Thursday, 9 Dec 2021

Written Answers Nos. 355-369

Planning Issues

Questions (356)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

356. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his officials concluded discussions and arrived at a successful outcome with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the issue of requirement for planning permission on dead and dying and rotting ash crops as committed to by the Secretary General of his Department at a Joint Oireachtas Committee meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61018/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I am acutely aware that the requirement for planning permission in certain situations when replacing Broadleaf High Forest with Conifer species has introduced difficulties for landowners wishing to clear their diseased ash plantations and replace them with other species.

We are exploring potential alternatives to the current system, as advised at the Joint Oireachtas Committee, and contact is ongoing between my Department and the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage on the issue. We will report on any developments as they arise.

Forestry Sector

Questions (357, 361, 362, 363)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

357. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is an immediate need to increase the afforestation grant in line with his recent increase in the TAMS grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61019/21]

Paul Kehoe

Question:

361. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail the real inflation adjusted increase or decrease in the afforestation grant for all GPC categories in each year since 2000 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61031/21]

Verona Murphy

Question:

362. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether there is an immediate need to increase the second instalment grant on areas already afforested due to real increases in costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61096/21]

Verona Murphy

Question:

363. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether there is an immediate need to increase grant support across all support schemes for forestry in line with real increases in costs; his position on TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61097/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 361 to 363, inclusive, together.

The Forestry programme 2014-2020 was subjected to a midterm review in 2018 which assessed the rates of grants and premiums for all forestry schemes. As a result of this review a number of changes were made to grants and premiums which reflected increased costs in some areas and the level of scheme uptake. Afforestation grants and premiums were increased as a result of this review. Some of these changes included a 7% increase in grant rates for broadleaves and some conifer grant categories, a 5% increase in all broadleaves and some conifer premium categories and increased funding for forest roads.

In addition, my Department intends to proceed to pay for an ecology report submitted with an afforestation application when paying for the establishment of the plantation. This is to support the applicant in the preparation of habitat maps or similar documents when an application is submitted on their behalf. An environmental planning grant was recommended in the O’Hara Report. This is currently being implemented.

The Department is currently developing a new Forest Strategy which will underpin a new Forestry Programme for the period 2023 - 2027. During the consultation process on the new programme all matters in relation to forestry including the payments of grants and premiums and the rates to obtain, will be open to the views of stakeholders and these will be considered.

Forestry Sector

Questions (358)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

358. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a felling licence for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61022/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application for a tree felling licence cannot be found for the details supplied. Contact was made with the Deputy's office to see if further details, including a TFL reference number, could be supplied in order to identify this applications but no reply received to date.

If such details are supplied we will provide a complete response directly to the Deputy.

Forestry Sector

Questions (359)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

359. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department approved the environmental grant as recommended by working group 4 of Project Woodland, before returning €7 million of capital spending from the forestry budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61027/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As part of Project Woodland, Working Group 4 (WG4) were tasked with considering an environmental planning grant. This is to support the applicant in the preparation of habitat maps or similar documents when an application is submitted on their behalf.

An environmental planning grant was recommended in the MacKinnon Report.

My Department has responded to this by proposing to introduce a new environmental grant intended to cover some or all of the cost of an ecology report submitted with an afforestation application. This will be paid when we are paying for the establishment of the plantation i.e. at Form 2 stage.

This has the advantage of being efficient to implement for forestry companies, applicants and my Department. My Department requires a number to weeks to implement the necessary changes to the claim/payments system, following a decision to proceed, so that payments can commence early next year.

Working Group 4 have also asked for other options to be considered and we are reviewing these requests and will respond directly to WG4 in due course.

Forestry Sector

Questions (360)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

360. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the transparent procedures required by his Department to increase the appropriate assessment screening distance from 3km to 15km; the person or persons authorised to introduce this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61028/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The 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 to identify those European Sites to be specifically addressed during screening. In decision making, 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.

There were a number of factors which prompted the Department to make the change in mid-2019. Appropriate assessment screening decisions would be vulnerable to challenge if my Department continued to consider at screening stage only those European Sites within 3km.

Practice in other land use sectors where appropriate assessment screening is required is also to provide for a 15km likely zone of impact.

Furthermore, results on individual cases heard by the FAC also indicated that the 3km radius was not appropriate. Every application for a forestry licence is assessed on a case-by-case basis, but also in combination with other plans and projects in the area.

The regulatory review currently under way as part of Project Woodland is considering the specific question of the 15km radius and this independent review will report in February 2022.

Question No. 361 answered with Question No. 357.

Question No. 362 answered with Question No. 357.

Question No. 363 answered with Question No. 357.

Work Permits

Questions (364)

Verona Murphy

Question:

364. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is instructing his officials to make the necessary arrangements with their counterparts in other Departments to enable work permits to be issued to persons from countries outside of the EU as is happening in other industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61098/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Arising from ongoing engagement with sector stakeholders, my Department is in regular contact with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) regarding the labour shortages that exist in certain sub-sectors of agri-food.

The Deputy will be aware that DETE has lead responsibility for this issue and recently announced the outcome of the most recent review of the lists for permits with new quotas of 1,000 for Horticulture Operatives, 500 for Meat Deboners, 1,500 for Meat Processing Operatives, 100 for Dairy Farm Operatives and 100 for Work Riders.

This is one method for helping to fill labour shortages, although it is considered to be a last resort. In advance of this, the Department of Social Protection are involved in helping employers recruit from the domestic and European labour market, supplemented through initiatives such as ‘Help2Harvest’. Sectors also need to have appropriate labour attraction and retention policies in place.

The new Food Vision 2030 strategy includes a goal to “Attract and Nurture Diverse and Inclusive Talent” and this recommends five actions for the sector: employers in the agri-food industry will develop an education, skills and talent attraction and retention strategy; they will ensure decent work and address labour shortages; education and training programmes, including new apprenticeships, will be kept under review to ensure they respond to needs such as in the areas of environmental sustainability; they will promote and improve gender balance at all levels, but particularly at senior management and board level; and they will promote and develop initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion.

I recently chaired the first meeting of the Food Vision High Level Implementation Committee which will provide leadership in progressing the missions and actions set out in the Food Vision strategy.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (365)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

365. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount expended by her Department in each of the past five years to date in 2021 on electricity costs in tabular form; and if she will provide an additional schedule that sets out all energy costs associated with their ICT hardware, that is, servers and so on in tabular form. [60944/21]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

I refer to the reply to Question No. 254 of 2 December 2021 which sets out the position in relation to the Department's energy costs.

My Department's ICT managed service, including the management of servers etc, is provided by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform through the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). A budget transfer takes place between my Department's Vote and that of the OGCIO to cover the cost of this service. These costs, however, do not specifically encompass the electricity costs associated with the service and therefore my Department has no information on running costs in this regard.

Regional Development

Questions (366, 375)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

366. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which her Department has directly assisted urban and rural communities in the course of the past two years; the extent to which she proposes to continue in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61042/21]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

375. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which her Department has directly assisted regional development throughout Ireland in the past 12 months under the various schemes sponsored by her Department; the extent to which she expects to be in a position to continue in this direction in the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61051/21]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 375 together.

My Department was formed in 2017 giving a clear commitment by Government to support our rural communities and disadvantaged urban communities.

This commitment was further strengthened earlier in the year when I launched “Our Rural Future” – the Government’s 5 year Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. It is also underpinned on the community side with “Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: A Five-Year Strategy to Support the Community and Voluntary Sector in Ireland 2019-2024”.

Since its formation, the budget for the Department has increased by over 50% and for 2021 it stands at €351m and this has supported rural and urban communities all over the country.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme has supported the revitalisation of rural towns and villages in Ireland. Projects supported include, for example, bringing vacant dwellings back into use, shopfront enhancement, town/village marketing, and creation of green spaces. The minimum level of project funding is €20,000, and the maximum is €500,000. Towns and Villages the length and breadth of Ireland have benefitted: - over 1,341 projects in 838 towns and villages supported over the past five years.

The Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) has provided funding for the development and/or enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas. Since 2016, we have invested over €71 million in over 1,100 projects.

The Walks Scheme has also contracted landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. On 29 September, I announced the 'approval in principle' of 31 new trails to join the Walks Scheme. This fulfils the commitment in the Programme for Government and Our Rural Future to double the number of trails on the Scheme to 80 trails.

The CLÁR programme has provided funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. My Department reviews the type of initiatives to be funded under the Programme each year. The Measures funded through this year's programme included supports for School and Community Safety projects, Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities and Community Wellbeing Supports - funding for Community Gardens and Allotments and Mobility and Cancer Care Transport vehicles. Since 2016, my Department has invested over €45 million in over 1,700 projects under the CLÁR programme.

My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on projects supporting remote working through the development of hubs, including the development of Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) as long-term, digitally-enabled community assets. To date, the National Hub Network Working Group led by my Department has identified and mapped over 450 remote working hubs across the country. Approximately 160 remote working hubs have joined the National network with this number rising on an ongoing basis.

In July this year, through the Connected Hubs funding stream, I awarded close to €9 million in funding to over 100 successful applicants, details of which are available on my Department's website.

The LEADER Programme supports actions in rural areas targeted at addressing local needs under the broad themes of economic development, social inclusion, and rural environment. The programme is administered by 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) throughout Ireland. To date in 2021 over €37m has been allocated in Leader funding.

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund has provided funding for ambitious and strategic large scale projects in rural areas to support town and village centre regeneration, remote working, connectivity, tourism development and economic and enterprise development which will help assist in attracting people back to live in rural areas. To date €255m has been provided for 164 projects costing €337m. This investment from the Fund will deliver on the National Strategic Objective of Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities and is key to achieving the objectives and key deliverables of Our Rural Future and the forthcoming Town Centre First policy approach.

My Department’s Community Services Programme, or CSP, currently supports over 420 community organisations. This helps them to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model of delivery, with a total funding allocation of almost €49m during 2021.

In 2020, my Department supported close to 600 organisations to continue to deliver vital services to the most vulnerable in our communities, through the €45m COVID-19 Stability Fund for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises. Following an additional allocation of €10m a further 244 organisations were supported by the fund in 2021, allowing them to continue to deliver critical services to their communities.

The PEACE PLUS programme 2021 - 2027, which is currently awaiting approval from the EU Commission, will be a new North South cooperation programme which will combine the existing PEACE and INTERREG EU funding strands into one cohesive cross-border programme, with a total value of €1 billion.

Under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) funding is provided to Local Development Companies to complete work with marginalised individuals and the groups that represent them. Since 2018, the programme has supported over 80,000 individuals and over 5,000 Local Community Groups. My Department will provide SICAP funding in excess of €220 million over the years 2018-2023, with over €39 million in 2021, supporting front line workers in Local Development Companies to deliver SICAP on the ground.

In 2021, €1m in additional funding is being used to support a “Community Development Pilot Programme (CDP)”. The aim is to trial community development initiatives that address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, and promote human rights. Seven applicant organisations will take part in the pilot programme.

The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) provides small grants to enhance facilities in disadvantaged areas. The 2021 CEP was launched in May with funding of €4.5m.w closed. More recently, another round of funding, the €9m Community Activities Fund, was launched under the CEP to support groups impacted by COVID-19.

I can assure the Deputy that we are committed to keeping all of our funding programmes and schemes operational into the years ahead as part of our important policies, including Our Rural Future and Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities.

Digital Hubs

Questions (367)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

367. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department propose to encourage the creation of digital hubs outside of the main areas of investment with a view to lowering the pressure on transport and communications in those areas most densely populated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61043/21]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025.

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme both support the establishment of new digital hubs. Under this year's schemes, projects that bring vacant properties in town centres back into use as remote working hubs were eligible to apply for funding. Projects that repurpose existing community or publicly owned buildings in town or village centres to facilitate remote working were also eligible.

In May I launched the National Connected Hubs network together with the connectedhubs.ie platform. The platform offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to members of the Network. There are currently 170 hubs live on the platform, with this number growing on an ongoing basis. Table 1 (attached) provides the number of remote working hubs onboarded onto the platform to date by county, together with remote working hubs that have been mapped to be invited to join the National Connected Hubs Network.

TABLE 1 - NATIONAL HUBS NETWORK STATUS

County	Live on the connectedhubs.ie platform	Mapped to be invited to join the connectedhubs.ie platform
Carlow	4	3
Cavan	3	6
Clare	10	7
Cork	13	18
Donegal	11	11
Dublin	27	38
Galway	16	27
Kerry	13	13
Kildare	3	7
Kilkenny	1	5
Laois	4	5
Leitrim	7	14
Limerick	10	11
Longford	2	3
Louth	3	7
Mayo	11	21
Meath	0	12
Monaghan	6	3
Offaly	4	10
Roscommon	4	14
Sligo	3	9
Tipperary	4	21
Waterford	4	8
Westmeath	0	8
Wexford	5	9
Wicklow	2	4
TOTAL	170	294

The National Hub Network includes a diverse range of hubs, services and facilities. The Network can thus facilitate a wide range of users, including individual users as well as companies of different sizes with varying requirements. Notwithstanding the clear benefits to individuals and families in terms of quality of life indicators, remote working from hubs will also support local economies, reduce carbon emissions and may arrest or reverse the depopulation of certain areas. To this end, I has instructed my officials to work with the Western Development Commission to explore the potential climate-related benefits of the National Hub Network.

Earlier this year I awarded almost €9 million in funding through the Connected Hubs funding stream to add capacity to remote working infrastructure in digital hubs and broadband connection points throughout the country.

The development of a National Hubs Network is a key commitment in Our Rural Future and I am committed to continuing my Department's support for the development of a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs, including digital hubs outside of the main areas of investment, in recognition of the vital role that they can play in our post-Covid recovery.

Digital Hubs

Questions (368)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

368. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she continues to interact with large employers in the more densely populated areas of Ireland with a view to the development of digital hubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61044/21]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025.

In May I launched the National Connected Hubs network together with the connectedhubs.ie platform. The platform offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to members of the Network. There are currently 170 hubs live on the platform, with this number growing every week.

The National Hub Network includes a diverse range of hubs, services and facilities. The Network can thus facilitate a wide range of users, including individual users as well as companies of different sizes with varying requirements. Engagement by the Western Development Commission continues with potential corporate clients with a view to building a revenue stream for the Connectedhubs platform.

To date our focus has been to develop a critical mass of hubs on the connectedhubs.ie platform - the focus will shortly shift to raising awareness of the network to relevant stakeholders, including SMEs/business owners, largescale companies and hub users. Work is also ongoing to consult with hub managers across the country in developing the future strategic direction of the National Hub Network.

A significant number of initiatives will be developed in 2022 through the Network including supporting collective engagement between Connected Hubs and large scale employers and supporting collaborative projects in the Network to drive economies of scale.

The development of a National Hubs Network is a key commitment in Our Rural Future and I am committed to continuing my Department's support for the development of a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs in recognition of the vital role that they can play in our post-Covid recovery.

Departmental Programmes

Questions (369, 372, 376, 384)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

369. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she continues to encourage investment in the manufacturing and services sectors in areas of social and economic deprivation with particular reference to the use of digital hubs thus alleviating traffic congestion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61045/21]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

372. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she anticipates the creation of suitable locations for investment in jobs through the various schemes available through her Department with particular reference to the need to address areas of social or economic deprivation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61048/21]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

376. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of community development initiatives funded by her Department throughout Ireland in the past 12 months; her expectations in this regard in the forthcoming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61052/21]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

384. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which her Department has directly or indirectly assisted persons throughout urban and rural Ireland in the course of the past year; the degree to which particular issues may have arisen; her plans to address outstanding issues by way of extension to existing schemes or the introduction of new provisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61115/21]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

I propose to take Questions Nos. 369, 372, 376 and 384 together.

My Department’s policies and funding programmes aim to deliver sustainable outcomes that positively impact the quality of life of those living and working in our communities. Funding is available to eligible community groups and organisations throughout the country.

The amount allocated by my Department for urban and rural development and renewal purposes in the past three years to-date is, €133 million in 2017, €251 million in 2018, €315 million in 2019, €313 million in 2020, and €267 million to date in 2021.

Details of funding allocations under specific schemes provided by my Department are available online at www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-rural-and-community-development/.

The Deputy will also be aware of the recent publication of the renewed National Development Plan (NDP) 2021 – 2030 which commits to delivery of significant investment - €165 billion – over the coming decade. While the Plan is a whole of Government approach, Chapter 8: Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities sets out details on that which will be delivered and administered by my Department.

Earlier in the year, I was delighted to launch Our Rural Future a whole-of-Government Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025, supported by 150 policy commitments aimed at addressing challenges facing communities and delivering new opportunities for people living in rural areas. The NDP will support the achievement of the ambitious objectives set out in that document.

Over the life of the NDP my Department will continue to invest in and support Rural Ireland and communities across the country through various schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER Programme, Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, Local Improvement Scheme, CLÁR Programme, Islands Capital Programme, Community Enhancement Programme, Libraries Investment Capital funding and the PEACE PLUS Programme. However, I can assure the Deputy that investment will continue apace over the lifetime of the NDP.

Ongoing dialogue is maintained by my Department with rural and urban stakeholders in order to identify and respond to issues impacting on individuals and communities. I will continue to work collaboratively with my Government colleagues to monitor the issues which impact our urban and rural communities and to support the creation of vibrant and sustainable communities across this country.