Brendan Griffin
Question:321. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) was penalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35110/22]
View answerAgriculture Schemes
Questions (321)
Written answers
Farmers are required, on an annual basis, to submit a Basic Payment Scheme application to support their claim for all area based payment schemes. This application must detail the lands being farmed in the current year including any commonage lands.
The Department is required to ensure that all claimants on commonage land have the required documentary evidence to support their right to claim. In recent years commonages in the townland of Dunloe Upper, Co. Kerry have been reviewed to ensure that all claimants have the required evidence.
The above named individual submitted a BPS application on 13th April 2021. Due to a query regarding the rights on his commonage,the applicant was only paid on his lowland, both at the time of advance BPS payments in October 2021 and balancing BPS payments in December 2021. No penalty was applied on his payments and the remaining monies due on the commonage were paid in full in April 2022.
Officials from my Department have spoken to the above named individual in recent days to explain that no penalties were applied and all outstanding monies under BPS, Greening and ANC have been paid.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (322)
Thomas Pringle
Question:322. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commit to providing adequate funding for Pillar 2 schemes to ensure all farmers who apply for the recently announced agri-climate rural environment scheme will get accepted to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35141/22]
View answerWritten answers
A new agri-environmental scheme to be known as the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (‘ACRES’), has been proposed as part of Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan which is currently with the EU Commission for approval. We have committed €1.5 billion in funding for the scheme over the lifetime of the next CAP - the largest single investment by any Government in an agri-environmental scheme.
This Government has previously committed to total funding for the CSP 2023-2027 of €9.83 billion. The total national funding and the level of co-financing are both significantly higher than applied under the previous CAP programme - over a seven-year period the funding is almost €1.2 billion higher, an increase of nearly 30%, over the 2014-2020 RDP.
ACRES will be a farmer-friendly scheme that will help address biodiversity decline while delivering an important income support for up to 50,000 farm families.
Using a habitats-based approach, delivered through both multi-functional prescription and results-based actions, ACRES aims to contribute significantly to achieving improved biodiversity, climate, air and water quality outcomes. These will be achieved through two approaches under the scheme:
- an ACRES General approach offering a range of actions (both prescription and results-based) for individual farmers to choose from; and
- an ACRES Co-operation Project approach, available to farmers in defined high priority geographical areas, who opt to undertake measures, as well as bespoke farm, and landscape actions. Farmers participating in this approach will have the assistance of a Local Cooperation Project (CP) Team, who will assist with implementation of the scheme at local level.
It should be noted that approval for Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan is awaited from the EU Commission, so all of the proposals may be subject to change and will be subject to the annual budgetary cycle. I look forward to engaging with farmers and advisors later in the summer in advance of the scheme formally opening.
Animal Feedstuffs
Questions (323)
Thomas Pringle
Question:323. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to support farmers who are not in a position to avail of his recently announced fodder support scheme and have traditionally bought in their animal feed requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35142/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy may be aware that I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee in March. 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 sought to incentivise the planting of additional tillage crops through the Tillage Incentive Scheme and introduced 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/spring. The Scheme will have a payment rate of up to €100 per hectare and I hope there will be strong uptake from farmers. This Scheme, by helping to grow and conserve more fodder, will also help those farmers who purchase all their requirements by increasing the availability of fodder.
The National Fodder and Food Security Committee will continue to monitor the situation, provide advice to farmers and advise me in the coming months on issues relating to the security of supply of fodder for the coming winter.
Brexit Supports
Questions (324)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:324. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason fishers who could not achieve the 30 days at sea over the specified period in 2021 due to the closure of the hook and line mackerel fishery in June 2021 a few days after it started are excluded from applying for the Brexit compensation grant; if the scheme will be amended in order that the days of closure of the fishery will be counted as eligible days for the purpose of the scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35151/22]
View answerWritten answers
On the 12th of January 2022, I announced a support scheme for the inshore fisheries sector to assist inshore fishers in adjusting to the impacts of Brexit on their businesses. The Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme was implemented over the period January to March 2022 and is closed since 31 March. Some 754 inshore fishing vessel owners received aid under the scheme at a total cost of €2.5 million. The scheme delivered on a recommendation of the Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021) and is proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
Under the scheme BIM provided a suite of four online training modules, specifically tailored to the inshore fishing sector. After viewing the courses, participants in the scheme received a payment to adjust their business and marketing plans to the post Brexit environment, putting into practice the learnings from the BIM training. Some €4,000 was paid to owners of vessels over 8 metres in length (and under 18 metres) and €2,700 was paid to owners of vessels under 8 metres.
The eligibility criteria for the scheme were based on the detailed scheme proposal to the Seafood Task Force made by the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, the main representative body for the inshore fishing sector, and recommended to me by the Task Force for implementation. The NIFF recommended that the eligibility criteria for the scheme require that applicants demonstrate that they were active fishers during the first six months of 2021. I accepted the NIFF recommendations, but to taking account of the seasonal patterns of some inshore fisheries, I broadened the eligibility criteria recommended by the NIFF to allow applicants demonstrate this minimum level of fishing activity over the course of the full year of 2021. The requirements of the scheme for vessels over 10 metres were that they must demonstrate that they were active through logbook data showing a minimum of 30 days fishing activity throughout 2021.
The Scheme provided for an appeals mechanism to be put in place to adjudicate on appeals from applicants dissatisfied with any decision by BIM concerning their application. The scheme is closed since 31 March.
Charitable and Voluntary Organisations
Questions (325)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:325. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if any State or semi-State bodies that report to her are currently or have been registered as a charity; the reason for the charity status; the person or body that holds primacy for accountability in those instances, whether the Minister or the Charities Regulator; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35014/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department currently has four agencies under its remit which are accountable to their respective boards. They are the Charities Regulatory Authority, Pobal, Water Safety Ireland and the Western Development Commission. I can confirm to the Deputy that three of the four agencies are registered charities as set out below.
A charitable organisation must meet three requirements as specified in the Charities Act 2009 if they are to be considered a charity: it must operate in the Republic of Ireland; it must have a charitable purpose only; and it must exist to benefit the public or a section of the public in Ireland, or elsewhere, through its charitable purpose(s). Under the Charities Act, there are four categories of charitable purpose - the prevention or relief of poverty or economic hardship; the advancement of education; the advancement of religion; and any other purpose that is of benefit to the community. The fourth purpose, that of ‘any other purpose that is of benefit to the community’ is further defined under Section 3(11) of the Charities Act.
Water Safety Ireland’s Registered Charity Number (RCN) is 20058364. Its charitable purpose is the advancement of education.
The Western Development Commission’s RCN is 20047474. Its charitable purpose is that is of benefit to the community, specifically the advancement of community development, including rural or urban regeneration.
Pobal’s RCN is 20029609. Its charitable purposes are:
- Relief of poverty or economic hardship
- Other purpose that is of benefit to the community
- Advancement of community welfare including the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, or disability
- Advancement of community development, including rural or urban regeneration
- Advancement of conflict resolution or reconciliation
- Promotion of religious or racial harmony and harmonious community relations
- Integration of those who are disadvantaged, and the promotion of their full participation, in society.