Written Answers Nos. 451-460
451. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the situation regarding GLAS penalties for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the total penalties that applied in respect of this payment and the years involved in respect of the penalties applied; if this case has exhausted all internal appeals; if the file has been referred to the Independent Appeals Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33293/22]
View answerThe person named applied successfully for GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1st January 2017. The GLAS contract was selected for an on-farm inspection on 02nd March 2020. Notification of the inspection findings issued by letter 23rd February 2021. A 100% baseline penalty was applied to the Traditional Hay Meadow action. This penalty of €3,122.23 was applied to the 2019 Balance payment. The letter of February 23rd 2021 outlined the option of requesting a review of this decision. The Department have no record of receiving a request to review this decision.
During the course of the on farm inspection, in addition to non-compliance with the GLAS actions, the person named was also found to have exceeded the maximum Phosphorus allowance. The penalty of €249.99 was applied to the 2020 Advance payment.
Had the applicant requested an internal review, the option of a further appeal to the Agricultural appeals Office would have been open to him
452. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the location in which a person can access the FETAC approved training course in accordance with regulation 32 of the European Communities (Animal Remedies) (No.2) Regulations required to apply for an animal remedies merchants licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33318/22]
View answerThree course providers are currently licensed to provide the approved Responsible Persons FETAC training course in accordance with regulation 32 of the European Communities (Animal Remedies) (No.2) Regulations.
Course details and scheduling are available directly from the providers - details supplied.
453. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that the harbour authority at Dunmore East will fully engage with a club (details supplied) relative to the traffic management plan being proposed and in particular the access issues for the club arising from the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33323/22]
View answerDunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre is first and foremost a working fishery harbour, and is one of six Fishery Harbour Centres owned, operated, developed and maintained by my Department under statute. However, it is also home to marine-related industrial, tourism and leisure businesses. The multi-faceted business in a very confined space at Dunmore East presents difficult challenges for the operational team in doing their best to co-ordinate the flow of people and goods through the harbour and to keep all safe. This is especially so in these summer months when the combination of users is at its most intense.
In consideration of the increased activity in the harbour, my Department commissioned expert consultants to draw up a traffic management plan for the harbour. Everyone’s overriding imperative must be safety, particularly with many young children coming and going for day trips and summer camps. The club identified by the Deputy was one of a number of stakeholders who were invited to meet with the consultants and feed their views into the plan. The consultants took all requests on board to the greatest extent possible, having regard to the standards required for traffic control measures.
The plan envisages a continuous flow model operating during the summer, providing set down areas for drop-and-go movements at peak times and thereby continuous access for all users.
A dedicated car park was installed by my Department in 2018 to encourage parking away from the busiest parts of the harbour. My Department only owns a small footprint in Dunmore East and the constraints of physical space make it impossible to facilitate everyone’s desire to park at the harbour. The harbour management team continues to work with all users to make special provisions for any planned events to the greatest extent possible.
454. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 407 of 2 June 2022, the way that it is possible that the two horses that were featured in the television programme (details supplied) last ran in Ireland in July 2019 and were then sent to slaughter in the UK, given the previous response supplied. [33380/22]
View answerPrior to January 1st 2021, there was a Tripartite Agreement in place between Ireland, France and UK. Under this agreement, equines, except those consigned directly for slaughter, could move between Ireland, the UK and France without veterinary certification. Equines being moved to the UK intended for slaughter required veterinary animal health certification.
No equines were certified for movement for slaughter from Ireland to establishments in UK in 2019 or 2020 or since 1st January, 2021, when all horses being exported to GB require a veterinary certificate. It is possible that the two horses referred to by the Deputy were moved to the UK for other reasons, and subsequently sent for slaughter.
My Department does not have or hold information on animals once they move outside of Ireland. Once they arrive in the importing country they are subject to relevant rules applying in those countries.
455. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will publish the wool feasibility study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33397/22]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that funding of €100,000 was committed in Budget 2021 to conduct a review of the potential demand in domestic and international markets for wool-based products such as insulation and fertilisers.
Following a competitive public procurement process, the successful tenderers "‘The Agile Executive’ a consortium of experts from Munster Technological University and Donegal Yarns" were appointed in November 2021 to carry out the review and examine the submissions received under the public consultation process.
The final report is now complete and has been received by my Department. I expect publication of this report very shortly.
456. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applications will be accepted under the emergency fodder scheme; the areas of the country covered by the scheme; if areas are excluded; the reason for this; if he intends on introducing compensatory measures in the areas excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33442/22]
View answer457. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if hay saved on traditional hay meadow is eligible for assistance under the emergency fodder scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33443/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 457 together.
The Deputy will be aware that on the 15th June 2022, I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. This is a nationwide Scheme which aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) for the coming winter to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the coming winter and next spring. Dairy farmers are not eligible for the scheme.
Grassland declared on the applicant’s 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application, including grassland that is Area of Natural Constraints (ANC) Category 1 land, is eligible for the scheme. The land applied on must be land on which either hay or silage is cut and conserved on before 5th September 2022. Tillage land is not eligible for the scheme. The payment rate will be up to €100 per hectare, up to a maximum of 10 hectares with the maximum potential payment of up to €1,000.
The online application system for the Fodder Support Scheme is now open for applications. Farmers wishing to apply can do so either themselves or through their advisor up to the 2nd August 2022 by logging on to agfood.ie.
As per the Scheme's Terms and Conditions, Traditional Hay Meadow is eligible for support as long as all requirements under the Fodder Support Scheme are complied with. The full Terms & Conditions of the Scheme and a Frequently Asked Questions document are also now available on my Department’s website and can be viewed at www.gov.ie/en/service/448e0-fodder-support-scheme.
458. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is intended to introduce a scheme tin 2022 to incentivise farmers to grow catch crops such as kale and rapeseed as fodder in order to reduce the dependence on imported feedstuffs and to secure further fodder for Irish farmers this coming winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33444/22]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee in March of this year. I tasked the Committee with preparing a multi-sectoral response to identify those issues that will arise for feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises.
Central at that time was the announcement of the Targeted Intervention Package which identified three key pillars aimed at supporting Irish families arising both from events in Ukraine and wider global price volatility. The package seeks to incentivise the planting of additional tillage crops through the Tillage Incentive Scheme and introduces supports to encourage farmers to grow protein crops in 2022. Supporting domestic production of tillage and protein crops is a key mechanism in reducing Ireland’s reliance on imported feed materials.
The Package also included a Multi-Species Sward Initiative and a Red Clover Silage Measure to promote environmentally sustainable methods of farming, and thereby reduce nitrogen fertiliser usage, while maintaining forage yield.
I have also recently launched a €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. This Scheme aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) for the coming winter to ensure we do not have any animal welfare issue over the coming winter and next spring. The Scheme will have a payment rate of up to €100 per hectare and I hope there will be strong uptake from farmers.
The National Fodder and Food Security Committee will continue to advise me in the coming months on issues relating to the security of supply of fodder for the coming winter.
459. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of engagements or bilateral meetings that his Department has had to date with an organisation (details supplied) regarding the next forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33451/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a national shared vision for the future of Ireland's trees and forests, and a new Forest Strategy, are currently being developed.
Extensive public consultation and engagement has taken place on the development of the shared national vision and the new Forest Strategy. One strand of the consultation process included bilateral meetings with key stakeholders - 28 of these meetings have taken place over the last number of months. A public attitudes survey, a community engagement survey and a youth dialogue have already been completed.
An online public consultation was launched on 16th March and closed on 27th April 2022, with over 3,000 responses received. These responses are currently being examined and will provide important feedback on a range of areas which will help shape the next Forest Strategy.
A Deliberative Dialogue of 100 people, representative of the general demographics of the population, took place on 10th and 14th May 2022. This event provided a platform for a diverse group of people to learn about the values associated with trees and forests, the challenges we face and to discuss and deliberate the future of Irish forests.
The new Forest Strategy will underpin a new Forestry Programme for the period 2023 - 2027. My Department is currently engaging further with stakeholders on the measures that will be considered for the new Programme. To date, four bilateral meetings have taken place with members of the Forestry Policy Group (FPG). Details of Programme development will be presented to all members of the FPG on Thursday 23rd June. SEEFA are not members of the FPG and bilateral meetings with associations who are not members of this Group are not planned.
The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment/Appropriate Assessment process, and this will include public consultation on the draft Programme and Environmental Report.
460. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total hectares of afforestation applied for each year since 2014 and the actual hectares planted each year for the same period in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33459/22]
View answerThe Department makes available various forestry statistics on its website, particularly the Forestry Divisional Monthly Reports, which may be found here gov.ie - gov.ie - Forestry Division Monthly Reports (www.gov.ie)
The table below shows the applications received in hectares and also the number of hectares planted from 2014 to 2022:
|
Year |
Hectares of Afforestation applications received |
Hectares planted |
|
2014 |
17,594 |
6,156 |
|
2015 |
15,855 |
3,595 |
|
2016 |
13,280 |
6,299 |
|
2017 |
11,483 |
5,495 |
|
2018 |
8,623 |
5,820 |
|
2019 |
7,756 |
3,495 |
|
2020 |
7,070 |
2,434 |
|
2021 |
4,606 |
2,017 |
|
To June 2022 |
1,063ha |
1,152 |
There are a variety of reasons why there has been a decline in the number of afforestation applications in recent years. Interest in afforestation has been impacted by the complexity of the legal and administrative system, judicial decisions, the efficiency of the forestry licensing system, the appetite among landowners to convert land to afforestation usage and, in some areas, complex societal attitudes and responses to afforestation. Both myself and Minister Hackett are very conscious of the need to increase afforestation rates given the target of 8,000 hectares set out in the Climate Action Plan
We have focussed on addressing the licensing issue and on looking to the future of trees and forests in Ireland under the framework of Project Woodland.
The licensing situation is improving as a result of increased investment in resources and a continual improvement in processes. We issued 4,050 licences in 2021 and intend to increase this to 5,250 in 2022. We aim to more than double the number of afforestation licences to 1,040 by year end. Last year 502 afforestation licences issued for 4,246 hectares, but only 2016 hectares were planted. This low conversion rate is a challenge. There are currently 5,200 ha in the system, which have a valid approval, but have not gone ahead to planting. We have written to 451 applicants with unused licences to remind them that their licence is still valid and to encourage them to consider using them before their approval lapses. Of those, 28 have contacted us to confirm that they have commenced planting or have indicated that they intend to do so this year.
Communication and positive messaging about the benefits of afforestation is crucial. On most farms, planting can comfortably co-exist with livestock enterprises and can significantly increase the net income from the holding. We must work together to communicate this positive message consistently.
