out in the terms and conditions of the scheme, to qualify for payment, applicants must satisfy the following minimum stocking requirements:
- Maintain a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per eligible forage hectare for seven consecutive months within the 2021 calendar year.
- Maintain an annual average stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per eligible forage hectare for the 2021 calendar year.
The person named has not yet satisfied these minimum stocking requirements.
The Department is currently running twice weekly payment runs with respect to payments under the 2021 ANC scheme so that farmers receive their payment as soon as possible once they have satisfied all relevant criteria.
Once the person named has satisfied all the necessary criteria for payment to issue, their payment will issue as quickly as possible.
937. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the funding required to resource the proposals in the report of the Seafood Task Force that will be allocated from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund as opposed to the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. [51205/21]
View answer938. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the proposals in the report of the Seafood Task Force will be resourced after the sunset clause for the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund of 31 December 2023 is implemented. [51206/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 937 and 938 together.
The departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union and the related Trade and Cooperation Agreement have had some profoundly damaging effects for Ireland, not least for our fishing sector and the coastal communities that depend on fishing. Such a once in a generation event required a collective response involving the seafood businesses and coastal communities that are impacted and the full range of State bodies with a role to play in our response. For these reasons, I established a Seafood Sector Task Force in March 2021. In the terms of reference, I asked the Task Force to examine the implications of the TCA for fishing sector and coastal communities dependent upon it and to recommend initiatives for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.
On 11 October, I received the final report of the Task Force. The Report makes recommendations for a broad range of support schemes to assist the seafood sector and coastal communities to mitigate the impacts of the TCA, including temporary and permanent cessation schemes for the fishing sector, liquidity support schemes, capital investment schemes, marketing supports, marine infrastructure renewal and enhanced community led local development through the seven Fisheries Local Action Groups. Already, a Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme is in operation, as it had been recommended in an earlier Interim Report from the Task Force.
Many of the measures recommended in the report are recommended by the Task Force for funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) and others for funding under my Department's forthcoming Seafood Development Programme 2021-27. Measures to be funded under the BAR must be implemented by 31 December 2023 and are subject to State Aid approval, eligibility under the BAR and to available BAR funds in the context of the impacts of Brexit across our economy.
I am having the Final Report urgently examined with a view to quickly implementing a comprehensive response to the impacts of the TCA on our fishing sector and coastal communities. The measures recommended in the Task Force report will be examined with particular regard to available funds, eligibility of the measures for funding under the relevant EU Regulations, State Aid rules and the Public Spending Code.
939. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the additional arrangements that will be introduced at piers and harbours around the coast to allow fish landings to be facilitated if a new control plan for fish landings is not approved by the European Commission soon. [51207/21]
View answer940. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if in the absence of a new control plan for fish landings not being approved by the European Commission, if a peri plan or interim arrangements will be introduced in order that fish landings can be facilitated under control and to allow for in-factory weighing. [51208/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 939 and 940 together.
Ireland was notified of a Commission Implementing Decision revoking the approval of the Irish control plan submitted for the weighing of fishery products. The European Commission has deemed that Ireland’s obligations arising from Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 were not being met by the Irish control plan as the risk of non-compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy could not be minimised.
The monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are 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. As Minister, I am precluded from getting involved in operational control matters such as this.
I understand that the SFPA submitted a Control Plan to the EU Commission for review and approval on 22nd September 2021.
During EU Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius visit to Killybegs recently, representatives of the fishing industry set out the challenges facing the industry in the absence of a control plan that would allow weighing of fish in factories. I asked the Commissioner, during this visit, to give as much priority as possible to the Commission’s examination of Ireland’s draft control plan given the real challenges currently being faced by the industry.
The queries regarding additional or interim arrangements are considered to be operational control matters for the SFPA. I have accordingly referred the Deputy's queries to SFPA for attention and direct reply.
941. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 679 of 21 September 2021, the dates on which the applications which were returned were received by his Department in tabular form; the reason such files were not returned to the applicants at the time of receipt of the applications if sub-standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51237/21]
View answerThe Deputy refers to a triage exercise carried out on tree felling licence applications on hand. This exercise examined the undecided applications received from 1st May, 2017. In 50% of the files reviewed, the harvest plan was deemed to be of sufficient quality and therefore proceeded. This has been the basis for the very high number of felling files issued to private applicants recently.
Where the harvest plan was found to have gaps or where no harvest plan was submitted these were returned to the registered forester (or forest owner where there was no registered forester) with individual feedback on how this could be rectified. These referrals were made over a few days starting on 24th June 2021.
Some of these are now being returned to the Department and are progressing to licences and I would urge any foresters or applicants with outstanding requests for information to return them as soon as possible.
The above exercise is now a permanent feature of our approach to processing felling files and will lead to better processing of such files.
The table below indicates the number of applications concerned for the year received. A further breakdown by date received is not available.
|
Year |
Applications |
|
2021 |
12 |
|
2020 |
154 |
|
2019 |
223 |
|
2018 |
30 |
|
2017 |
1 |
|
Total |
420 |
942. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are plans going forward to look at the system of issuing licences for thinning and clearfell in forestry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51243/21]
View answerThe Forestry Act, 2014 provides the mechanism by which tree felling licences may be applied for and granted. The Act allows felling licences to have a validity period of up to 10 years, with the possibility of an extension, on a case-by-case basis for up to a further five years.
In preparing an application for a tree felling licence, forest owners or their agents, decide on the management of the forest. Consideration is given to the number of operations to be undertaken. The validity period of the licence is also set out in the application. There is no limit to the number of separate operations that may be taken under any licence, however, all must be clearly set out on application. A licence may therefore include more than one thinning event and subsequent clear fell of the site, during the validity of the licence.
943. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will suggest funding possibilities for a school (details supplied) that falls outside the CLÁR area outlined on the map. [50652/21]
View answerThe Department of Education has primary responsibility for the provision of funding for school facilities and may have an appropriate funding steam for the type of interventions referred to by the Deputy.
The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different Measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. The Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities Measure (Measure 2) of the CLÁR 2021 programme provided funding for playgrounds and Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs), including on those located on school grounds that are fully accessible to the public. However, as the Deputy is aware, the school referred to is not in a CLÁR area and is not eligible for this funding.
The Community Enhancement Programme provides small capital grants to community groups to enhance facilities, including playgrounds, in disadvantaged areas. Funding is allocated by my Department to each Local Authority area. The Local Community Development Committees, with support from their Local Authority, administers the funding. The school may be eligible to apply for funding under that scheme depending on the nature of project and if the facility will be fully accessible to the public.
944. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the detail of the €5 million allocated in Budget 2022 to provide for the establishment of a new small capital grant scheme for community centres; and if this is available to all community centres or just non-local authority centres. [50718/21]
View answerA new capital fund for the upgrade of Community Centres was referenced recently in the National Development Plan, and funding of €5m has been secured for this under Budget 2022.
This is consistent with the Programme for Government commitment to establishing a small capital grants scheme for the maintenance, improvement and upkeep of community centres.
The details of this capital scheme are currently being developed within my Department. It will be launched in early 2022 and further details, such as the type of community centres eligible, will be announced in due course.
945. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding including additional allocation for rural development in each budget from 2005 to 2022; and the breakdown of the allocation and additional allocation by year in tabular form. [50988/21]
View answerThe budget allocation for the rural development programme area is published on an annual basis, in the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV) for the relevant Department, by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available on the gov.ie website.
My Department was established in July 2017 and Table 1 below provides the rural development budget allocation for each of the years 2017 to 2022 along with the year on year increases in funding for that aspect of the Department's budget. The allocations for previous years was provided for within the REV allocations of the relevant Departments that had responsibility for the rural development programme area prior to the establishment of my Department.
Table 1 DRCD Rural Development budget allocations 2017 to 2022
|
Year |
REV Allocation |
Change on previous year |
|
|
€000 |
€000 |
|
2017 |
80,364 |
- |
|
2018 |
93,384 |
14,113 |
|
2019 |
138,371 |
44,987 |
|
2020* |
170,559 |
32,188 |
|
2021 |
177,648 |
7,089 |
|
2022 |
202,090 |
24,442 |
*Includes increase of €11.6m in relation to the transfer of the Islands functions which took place in Sept 2020.
946. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the estimated amount spent by her Department on the procurement, purchase and rent of new office space; and the amount spent on the procurement, purchase and rent of office equipment in each of the past ten years and to date in 2021. [51110/21]
View answer947. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of offices currently being rented or in ownership of her Department which are currently not in use by the Department. [51127/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 946 and 947 together.
My Department currently only occupies office space at two locations - Trinity Point, Dublin 2, and Government Buildings, Ballina, Co. Mayo. The offices occupied in Ballina are in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW), while the lease arrangements in relation to Trinity Point are managed on our behalf by the OPW.
No other rental or purchase arrangements have been entered into for office space since my Department's establishment in 2017.
In terms of office equipment, I note the Deputy's clarification that, for the purposes of his question, this encompasses IT equipment (eg printers, computers, TVs, laptops, etc) and office furniture (eg chairs, desks, drawers, cabinets, presses, filing cabinets, etc). In that regard, following a review of records, my Department has identified the following relevant expenditure:
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
Total |
|
€150,790 |
€219,626 |
€179,254 |
€43,712 |
€593,382 |
It should be noted that my Department only took over expenditure in this area in 2018, following its establishment in 2017. The outturn recorded in my Department's Appropriation Accounts for office equipment, premises and external IT services for the years concerned are also relevant and cover areas of expenditure additional to the above.
