Written Answers Nos. 170-186
170. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to address the Programme for Government commitment to ensure that inshore waters continue to be protected for smaller fishing vessels and recreational fishers and that pair trawling will be prohibited inside the six-mile limit. [7040/22]
View answerAs I advised the Deputy in October 2021, in December 2018, the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that vessels over 18 metres length overall would be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside six nautical mile zone from 1st January 2020. A transition period of three years for vessels over 18 metres length overall targeting sprat was allowed to enable adjustment for these vessels, as the sprat fishery is concentrated inside the six nautical mile zone. Policy Directive 1 of 2019 was introduced in March 2019 to give effect to the changes.
A Judicial Review was taken by two applicant fishers challenging the validity of the Policy Directive. On 6th October 2020, the High Court judgment held that the Policy Directive was made in breach of fair procedures and is void and/or of no legal effect. I appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal and a full hearing took place on 22nd June 2021. Judgment on the case is reserved.
I also sought an extension on the stay on the order of the High Court, which was granted by the Court of Appeal on 19th March 2021, reinstating the Policy Directive, and which was extended by the Court of Appeal following the full hearing on 22nd June. On 23rd September 2021, the Court of Appeal refused the Minister’s application to continue the stay further. This refusal means that the decision of the High Court stands and the Policy Directive is no longer valid, meaning vessels over 18 metres in length overall have resumed trawling in the waters inside 6 nautical miles.
The Programme for Government commits to ensuring 'that inshore waters continue to be protected for smaller fishing vessels and recreational fishers and that pair trawling will be prohibited inside the six-mile limit.' I wish to assure the Deputy that I am fully supportive of this objective.
I am awaiting the decision of the Court of Appeal to inform next steps. As the matter is sub judice, I cannot comment further until the matter can be resolved before the Courts.
172. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work that has been undertaken to enhance existing markets and develop new markets for farm-based producers in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7046/22]
View answerContinuing to develop market opportunities at home and abroad for Irish agri-food businesses is a key goal of Food Vision 2030, which identified specific actions to support the diversification and development of export markets.
To support the achievement of those objectives, Bord Bia received a significant allocation of €53m in Budget 2022. This funding will enable Bord Bia to continue to invest in innovative digital approaches to developing new markets, defending and growing our food and drink exports in existing markets in the UK and Europe, and building our reputation in third countries in line with our market access programme.
Another measure to support the development of food and drink businesses throughout rural Ireland is the LEADER Food Initiative funded by my Department. Implemented and managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, the funding covers the renovation and extension of production facilities, the purchasing of processing equipment, as well as supporting participants in the artisan food and beverage sector in areas such as market development, competitiveness, and innovation.
An important component of the Government's strategy to develop and diversify markets is high-level ministerial trade missions. Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, Minister of State Martin Heydon and I have led a number of virtual trade missions and key customer meetings over the last year. These engagements included EU and third country markets in South-East Asia and West Africa.
Also essential to the development of new markets outside the EU is the technical work that frequently takes place behind the scenes. Technical negotiations with importing countries, including inward visits and inspection by their competent authorities, are typically a lengthy and multifaceted process, often taking several years before bilateral agreements are concluded and trade can commence.
During the pandemic, some notable successes were achieved, including opening Mexico for Irish pig meat in May 2020 and Japan for Irish beef burgers in March 2021. In April and June 2021, my Department secured changes to our poultry meat certification conditions with Singapore and the United Arab Emirates respectively to maintain access and minimise trade disruption resulting from an outbreak of avian influenza.
Ultimately, while it is the role of my Department is to open up international markets, it is up to the industry - with the support of the Department and Bord Bia’s marketing expertise - to capitalise on those opportunities.
173. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the initiatives that are being funded in 2022 through the allocation of €2 million for farm safety in Budget 2022. [7045/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, in order to highlight the importance of farm safety, the Government assigned my ministerial colleague, Martin Heydon, TD specific responsibility for Farm Safety as part of his ministerial portfolio.
My Department currently has a range of measures in place to incentivise and promote farm safety including capital support under the TAMS scheme for safety measures on farm, supported by safety training and media campaigns.
In addition, my Department is supporting the AgriAware Farm Safe Schools initiative for 2022 which aims to Engage, Educate and Empower children to be farm safety ambassadors. This initiative was launched on the 6th January 2022. To date 400 schools have signed up to participate in 2022.
Further proposals for the dedicated farm safety budget of €2 million for 2022 are in the process of being finalised and will be announced in due course.
174. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of research carried out by his Department in the past five years in the west County Wicklow area regarding the potential benefits of vaccinating badgers as opposed to culling them to prevent the spread of tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6050/22]
View answerOne of my key priorities is reducing the TB rates across the country. We are starting to see positive trends in this space with the work of the TB Forum and its working groups implementing the new TB Strategy which I launched in 2020.
Vaccination of badgers has not yet been incorporated into the eradication programme in West Wicklow as the disease situation in the area is not yet suitable for vaccine use. The results of the field research carried out in other areas, however, are applicable to Wicklow and hopefully it will be possible to transition to vaccination in time.
My officials have carried out scientific research on the effectiveness of badger vaccination in a number of locations across Ireland over the years, in collaboration with researchers from University College Dublin.
A field trial in County Kilkenny using the BCG vaccine and a blind placebo demonstrated that vaccination, with an efficacy of 60%, could lower the R value (reproductive ratio) of badger-to-badger TB spread from 1.22 to 0.5. A further trial, termed the Non-Inferiority Trial was subsequently carried out in 7 areas of the country over 7 years, finishing in 2017. As the efficacy of BCG vaccination in reducing the spread of M.Bovis between badgers was proven in the Kilkenny trial, this subsequent trial examined whether vaccinating badgers would keep spread to cattle suppressed. Vaccination was carried out in a large part of a county and was compared to culling badgers (in response to TB breakdowns) in another similarly sized part of the counties. This provided a favourable outcome.
My Department’s policy is now to convert all areas to vaccination when appropriate conditions for conversion from culling to vaccination apply. This is happening on an on-going basis.
As part of an ecological study, when the N11 in East Co. Wicklow was upgraded to M11 status, 90% of the badgers in the vicinity of the road building were vaccinated to mitigate against spread of TB into adjacent cattle populations. Badgers were monitored over many years. This information is published in peer reviewed journals.
175. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he took to protect Irish fishing waters and fishing stocks when the Russian navy announced planned naval exercises in international waters off the Irish coast. [6683/22]
View answerResponsibility for safety at sea is the responsibility of the Department of Transport and from a fisheries perspective, this matter was primarily a safety matter. That Department issued an advisory Marine Notice in relation to these exercises and I asked my Department to circulate the Marine Notice to fisheries contacts in other Member States.
Officials from my Department assisted in coordinating with other relevant Departments, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Transport, as the situation evolved.
176. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider amending the sheep welfare scheme to allow farmers who were forced out of the scheme for a year due to significant ill health or other exceptional circumstances to re-enter the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5970/22]
View answerWhere farmers participating in any of my Department’s schemes experience issues such as significant ill health or other exceptional circumstances, I would urge them to contact my Department at the earliest possible opportunity to outline their position and to discuss what options might be available to them.
The Terms and Conditions of the Sheep Welfare Scheme allow for the submission of appeals on the grounds of Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances, as defined under Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013.
Where an applicant wishes to rely on Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances, the obligation is on the applicant to notify my Department in writing of the appeal within 15 working days form the date the applicant is in a position to do so.
Appeals received on the grounds of Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances are reviewed by staff within the Sheep Welfare Section of the Department and a written response is issued as to the outcome.
Where an applicant is not satisfied with the initial decision of the Department, the applicant has the opportunity to seek a review of the decision.
If an applicant is not satisfied with the outcome of that review, they have the opportunity to submit a further appeal to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office.
177. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will take steps to support farmers who are struggling to meet the rising costs of purchasing fertiliser. [6715/22]
View answerI am acutely aware of the impact rising input costs has on farmers, their families and businesses.
The very significant rise in fertiliser prices in the last year and particularly in recent months is particularly concerning. There are a number of factors at play in the market including energy prices which remain well above January 2021 levels. Increased global demand particularly from the big grain-producing countries, controls of fertiliser exports from large fertiliser producing countries, increased transport costs and EU-imposed tariffs and duties on certain Third Country imports are all impacting prices here for our farmers.
I have been following the rising fertiliser price issue closely for the past number of months. In October 2021, I tasked Teagasc to lay out a credible roadmap to assist farmers in the short-term, as well as offering a long-term solution in the move to reduce dependency on chemical fertiliser. I launched the Soils, Nutrients and Fertiliser Campaign at Teagasc Ballyhaise on the 26th January. This is a strategy that can ease the price pressure on farmers. It is good for the environment and good for the pocket.
I have raised the issue a number of times at European level too. At the November Agriculture and Fisheries Council, I again raised the increasing challenge faced by farmers due to the rising costs of inputs. I called on the EU Commission to seriously consider all options to ease the pressure on farmers at this time, including the question of whether the imposition of anti-dumping duties on fertiliser imports continues to be appropriate and for this matter to be examined as a priority.
Following the November meeting, I wrote to the EU Commissioner Wojciechowski requesting that the Commissions assessment of the ongoing appropriateness of anti-dumping duties on fertilisers is completed as a matter of priority. The EU Commission responded, on 26th January, to say that they are still collecting information to establish the relevant facts.
In the meantime, Teagasc will continue to work with farmers through the Soils, Nutrients and Fertiliser campaign to help farmers to adapt to the current fertiliser market and support them to make informed decisions on what is best for them and their farms.
Teagasc has put together a comprehensive information pack for farmers and their advisors - through a compendium of 20 factsheets - to optimise the use of plant nutrients and to help farmers address the challenge of maintaining their farm outputs in the face of rising fertiliser costs and reduced availability.
In addition, a new €1 million initiative by my Department will support the planting of multi-species swards in order to reduce dependence on fertilisers.
A pilot Soil Sampling Programme has also been introduced, which will provide farmers with comprehensive details of the soil health and soil condition of their farm.
As the Deputy can appreciate, Ireland is a relatively small market in respect of fertiliser sales and their usage compared to many of our EU neighbours. As a result, Irish fertiliser companies are price-takers that are dependent on global fertiliser supply and demand. It is to be hoped that we may see a levelling off at least of some of these contributing rising price factors this year. This is not to diminish the pressures being faced by out farmers today, however.
The initiatives I have introduced should support farmers reduce their dependence on fertiliser. I assure this House that both me and my Department will continue to closely monitor the situation. We will continue to examine all options to ease the burden on farmers in the short and long term.
178. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made ascertaining the level of horticultural peat stock available to growers; and if his Department has commissioned experts to provide free advice to those wishing to achieve regulatory compliance for extraction of horticultural peat on sub-30-hectare bogs for supply to the domestic horticulture industry. [7076/22]
View answerOn 17th January, my Department, in conjunction with the Departments of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), and Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Housing) published a working paper that sets out a series of actions to support the horticultural growers who are dependent on peat as a growing medium.
The commissioning of an independent expert to work with all peat suppliers to ascertain the level of horticultural peat stocks available to growers is one of the key actions in that working paper.
A second key action that I announced was the commissioning of experts to provide guidance on planning to assist those wishing to achieve regulatory compliance for the extraction of peat to ensure the medium term access to peat for horticulture growers. It is not anticipated that the expert would be directly involved in the preparation of individual planning applications or associated documents or have any direct engagement with planning authorities in respect of specific cases.
I understand the importance of delivering these actions quickly. As the Deputy can appreciate, there are procedures and protocols to be adhered to as part of the process of commissioning such experts. My Department is currently engaged in this process with a view to having the services of these experts available as soon as possible.
179. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the work undertaken to secure new markets for Irish agri-businesses in particular new markets overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6881/22]
View answerContinuing to develop market opportunities at home and abroad for Irish agri-food businesses is a key goal of Food Vision 2030, which identified specific actions to support the diversification and development of export markets.
To support the achievement of those objectives, Bord Bia received a significant allocation of €53m in Budget 2022. This funding will enable Bord Bia to continue to invest in innovative digital approaches to developing new markets, defending and growing our food and drink exports in existing markets in the UK and Europe, and building our reputation in third countries in line with our market access programme.
An important component of the Government's strategy to develop and diversify markets is high-level ministerial trade missions. Despite the challenges presented by Covid-19, Minister of State Heydon and I have led a number of virtual trade missions and key customer meetings over the last year. These engagements included EU and third country markets in South-East Asia and West Africa.
Throughout 2022 as health travel restrictions begin to lift, the Government is planning to undertake an intensified programme of trade missions, the first of which is a agri-food trade mission to Dubai and Saudi Arabia later this month.
Also essential to the development of new markets outside the EU is the technical work that frequently takes place behind the scenes. Technical negotiations with importing countries, including inward visits and inspection by their competent authorities, are typically a lengthy and multifaceted process, often taking several years before bilateral agreements are concluded and trade can commence.
During the pandemic, some notable successes were achieved, including opening Mexico for Irish pigmeat in May 2020 and Japan for Irish beef burgers in March 2021. In April and June 2021, my Department secured changes to our poultrymeat certification conditions with Singapore and the United Arab Emirates respectively to maintain access and minimise trade disruption resulting from an outbreak of avian influenza.
There has also been significant progress in opening markets for Irish lamb producers. In September 2021, I signed a sheepmeat protocol with China and the US announcement in December 2021 that its ban on EU sheepmeat exports has been lifted removed a major impediment to accessing the American market.
My officials are working closely with their counterparts and our embassies in Beijing and Washington so that, once the necessary technical measures are agreed and put in place, Ireland can soon export lamb to the world’s largest economies.
Ultimately while it is the role of my Department is to open up international markets, it is up to the industry - with the support of the Department and Bord Bia’s marketing expertise - to capitalise on those opportunities.
180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that the future of the beef, pig meat and lamb sectors remain secure notwithstanding the various issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7051/22]
View answerWhile slaughter levels were slightly down for both beef and sheep in 2021, prices were significantly up on the previous year. Both sectors also saw an increase in the value of exports.
For beef, the total annual slaughter figure at the end of 2021 was 1.66 million head which represents a 5% decrease on 2020 levels of 1.75 million head. This was in line with the projection of tightening supplies at the start of year. The average 2021 R3 Steer price of 407.95c/kg was 12.5% above the 2020 average price of 362.71c/kg.
CSO data to the end of November 2021 shows an increase in value of beef exports by 5.7% (compared to the same period in 2020) to €2.1 billion in spite of a reduction in volume of 11.7% in the same period. This growth was underpinned by sustained strong demand in the UK and the EU.
Teagasc forecast that EU beef supply will decline in 2022 and that UK supply will remain unchanged. The outlook for Irish beef exports to EU27 and the UK remains generally positive for 2022 according to Bord Bia. Global market demand seems set to remain good as global supplies look to be tight as result of pressure on output from both North and South America.
For sheep, total slaughtering for 2021 was 5% down on 2020 at 2,720,467 head. The average 2021 price of 664.49c/kg was 28% above the 2020 average price of 519.27c/kg. Tighter global and EU supplies of sheepmeat, combined with firm demand, resulted in a positive market for Irish sheepmeat during 2021. According to CSO data, the value of sheepmeat exports increased strongly for the second consecutive year, rising by 7.4% (compared to the same period in 2020) in the period up to the end of November to reach €347 million. This was despite a drop of 9.8% in export volumes over the same period.
The reduced availability of imported sheepmeat on the EU market, due to a reduction in UK production, had a positive impact on the demand and opportunities for Irish sheepmeat. Tighter global supplies of sheepmeat and the redistribution of global supplies have helped drive higher export values for Irish exporters and these trends seem set to continue in 2022.
For the pig sector, 2021 saw an increase in throughput levels on 2020 of 3%, with the total pigs slaughtered for the year, coming in at just over 3.6 million head (3,615,320). Over the past five year period there has been growth of 11.5% in production, equalling 374,138 pigs. According to data supplied by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as of November 2021 YTD there has been an increase of 4.8% in exports over 2020 in value terms (+€38.8m) and an increase of 5.7% in volume, coming in at an estimated €845.7 million and 264,869 tonnes respectively.
However, the average price for 2021 is 8.7% lower than 2020. While prices were at a historical high coming into 2020, the average 2021 price is marginally lower than that of the 5-year average price of 157.51 €/100kg. This reduction in price has occurred in tandem with an increase in input costs causing serious difficulty for the sector. My officials are continuing to monitor the current market situation and are exploring all potential options available at EU and national level to assist in supporting Irish pig farmers through this significant market disturbance.
In line with our overall strategy for the agrifood sector, securing market access and diversifying trade remains a key aim for my Department, which is prioritising work on retaining and enhancing existing market access, and expanding market access to new destinations for all commodities.
181. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will implement the recommendations of the Sea Food Sector Taskforce report as it pertains to investment in piers and harbours across the State and supplement the Brexit Adjustment Reserve investment with central Exchequer funding; and if he will remove the recently announced limit of expenditure on individual piers and harbours under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve investment funds. [6870/22]
View answerOn 25th January I launched a new €35m scheme exclusively for the rejuvenation of Local Authority owned public piers and harbours. The scheme flows from a recommendation from the Seafood Taskforce which I set up last year to examine how to address the impacts arising on the seafood sector from the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). In keeping with the Taskforce recommendation, this scheme is being proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve and will run throughout 2022 and 2023.
The Scheme is aiming to attract shovel-ready projects of up to €1m budget in areas where the local coastal community is dependent on fishing activities, in particular the small-scale coastal fisheries sector. In addition, the Scheme offers the possibility of funding larger projects where there is particular exposure to Brexit due to proximity to UK waters and the loss of fishing opportunities. By way of comparison, in 2021 my Department provided funding for projects of up to €200,000 in value and I had made €4.2 million available in funding for this purpose. For this new Scheme, my Department is proposing to refund the cost of VAT for approved projects from its Voted allocation as VAT is not eligible under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
The terms of the scheme mirror the Taskforce recommendations, in particular with a focus on shovel-ready projects to provide immediate construction stimulus to affected areas. I would encourage all coastal local authorities to get their project applications together and work closely with my Department to ensure that eligible projects receive funding.
I must stress that responsibility for the development and maintenance of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each Local Authority in the first instance. I am also mindful that the primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and any wider funding issues for local authorities should be addressed to that Minister.
182. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to improve farm safety. [7039/22]
View answerMy Department has a range of measures in place to raise awareness of farm safety. These include capital support to make farms safer and support for education and awareness. Some of the measures are as follows:
Under the suite of seven TAMS measures, there is a wide range of farm safety related investments available to be grant-aided, with ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines included in all ‘Building Specifications' for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures. Additionally, it is a requirement for all applicants under the schemes to complete a half-day of farm safety training.
Farm Safety Training will be rolled out to approximately 50,000 farmers as part of the Agri-Environmental and farm safety training package announced in budget 2021. The training of the advisors to undertake this role is being carried out this week.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in conjunction with the HSA, ran a combined television and radio campaign on farm safety in 2020 and again last year. The campaign focused on reminding farmers not to be complacent around machinery.
DAFM is supporting the AgriAware Farm Safe Schools initiative for 2022 which aims to Engage, Educate and Empower children to be farm safety ambassadors. My Ministerial colleague Martin Hayden launched the initiative on 6th January 2022. To date 400 schools have signed up to participate in 2022.
Further proposals for the dedicated farm safety budget of €2 million for 2022 are in the process of being finalised and will be announced in due course. The Farm Safety webpage www.gov.ie/farmsafety/ will be updated to reflect all farm safety initiatives in due course.
We can and are doing more to improve farm safety. Farming is the greatest profession we have but the number of deaths and accidents are too high and we should ensure that whenever a farmer puts on their wellies in the morning, they take them off themselves that evening.
183. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in implementing the pilot soil sampling scheme; when the scheme will be completed; the impact the delay will have had on farmers who have spread lime, slurry or fertilizer; and the impact this will have on the scheme in 2022. [6891/22]
View answerThe pilot Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme is a substantial, innovative and very ambitious programme. Such comprehensive analysis at this scale has never been undertaken in Ireland before.
A contract was signed with an external service provider on the 19th October with sampling of farms commencing in November and due to continue over the winter and spring months, concluding towards the end of March.
I am fully aware of progress under this pilot through my Department's regular engagement with the service provider. I acknowledge progress has been behind expectation and must improve, however soil sampling and analysis is continuing and progress is accelerating and my Department is continuing to engage with the service provided to increase output.
Sampling has been slower than expected for a number of reasons including the Service Provider experiencing challenges recruiting soil samplers to deal with the scale of the project. Due to supply chain issues, the Service Provider also experienced delays sourcing certain items of specialist laboratory equipment. In addition, COVID-19 has impacted both sampling and analysis. My Officials have engaged with the Service Provider and progress has accelerated in recent weeks with significant increase in on-farm sampling in recent weeks.
The Letter of Approval issued to approved participants informed them that their Soil Sampling contract runs to 31 December 2022. Sampling will continue over the coming weeks and approved participants who don’t have their land sampled this spring will have a further opportunity to have samples taken in the autumn under the current Programme if they wish.
If a farmer has applied lime, slurry or fertiliser (other than straight nitrogen) they should advise the person who will be taking the samples when they make contact to arrange sampling. Even if nutrients have been applied to some fields, it may be possible to take soil samples in other fields on an approved participant’s farm.
As outlined in the Teagasc Publication, “Major and Micro Nutrient Advice for Productive Agricultural Crops,” land should not be sampled for 3 to 6 months after the last application of phosphorous and/or potassium. Where lime has been applied to correct soil pH, the advice is to allow a time lag of up to 2 years before soil sampling to determine lime requirements.
Funding has been allocated for a further Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme in 2022. This will be subject to a separate tender and will be informed by the learnings arising from the current pilot programme.
184. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the weekly targets for forestry licensing by type in 2022. [7075/22]
View answerMy Department issued 4,050 forestry licences last year, which is an increase of 56% on the number issued in 2020.
In terms of the categories of each type of licence issued, these approvals included 2,877 felling licences. Critically, the availability of this volume of timber, at nearly 8.5 million cubic metres, stabilised supply to the processing sector in 2021. This is the highest volume ever issued in a single year.
In addition, 264 kilometres of forest roads were licensed, more than double the target in the Climate Action Plan 2019. This is also the highest ever volume of forest roads issued in a single year. Forest roads enable the haulage of timber from harvested forests.
At the beginning of January 2022, the Department had 4,803 licence applications on hand. This figure has reduced from 6,100 in August 2021. There will always be applications in the system, making their way from application stage to a licence. The Forestry Licensing Plan for this year is finalised and has been published. The licensing plan contains a target of 5,250 licences issues, which is a year-on-year increase of 30% including:
- A higher priority will be given to afforestation licences for 2022 with a 107% increase in output up to 1,040.
- There will be a year-on-year increase of 48% of private felling, roads and afforestation files. Coillte felling licences will maintain the levels they achieved in 2021.
- The Department will also refocus on the delivery of most approvals from several schemes including Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback), the Reconstitution of Woodland Scheme (Frost), the Native Woodland Scheme and a proposed small-scale planting scheme for up to one hectare of native species.
Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is on increasing the number of afforestation licences issued. We will continue to keep resources under review and will implement all practical process improvements which result from the review and analysis in train under Project Woodland.
185. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ways in which he and his Department are raising awareness of farm safety and communicating with farmers on this important issue. [6794/22]
View answerMy Department has a range of measures in place to raise awareness of farm safety. This includes actions to educate and raise awareness of farm safety but also capital support to make farms a safer working environment. Some of the measures are as follows:
Under the suite of seven TAMS measures, there is a wide range of farm safety related investments available to be grant-aided, with ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines included in all ‘Building Specifications' for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures. Additionally, it is a requirement for all applicants under the schemes to complete a half-day of farm safety training.
DAFM is supporting the AgriAware Farm Safe Schools initiative for 2022 which aims to Engage, Educate and Empower children to be farm safety ambassadors. My Ministerial colleague Martin Hayden launched the initiative on 6th January 2022. To date 400 schools have signed up to participate in 2022.
Farm Safety Training will also be rolled out to approximately 50,000 farmers as part of the Agri-Environmental and farm safety training package announced in budget 2021. The training of the advisors to undertake this role is being carried out this week.
In addition a Farm Safety Leaflet is included with the Basic Payment Scheme application packs, distributed annually to over 130,000 farmers.
Further, a mandatory Health and Safety element was included in all Knowledge Transfer Groups under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme. These groups directly engaged in the region of 20,000 farmers on farm safety.
In terms of media campaign's, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in conjunction with the HSA, ran a combined television and radio campaign on farm safety in 2020 and again last year. The campaign focused on reminding farmers not to be complacent around machinery.
Further proposals for the dedicated farm safety budget of €2 million for 2022 are in the process of being finalised and will be announced in due course.
186. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 54 of 9 December 2021, the status of the commitment to ensure that inshore waters continue to be protected for smaller fishing vessels and that pair trawling will be prohibited within the six-mile limit in line with the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6847/22]
View answerAs I advised the Deputy in December 2021, in December 2018, the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that vessels over 18 metres length overall will be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside six nautical mile zone from 1st January 2020. A transition period of three years for vessels over 18 metres length overall targeting sprat was allowed to enable adjustment for these vessels, as the sprat fishery is concentrated inside the six nautical mile zone. Policy Directive 1 of 2019 was introduced in March 2019 to give effect to the changes.
A Judicial Review was taken by two applicant fishers challenging the validity of the Policy Directive. On 6th October 2020, the High Court judgment held that the Policy Directive was made in breach of fair procedures and is void and/or of no legal effect. As the Deputy is aware, I appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal and a full hearing took place on 22nd June 2021. Judgment on the case is reserved.
I also sought an extension on the stay on the order of the High Court, which was granted by the Court of Appeal on 19th March 2021, reinstating the Policy Directive, and which was extended by the Court of Appeal following the full hearing on 22nd June. On 23rd September 2021, the Court of Appeal refused the Minister’s application to continue the stay further. This refusal means that the decision of the High Court stands and the Policy Directive is no longer valid, meaning vessels over 18 metres in length overall have resumed trawling in the waters inside 6 nautical miles.
The Programme for Government commits to ensuring 'that inshore waters continue to be protected for smaller fishing vessels and recreational fishers and that pair trawling will be prohibited inside the six-mile limit.' I wish to assure the Deputy that I am fully supportive of this objective.
I am awaiting the decision of the Court of Appeal to inform next steps. As the matter is sub judice, I cannot comment further until the matter can be resolved before the Courts.
