Skip to main content
Normal View

Tuesday, 26 Apr 2022

Written Answers Nos. 1904-1923

Departmental Funding

Questions (1904)

Michael Ring

Question:

1904. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if funding (details supplied) that has been allocated has been drawn down and spent; if there has been a follow-up or appraisal of the funding given under the various programmes or headings; if any of the allocated funding has been recouped or unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20389/22]

View answer

Written answers

The 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.

Mayo County Council received €1.92 million in funding from my Department under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme (2017-2021) for coastal infrastructure development projects undertaken by the Council. My Department co-funded up to 75% of the total cost of the approved projects, with Mayo County Council providing the balance.

The table below details the funding allocated to and received by Mayo County Council under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2017-2021 (inclusive). Funding for individual projects was allocated annually in advance of project commencement. My Department reimbursed Mayo County Council eligible project costs (pro-rata) on a matured liability basis following inspection of the capital works and verification of the evidenced expenditure.

-

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Total

Allocated

622,500

247,500

330,000

525,000

626,500

2,351,500

Received

459,298

173,444

329,992

518,397

439,224

1,920,355

This week I announced funding of up to €909,500 to Mayo County Council under the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023. This scheme is being proposed for funding from the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve. The funding allocations range from €42,500 to €340,000 and is in relation to capital works at 7 piers, quays and harbours. Funding from the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve must be availed of before the end of 2023. A number of terms and conditions must be met for projects under the scheme, including pre and post inspections and evidence of costs incurred.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (1905)

Michael Creed

Question:

1905. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons who have been refused their ANC payment for each of the past three years for the reason that they omitted to tick the box for ANC on their BPS application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20416/22]

View answer

Written answers

All CAP payments, including those made under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme are governed by EU regulations and are subject to rigorous audit and control by the European Commission.

In applying for the ANC scheme, applicants are requested to tick a box to confirm if they wish to apply for the scheme each year when submitting their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application. It is an EU requirement that the application must be made online and that the applicant must make a declaration that they are applying for the scheme and that they will comply with the terms and conditions. 

If an applicant does not tick the box to apply for ANC initially and if they received payment under the scheme in the previous scheme year, they are presented with an additional pop-up warning  on screen under the heading “Do you wish to apply for ANC?”.

This warning advises that they had received ANC payment in previous scheme year and requests them to select from one of two options:

“I want to apply for ANC”

or

“I do not want to apply for ANC”.

The warnings and reminders are there to ensure the applicant is fully aware of the schemes he/she is or is not applying for. It should be noted that farmers may choose not to apply for the ANC scheme in any given year for a number of reasons. 

Experience at EU audit has shown it is clear that consideration of mistakes as “obvious errors” can only apply after an application is made by the farmer. The responsibility to apply for a scheme rests with the beneficiary and the applicant has 25 working days after the closing date to make a late application, where a sliding scale of reductions apply through that 25-day period. Once this period is past, no payment can issue. 

In very limited cases, late applications may be considered under specific Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstance grounds. The obligation is on the beneficiary to notify in writing, to the Department, the occurrence of such an event. Appeals are considered on a case by case basis. Where farmers are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review process, they may submit a further appeal to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office.

Records of appeals received  in relation to not ticking the box to apply for the ANC scheme were recorded from the 2020 scheme year onwards. 

The below table shows the current position with regards to appeals received in relation to applicants not ticking the box to apply for the 2020 and the 2021 ANC scheme years.

ANC Scheme Year

2020

2021

Number of application related appeals received:

154

118

Number of successful appeals:

55

55*

Number of unsuccessful appeals:

99

55*

Number of appeals yet to be determined:

0

8*

*As of 25 April 2022

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (1906)

Richard O'Donoghue

Question:

1906. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there will be a new tranche of TAMS; and if so, if it will reflect the increase in prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20449/22]

View answer

Written answers

Another full review of the reference costs in the TAMS scheme has recently been carried out by my Department. Reference costs have been increased with increases ranging from 5-15% across the investment items listed under TAMS. These changes have been implemented from the opening of Tranche 26 on 9th April 2022, this is in addition to increases of 5-20% on costings already introduced in July 2021. This is the third increase to be implemented in costs in the last 3 years.

Tranche 26 of TAMS closes on 1 July 2022. It is open to individual applicants to withdraw an application under the scheme prior to its approval  and submit a revised application, should they decide that they wish to avail of the increased reference costs from Tranche 26 onwards.

Forestry Sector

Questions (1907)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

1907. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the extension which was applied to TUS forestry contracts will be applied to all TUS schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20450/22]

View answer

Written answers

My Department has provided support totalling over €7 million to owners of ash plantations impacted by disease through the Reconstitution Scheme (Ash Dieback) (introduced in 2013).

The current scheme is the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS – Ash dieback) which was introduced in July 2020.  This Scheme remains in operation and applications are welcome to be made to my Department.  All forestry licence and scheme approvals have an expiry date.  On application individual applicants may request an extension to this date.  These requests are normally granted.  There are no plans to grant extensions where the applicants have not sought an extension.

For full details of the Scheme see gov.ie - Ash Dieback Replanting Scheme (www.gov.ie)

Common Agricultural Policy

Questions (1908)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

1908. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the minimum number of hectares and the stocking density or the number of stock or other agricultural activity that will be required under the CAP 2023-2027 to be eligible for grants under the CAP as an active farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20531/22]

View answer

Written answers

The Active Farmer check within the new CAP is designed to ensure that a minimum level of agricultural activity exists at farm level and is required as per Article 4 (5) of the CSP Regulation.

Activity will be assessed on a holding basis and will require farmers to demonstrate the means by which the agricultural activity is carried out on their farm. For a farmer to be deemed active, they must demonstrate how they bear the economic and agricultural risk with regard to the agricultural activity being undertaken.  There is no minimum number of hectares for an applicant to be deemed active.

Within the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), it has been proposed that the Active Farmer check in Ireland will be based, in the first instance on a stocking rate check for grassland farmers.  The stocking rate will be aligned to the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme and for 2023, this is proposed to be 0.10 Livestock Units per hectare (LU/Ha).  To facilitate prompt payment, the check  will based on stock held in 2022, with an option for 2023 to be used for new entrants or for those who could not meet the threshold in 2022.

However, where livestock farmers cannot meet the minimum of 0.10 LU/Ha due to environmental limitations, a lower stocking rate will be acceptable. For those grassland farmers who maintain the land by non-grazing means such as topping or cutting hay or silage, they will have to indicate how the land is maintained and evidence may be requested to support this.

For farmers involved in tillage and / or permanent crops, my Department will administratively check a sample of herds. This will involve applicants being requested to provide evidence of activity on their part. For tillage farmers this would likely be receipts for seed, fertiliser, pesticides etc. in the applicant’s name. A valid share farming agreement is a legitimate means of demonstrating an activity on the part of the applicant.

The intention of the "active farmer" check is to ensure  that payments are directed to those actively engaged in farming and taking the risk with regard to the farm business.  These proposed checks under the CSP will ensure this, while also not imposing undue administrative overheads on farm businesses.  My Department expects the vast majority of farmers will easily satisfy this check and will be assessed automatically by the online application system in 2023.

However, it is important to reiterate that where a farmer does not satisfy the active farmer check, they will not be in a position to draw down any Direct Payments. In that context, In the coming months, my Department will write to those farmers that would not be categorised as active based on the information currently held by my Department. This will allow those farmers sufficient time to make the necessary changes in advance of 2023 if they so wish.

Domestic Pets

Questions (1909)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

1909. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the checks and follow-ups that are being carried out on animals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20535/22]

View answer

Written answers

Recognising the exceptional circumstance created by the invasion of Ukraine, temporary humanitarian arrangements have been put in place, to allow people travelling from Ukraine to Ireland to be accompanied by their pets, even if the pets are not in compliance with EU Travel Regulations.  In accordance with Article 32 of Regulation (EU) 576/2013 and, by way of derogation from the conditions provided for non-commercial movements of pet animals, Member States may, in exceptional situations, authorise the non-commercial movement into their territory of pet animals which do not comply with the conditions in Regulation (EU) 576/2013.

Refugees from the Ukraine are allowed to enter Ireland with their pets under specific conditions. In the first instance, they must pre-notify by email the point of entry they will be arriving to in advance and animals must be presented to Department staff at the point of entry for examination.

Where pets are not fully compliant with EU regulations, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine veterinary services are taking steps to bring these animals into compliance with the legislative travel requirements, to protect our domestic population and protect public health. These measures include microchipping animals, providing tapeworm treatment and rabies vaccination for pets, as required. Pet owners are provided with information translated into Ukrainian, on how to manage their pet in home isolation, where relevant. Department staff follow up with the pet owners to advise them on the necessary requirements to bring these pets into compliance with EU Pet Travel regulations. My Department staff have arrangements in place with private veterinarians to provide the treatments to bring Ukrainian pets into compliance at no cost to their owners.  This exceptional response is being kept under review.

All other movements of animals (unaccompanied, commercial, unknown origin, stray animals, animals from shelters) that do not meet regular requirements for entry, cannot be accepted into Ireland without full compliance with legislatively prescribed health certification.

Turbary Rights

Questions (1910)

Peter Burke

Question:

1910. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise on the rights of the registered owners of fee simple bogs (details supplied). [20591/22]

View answer

Written answers

It would not be appropriate for my Department to provide legal advice on the potential legal liability of property owners for accidents that may allegedly occur on their property. 

Rather, I would urge the person involved to consult with their own professional legal advisor, who will be better placed to advise them fully in relation any potential liabilities that they might have for accidents occurring on their property.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (1911)

Colm Burke

Question:

1911. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to amending the current BEAM criteria by allowing farmers to repay BEAM money over a greater timeframe to improve their cashflow situation in the short-term, in view of the recent unprecedented inflation costs of fertiliser, fuel and feed in the agricultural sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20595/22]

View answer

Written answers

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.  Over 34,500 farmers had applied for BEAM at its closing date of 20 September 2019 and it saw some €78 million in payments issue to participating farmers.

One of the conditions under which funding was granted by the EU was that there had to be an element of re-structuring built into the scheme as set out in Article 1 (3) of EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132. Accordingly, in applying for BEAM, participants agreed to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on their holding by 5% in either the original reduction period (1 July 2020 – 30 June 2021) or the deferred reduction period (1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021) when compared with the reference period of 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Approximately 22,000 participants did meet all the commitments set out in section 7.0 of the BEAM Terms and Conditions and thus successfully exited the scheme. A further approximately 11,000 participants did not meet some or all of the commitments set out in section 7.0 of the BEAM Terms and Conditions. As a result, recoupment of almost €18 million in overpayments has commenced.

As an Accredited EU Paying Agency, my Department  must recover debts in respect of overpayments and penalties across a broad range of agricultural schemes, including the BEAM scheme. Debt recovery may be facilitated by means direct repayment by the debtor or through deductions from other payments due. If a debtor is experiencing financial difficulties, payment by instalments over a period of time can be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.  In such situations the debtor may contact the Accounts Division of my Department to discuss their circumstances and to arrange an appropriate payment plan. The availability of this facility was advised to BEAM debtors when they were notified with details of their BEAM overpayment. My Department Accounts Division can be contacted by telephone on (049) 4368207 or by email at debtrecovery@agriculture.gov.ie

Coillte Teoranta

Questions (1912)

John Brady

Question:

1912. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process for obtaining a permit for horse riding on Coillte lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20629/22]

View answer

Written answers

Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I have referred the matter to Coillte for direct follow-up with the Deputy.

Departmental Staff

Questions (1913)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

1913. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff within his Department who availed of a secondment from January 2019 to date on the basis that it was not the intention of the staff member to return to his or her position within the Department. [20635/22]

View answer

Written answers

Staff at my Department can avail of secondment opportunities to a variety of public sector bodies. The terms of all secondments to date make provision for the staff member to return to my Department.

However, the specific post they are assigned to at the end of their secondment is determined in line with the business/workforce planning needs that apply at that time. My Department regularly reviews its staff assignments to ensure that our resources are being used to support our work in the most effective and strategic manner possible. For that reason, it is possible that they may not be assigned to exactly the same position on their return, but rather to a different  post.

Harbours and Piers

Questions (1914)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

1914. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current requests for capital funding for improvement and-or maintenance work at State-owned and local authority-owned harbours and quays across the State, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20671/22]

View answer

Written answers

I am pleased to advise the Deputy I have announced the approval of €32.7m in funding for 110 projects under the Brexit Adjustment: Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023.  This scheme is being proposed for funding from the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve.  Details of the project allocation (including tabular format) is available online at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/7e3ad-mcconalogue-announces-approval-of-327m-brexit-investment-in-public-marine-infrastructure/.  My Department will hold a further call later in the year for additional projects so that the remaining funding under this scheme can be similarly allocated.  

I must again 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.

The Deputy will recall that I announced the allocation of €35m for capital projects in 2022 in Ireland’s six state-owned Fishery Harbour Centres on 4th February.  These projects at Killybegs, Ros an Mhíl, An Daingean, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth are funded through the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. This programme also supports maintenance at Cape Clear and a small number of piers, lights and beacons around the coast in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board Piers, Lights and Beacons Act.  Details of the allocations are available online at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3030f-minister-mcconalogue-to-invest-35-million-during-2022-in-irelands-six-fishery-harbour-centres/ 

Wind Energy Generation

Questions (1915)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

1915. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagements he has had with other Departments to examine opportunities for fishermen to allow for transferability of their licences between fishing and non-fishing activities, which, in the instance of offshore wind, would allow skippers to carry out maintenance and remedial works on renewable infrastructure on some days and fish others days; the amount per fisherman such an initiative may cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20673/22]

View answer

Written answers

The Licencing Authority for Sea Fishing Boats (‘the Licensing Authority’) was established under the Fisheries Amendment Act of 2003 to provide for a licensing system for sea fishing boats.  The Licensing Authority operates on an independent basis subject to national and EU legislation and Ministerial Policy Directives.  The Licencing Authority is not empowered to vary the requirements set out in any such legislation, or any policy directive or scheme. 

The Authority deals with all individual licensing cases. The Act specifically prohibits me as Minister from exercising “any power or control in relation to any particular case or group of cases with which the Licensing Authority is or may be concerned”.

The safety of fishing vessels and safety certification is the responsibility of the Department of Transport. My Department has no function in relation to the safety certification of fishing vessels.

The Department of Transport is also the competent authority in relation to the licensing of ships to engage in commercial non fishing activities, related to renewable energy infrastructure of other commercial activities.

Harbours and Piers

Questions (1916)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

1916. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made towards adding Dunmore East to the list of designated piers and harbours in the State that can facilitate the landing of fishing vessels registered in Northern Ireland considering the presence of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority officials at the harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20674/22]

View answer

Written answers

I am currently considering the designation of further ports, including Dunmore East, for landings by UK vessels registered in Northern Ireland and I have asked the SFPA to examine the possibility of extended opening hours where feasible. The current ports designated and the opening days and times for those ports were decided to allow for Northern Ireland registered vessels to continue to land into Irish ports, while ensuring that the SFPA has the capacity to continue to perform its vital control functions effectively.

I would also like to assure the Deputy that the designation of ports for landings does not preclude vessels from coming into ports such as Dunmore East for force majeure reasons such as safe harbour.

Greyhound Industry

Questions (1917)

Brian Leddin

Question:

1917. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to produce a report on the profitability or commercial viability of all greyhound tracks in Ireland; the research and analysis on which it will be based; if it will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20698/22]

View answer

Written answers

Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. 

The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.

Agriculture Industry

Questions (1918)

Brian Leddin

Question:

1918. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the pig and poultry sectors in particular with regard to piglets that are at high risk due to premature weaning leading to substantial use of antimicrobials to treat post-weaning diarrhoea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20703/22]

View answer

Written answers

My Department launched iNAP2, Ireland’s Second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2021-2025 in November 2021, in collaboration with the  Department of Health. iNAP2 contains over 150 actions to address AMR. Actions taken to improve animal health and prevent disease are key to reducing the use of antibiotics and tackling AMR.

The Animal Health Implementation Committee (AHIC) chaired by my Department oversees the delivery of the animal health and environmental actions contained in iNAP2. This Committee has developed and published codes of good practice regarding the responsible use of antimicrobials on poultry and pig farms. Practical strategies outlined in these codes highlight important actions that farmers can take to reduce their overall use of antibiotics and to improve their herd health.

In November 2019, my Department launched the National Antimicrobial Usage Database for pigs. The database collects farm-level data on the number of antimicrobials used on commercial Irish pig farms on a quarterly basis. Measuring antibiotic use is a pivotal part of the national effort to reduce overall use and promote responsible use when antimicrobials are necessary and farms that are members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme must report their antimicrobial usage using the database.

Animal Welfare

Questions (1919)

Brian Leddin

Question:

1919. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure stocking densities are being adhered to on pig and poultry farms; the efforts he has made in respect of reducing the overcrowding that leads to poor hygiene and increases the need for antibiotics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20704/22]

View answer

Written answers

Officials from my Department carry out welfare inspections on pig and poultry farms as required by law. Pig welfare inspections are carried out under Council Directive 2008/120 transposed into S.I. 311 of 2010. Broiler welfare inspections are carried out under Council Directive 2007/43 transposed into S.I. 311 of 2010.

Herds are selected on a risk basis for inspection. Procedures are in place to follow up any non-compliances identified at pig and poultry welfare inspections to ensure compliance is achieved.

In addition, and as part of the Rural Development Plan, my Department is co-funding Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health programmes for biosecurity review in both the pig and poultry sectors. These programmes, delivered by trained veterinarians, review the factors contributing to the introduction of disease in participating farms and the  spread of disease within the farms. Among the parameters specifically examined are stocking densities and on-farm hygiene measures. Specific recommendations are made for each farm to reduce the introduction and spread of infectious disease. A direct benefit from the reduction of infectious disease should be a corresponding reduction in the need for antibiotic treatments.

In November, 2021 my Department launched iNAP2, Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2021-2025, in collaboration with the  Department of Health. iNAP2 contains over 150 actions to address AMR. Actions taken to improve animal health, and prevent disease, are key to reducing the use of antibiotics and tackling AMR.

An Animal Health Implementation Committee (AHIC) chaired by my Department oversees the delivery of the animal health and environmental actions contained in iNAP2. This Committee worked to develop and publish codes of good practice regarding the responsible use of antimicrobials on poultry and pig farms. Practical strategies outlined in these codes highlight some of the important actions that farmers can take to reduce their overall use of antibiotics and to improve their herd health, including appropriate management of stocking denisty.

Finally, my Department launched the National Antimicrobial Usage Database for pigs in November 2019. The database collects farm-level data on the number of antimicrobials used on commercial Irish pig farms on a quarterly basis. Measuring antibiotic use is a pivotal part of the national effort to reduce overall use and promote responsible use where necessary.

Question No. 1920 answered with Question No. 1900.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (1921)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

1921. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will allow farmers to repay BEAM funding over a much longer timeframe to improve their cashflow situation in the short term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20776/22]

View answer

Written answers

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.  Over 34,500 farmers had applied for BEAM at its closing date of 20 September 2019 and it saw some €78 million in payments issue to participating farmers.

One of the conditions under which funding was granted by the EU was that there had to be an element of re-structuring built into the scheme as set out in Article 1 (3) of EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132. Accordingly, in applying for BEAM, participants agreed to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on their holding by 5% in either the original reduction period (1 July 2020 – 30 June 2021) or the deferred reduction period (1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021) when compared with the reference period of 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Approximately 22,000 participants did meet all the commitments set out in section 7.0 of the BEAM Terms and Conditions and thus successfully exited the scheme. A further approximately 11,000 participants did not meet some or all of the commitments set out in section 7.0 of the BEAM Terms and Conditions. As a result, recoupment of almost €18 million in over-payments has commenced.

As an Accredited EU Paying Agency, my Department  must recover debts in respect of over-payments and penalties across a broad range of agricultural schemes, including the BEAM scheme. Debt recovery may be facilitated by means of direct repayment by the farmer or through deductions from other payments due. If a farmer is experiencing financial difficulties, payment by instalments over a period of time can be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.  In such situations the farmer may contact the Accounts Division of my Department to discuss their circumstances and to arrange an appropriate payment plan. The availability of this facility was advised to affected BEAM participants when they were notified with details of their BEAM over-payment. The Department's Accounts Division can be contacted by telephone on (049) 4368207 or by email at debtrecovery@agriculture.gov.ie

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (1922)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

1922. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the investment ceiling in TAMS will be increased for dairy and beef investments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20777/22]

View answer

Written answers

There are a wide variety of items available under the suite of seven measures under TAMS II available for beef and dairy investments. There are no plans to increase the investment ceiling available under TAMS II in 2022.

To date, total expenditure under the seven measures of the TAMS, including transitional expenditure, has reached in excess of €353m with commitments of an additional €109m made to scheme participants who have yet to draw down those grants. Some 49,178 applications have been approved under the scheme. All outstanding approvals issued represent potential outstanding liabilities for the Department and we must have a budget in place to pay these claims.

As detailed in the draft Cap Strategic Plan(CSP), subject to the approval of the European Commission, it is proposed under an On-Farm Capital Investment Scheme under the CSP that the investment ceiling will be increased to €90,000. Details of the specific investments have not yet been finalised in relation to the interventions to be included in the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP)(2023-2027). The Capital Investment Scheme (CIS), as is the case with all proposals under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), is subject to the formal approval of the European Commission.

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (1923)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

1923. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a substantial beef finisher scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20787/22]

View answer

Written answers

The nature of all markets, particularly in export dependent sectors such as Irish beef,  is that the price for inputs and outputs will fluctuate.  I am acutely aware of the potential pressures being faced by many sectors across the agriculture industry due to the increase in input costs. The Department continuously monitors the market situation for beef and other agri-food commodities, with a view to responding to crisis situations where possible.

I raised concerns in relation to the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on agri-food supply chains at the extraordinary informal meeting of European Union Agriculture Ministers held on 2nd March and at the AgriFish Council on 21st March. At these meetings I underlined the need to closely monitor supply chains to ensure an effective and functioning Single Market, and to be ready to consider any measures that may help to alleviate the difficulties caused.

The Commission has already announced a number of support measures, including the introduction of private storage aid for the pigmeat sector, a new exceptional aid support package making available a fund of €500 million for affected sectors, increased payment advances in 2022 and a new temporary State Aid framework.

More specifically for the beef sector, the Department provides a range of financial aids to support beef farm incomes and to support economic and environmental efficiency. The core support for the beef sector under the outgoing RDP is the €300 Million Beef Data and Genomics Programme. In addition to this support, since 2020, over €260 million of extra supports were made available specifically to the beef sector. These supports are additional to the more general supports that beef farmers can avail of under the current RDP including ANCs.

As the Deputy will be aware, the proposal for the beef sector in Ireland's new CAP strategic plan is to continue to provide support to farmers by building on the efficiency gains of the BDGP and the BEEP-S measures through the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme. I remain committed to supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of the suckler and beef sector.

Top
Share