Written Answers Nos. 629-648
629. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will publish the review of the governance structures around the HSE's drug reimbursement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45174/22]
View answerFollowing a tender by the Office of Government Procurement in 2019, Mazars conducted a review of the governance structures around the HSE's drug reimbursement process. The report was submitted to my Department in January 2020.The review made recommendations in respect of the HSE’s systems, structures, processes, governance arrangements and use of specialist resources in respect of the drug reimbursement process.The report was under consideration by officials, however the focus of the Department of Health changed to the immediate public health considerations of the COVID-19 pandemic and the preservation of life. This meant that this work stream was suspended to reallocate resources to support essential services.My Department aims to complete its consideration of the report’s recommendations when resources permit.
630. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a subsidy will be provided to fishermen in this State to assist them with the dramatic increases in fuel costs, similar to those introduced by other European Union member states and as called for by the European Parliament. [44456/22]
View answerSince the publication of the Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021), I have announced a number of support schemes for our fishing fleet and wider seafood sector and coastal communities.
From October to December 2021, a Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme made available supports of €4,600 up to €88,700 per month depending on vessel size for vessels to tie-up for a calendar month. Vessels in the Rockall squid fishery could tie-up for two months at these rates. In total, some 179 vessels availed of this scheme at a cost of €10 million.
I introduced a temporary tie-up scheme again in May 2022 and it will operate until November this year. To further assist the fishing fleet in these difficult times, I am allowing each vessel to receive aid for 2 months in 2022.
Already, some 67 vessel owners received aid of €4.3 million for the month of June, with a further 43 vessel owners receiving aid of €2.4 million for the month of July. 56 vessels tied up in August at a cost of €2.8 million and 72 applications have been received for September, which will result in a further €3 million in payments to vessel owners.
For the inshore fleet, a Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme operated from January to March and was availed of by 771 inshore fishing vessel owners at a cost of €2.6 million.
The scheme provided aid of €2,700 to owners of vessels under 8 metres and €4,000 to owners of vessels of 8 to 18 metres. In addition, a Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme is under way and is investing €600,000 in 2022 in promoting stocks of interest to inshore fishers to support prices at the quayside.
Separately, a €45 million Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme is open for applications at present, with the aim of supporting the seafood processing sector to engage in transformational change, mitigating the effects of Brexit, and assisting the sector to move further up the supply chain to produce higher value seafood products. Graduated grants, depending on the level of value-added, of up to 50% for capital investment are available.
For coastal communities, a €25 million Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme is open for applications and aims to counter the adverse economic and social consequences of Brexit on businesses operating in the blue economy in our coastal regions. The scheme offers aid of up to €200,000 for capital investments and also offers aid for training and mentoring.
Further support schemes are anticipated in coming months, including a voluntary decommissioning scheme for which BIM is now accepting expressions of interest.
In relation to the impacts of increased energy costs arising from the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Government is acutely conscious of the impacts across the economy. I recognise that the seafood sector is facing particular challenges, arising from the combination of Brexit and increased energy costs.
On 6th July, I met with representatives of the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors to discuss a number of important issues facing our seafood sector, including Brexit and increased energy costs. The meeting gave me the opportunity to engage directly with industry representatives and to hear first-hand their concerns and priorities.
I continue to engage with industry representatives on these priority matters.
631. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the financial supports that he plans to introduce for the struggling fish processing and exporting sector in this State, utilising the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. [44457/22]
View answerOn 12 May I was pleased to launch the new €45 million Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme. The scheme delivers on a recommendation of the Seafood Taskforce and offers grant rates of between 30% and 50% for capital investment in SME seafood processing enterprises, varying depending on the degree of value added of the project.
The scheme is designed to counter the adverse consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. It seeks to support the processing sector to engage in transformational change, mitigating the effects of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and Brexit, while also building more environmentally friendly, sustainable and competitive enterprises which serve the EU and wider global markets, create higher levels of employment more locally, and make better and more sustainable use of Irish landed or imported raw material. As the scheme is proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve this requires that investments are completed by 2023.
Separately, a Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme, delivered by Bord Bia, is underway to promote sales of stocks of interest to inshore fishers, in order to boost prices at the quayside. The plan will focus on supporting the sales and promotion of inshore species such as Irish crab, lobster, whelks, inshore herring/mackerel and line caught hake and pollock on both the domestic and export markets. The 2022 marketing plan has a budget of €615,000. A further recommendation of the Taskforce was the establishment of a Brexit Seafood Processing Liquidity Scheme. The recommendation is being examined in the context of State Aid Guidelines and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Regulation.
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is now drawing to a close with only modest funds now remaining uncommitted, however the public consultation for its successor programme, the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund has now concluded, with its submission to the European Commission for adoption due to take place in the coming weeks. This proposed €258m programme will earmark significant funding for areas such as processing, innovation and marketing among others.
632. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the changes to the Common Fisheries Policy that are anticipated in the time ahead in order to reflect the deeply unfair allocation of fish quotas to the Irish fishing fleet within the Irish exclusive economic zone. [44458/22]
View answerThe Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Regulation (Regulation EU 380/2013) provides that the European Commission will report to the European Parliament and the Council on the functioning of the CFP by the end of 2022.
In December 2021, as the first step in the consultation process, the Commission launched online questionnaires relating to the review of both the CFP and the Regulation on the Common Organisation of Markets. In April 2022, the Commission published an analysis of the results of the online surveys. Meetings of regional groups of Member States and Advisory Councils have also taken place. The Commission closed the consultation process with a stakeholder event on 10 June.
The Commission has recently indicated that its report on the functioning of the CFP will take the form of a Communication, analysing the dimensions of the CFP (including governance, conservation measures, fleet management, landing obligation, data collection, control and the external dimension of the CFP). The Commission's Communication will look at the interaction between fisheries management and the objectives of the European Green Deal. In addition, the Communication will also address the social dimension of the CFP and consider how to improve the delivery of the CFP policy objectives. The Commission has indicated that the results of its consultation process will be factored into the preparation of the Communication.
I have consistently made clear over the past year the Irish Government’s assessment that the substantial changes brought about in fisheries policy as a result of the adoption of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement requires that internally within the EU, a comprehensive review be carried out of the CFP that would support changes to deliver a fair and equitable policy.
Earlier this year, I established a national Common Fisheries Policy Review group of relevant stakeholders to examine the issues that arise for Ireland in the context of the CFP Review, to advise me on priorities for the negotiations and to identify strategies most likely to influence the outcome of the review. The Group was chaired by Mr. John Malone, former Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, and assisted by a steering committee comprising Mr. Micheál Ó Cinneide, former Director of the MI and EPA and Mr. Donal Maguire, former Director in BIM. The Group involved representatives of key stakeholders, including industry representative groups and the environmental NGOs.
The CFP Review Group submitted its final report to me on 29th July. The stakeholders have set out a number of recommendations on aspects of the CFP which need to be addressed in order to adapt to the monumental changes of recent years and ensure a sustainable future for the sector.
I have forwarded a copy of the report to the Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius. I have made clear that I am fully satisfied that this report demonstrates that there is need for legislative changes in the current policy to address the disproportionate impacts of the TCA and in the context of the new environmental challenges we are all facing. I have asked him to review the report's findings and recommendations and consider how these can be taken forward to support a fair and balanced CFP. I will also be bringing the report to Government for its information.
633. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo under the Brexit inshore fisheries business model adjustment scheme. [44511/22]
View answerThe Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). I understand that one of the key eligibility criteria for this scheme is the requirement for an appropriate demonstration of fishing activity - either via logbook data for over 10m vessels, or a minimum level of sales to be uploaded to the SFPA's sales notes system for under 10m vessels. In the case of your constituent, BIM can provide feedback directly on any issues with their application as the application process is a private matter between BIM and each individual applicant.
634. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo under the Brexit inshore fisheries business model adjustment scheme. [44513/22]
View answerThe Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM). I understand that one of the key eligibility criteria for this scheme is the requirement for an appropriate demonstration of fishing activity - either via logbook data for over 10m vessels, or a minimum level of sales to be uploaded to the SFPA's sales notes system for under 10m vessels. In the case of your constituent, BIM can provide feedback directly on any issues with their application as the application process is a private matter between BIM and each individual applicant.
635. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the scientific basis for the increase in the frequency of TB testing; if he will outline the analysis that his Department has carried out on the possible competition impacts of such measures; if his Department will cover the cost of this increase in the frequency of testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44521/22]
View answerI am committed to driving down TB rates in the national herd. I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial pain associated with a TB breakdown.
Introduction of the new TB testing requirements are as result of the EU Animal Health Law Regulations 2016\429. These regulations came into effect on 1st April 2021. These new regulations require that where bovine animals are being moved from farm to farm or through marts, they must have been tested for TB within a certain time frame.
The requirements are that:
1. All Bovines that are moving farm to farm or through a mart must be tested in the previous six months, and
2. They must also be moving from a herd that been tested in the last six months.
If they do not fulfil both of these requirements, they must be tested, either within the 30 days prior to movement or within 30 days after movement into the new herd.
These new requirements are aimed at reducing the level of transmissible disease in animals, including bovines. These requirements are directly applicable across all EU member states. As this is not a discretionary matter, my Department did not complete an analysis on competition impacts.
The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum which comprises of representatives from across the agri-food sector, leading researchers and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has agreed to the introduction of these mandatory requirements on a phased basis. These new measures should play a part in assisting the reduction of bTB in the years ahead.
Where animals that move do not satisfy the two testing-interval requirements, the initial phase of implementation will see the requirement for either pre-or post-movement test activated in respect of cows of all ages and male animals over the age of 36 months. This first phase will come into effect on 1st February 2023. At present, no date has been set for phase two, which will see the rule applied to all animals. This will only be done in dialogue with farm organisations.
If the animal does not meet the TB testing criteria then the animal is restricted to the herd that received it and it is required to have a post movement test within 30 days, If the animal is alive and has not tested within the 30 days then the herd is restricted and the animal must be tested within another 30 days. If the animal is alive and has not been TB tested within another 30 days then the herd will remain restricted and the herd will be scheduled for a full herd TB test.
The responsibility to ensure that animals are tested in compliance with these requirements ultimately rests with the purchaser of the animals.
The majority of animals being moved currently satisfy these time intervals and so in such cases no additional testing will be required.
Herd owners either selling or buying animals can time their annual herd test to coincide with the sale or purchase of animals. If a herd owner wishes to re-schedule their annual herd test to an earlier date, to facilitate the sale or purchase of animals, they should contact their Regional Veterinary Office. Herd owners may test those animals that have been moved in as part of their annual herd test or as part of a Department-paid test where one is scheduled for completion, e.g., contiguous tests or post de-restriction check tests.
Discussions are currently on-going at the Financial Working Group (a TB Forum working group) about the financing of the programme overall. Ultimately, measures to reduce the incidence of the disease will reduce the cost of the programme to farmers and tax payers.
636. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Forestry Service has official policies regarding forest inspections and forestry application referrals for private and Coillte applications in the interest of transparency, impartiality and public trust; if so, if he will provide the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44523/22]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine operates the same inspection and referral regime for Private and Coillte applicants as part of its system of consent for felling and road licences.
With regard to felling licences these inspections include site inspections which are carried out to ensure the details given on the application are verified on the ground. The inspection is also used to support the appropriate assessment screening process prior to licensing.
Pre-licence inspections involve checks to make sure that maps provided by the applicant are accurate and include all relevant aquatic zones and other water bodies and other relevant information. Forest road applications are also subject to a pre licence inspection regime and where a forest entrance is being constructed or materially widened there is a mandatory referral and consultation with the relevant Local Authority.
This process is independent of whether the applicant is Coillte or a private individual.
Post felling inspections are carried out to ensure that felling has been carried out in accordance with the conditions of the licence and replanting has taken place and the correct species has been planted and conditions of the licence have been met (e.g. ensuring that water protection measures are being implemented correctly including e.g.. installation of silt traps, set backs and exclusions zones in the case of water features.)
Referrals of felling and road applications are also carried out in the same way for Private and Coillte licences. Applications are sent to the same statutory referral bodies for both applicants. All applications, private and Coillte, are uploaded to the Forest Licence Viewer where they are available to the public, to send in submissions.
637. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Forestry Service has an official policy or procedures for recording, investigation and so on in the interest of transparency, impartiality and public trust regarding complaints not appeals made about the Forestry Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44524/22]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing good customer service to all our customers and clients. The three Divisions of my Department involved in forestry are subject to the Department’s Customer Service Complaints Procedure, available under the Customer Service section on my Department’s website on www.gov.ie.
Complaints should initially be made to the Senior Officer in charge of the area to which the complaint relates. If a satisfactory response is not received, the matter can be referred to the Quality Service Unit who will have it fully and impartially investigated.
Should the complainant remains dissatisfied after the above steps have been taken, it is open to the complainant to contact the Office of the Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman examines complaints from people who feel they have been unfairly treated by certain public bodies including government departments.
It is the goal of my Department at all times to manage complaints in a way that is fair, non-recriminatory, respectful and impartial.
638. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that new mapping requirements imposed on private felling applications and which are causing significant delays and additional costs were not equally applied to Coillte applications in the interest of transparency, impartiality and public trust; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44546/22]
View answerLicence application requirements are the same for both Private and Coillte felling licences. Where a harvest plan is provided or sought by the Department they will describe the harvesting and reforestation operations that are planned onsite.
The Department's 'Standards for Felling and Reforestation' document set out the minimum standards regarding harvest and reforestation plans and maps, which include the clear identification of all aquatic zones, extraction routes, stacking areas and crossing points where necessary.
Harvest plans are important documents to assist the Department in carrying out an environmental assessment of the operations. In some cases where a very small number of trees are proposed to be felled a harvest plan may not required.
Both Private and Coillte licence applications are subject to the same process of referral to statutory bodies, archaeology assessment and screening for appropriate assessment. In these difference stages of the licence application process, supporting documents are uploaded onto the Department's Forest Licence Viewer.
639. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the decision to reject 95% of the necessary costs for application for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44548/22]
View answerThe Native Woodland Conservation Scheme provides funding to landowners to assist in enhancing and protecting Ireland’s native woodlands. It supports the restoration of existing native woodlands and the conversion of existing non-native forests to native woodland.
A decision was made on this case to approve the funding of an ecology report in January 2022. Because of the nature of the woodland area it was deemed that no works were required at this time in the project area.
A request to review this case was received from the forester. The case was reviewed by a more senior Forestry Inspector and a review decision letter issued on 7th March 2022. This review confirmed the initial decision.
640. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in his Department that have a formal agreement to work from home one day per week, two days per week and five days per week; his Department’s policy in respect of facilitating requests by persons to work from home; and the number of persons that have made requests to work from home in 2021 and to date in 2022, that have been declined. [44573/22]
View answerIn line with Government advice, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine implemented a return-to-the-workplace schedule in February 2022.
Since March, staff have been required to attend the workplace on the basis of a minimum of three days per week. Currently, staff who wish to work remotely two days per week can seek this option through local management arrangement. In addition, and as required under the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organisations, my Department has launched its own Blended Working Policy which enables staff to formally apply to work remotely up to two days per week.
Applications will be approved with due consideration to the suitability of both the applicant and the role for blended working, along with the requirements of relevant teams and business areas. It is currently anticipated that such formalised arrangements will begin from mid October 2022 and, in most cases will mirror current attendance patterns.
In keeping with the practices which applied before the pandemic, applications for special accommodation to work from home due to, for example, health matters are considered on a case by case basis.
Typically, the advice of the Chief Medical Officer is a key component in arriving at the outcome of such considerations. In 2021, 10 such requests were considered, nine were approved and one request was declined. To date in 2022, 19 requests have been received, of which 13 were approved, four were declined and two remain under consideration.
641. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he spoke with his counterpart during his recent visit to Singapore. [44603/22]
View answerOn my recent trade mission to Singapore, I had the opportunity to meet the CEO of Singapore Food Agency in Singapore.
The focus of trade mission was to showcase Ireland’s vision for a food systems approach to the sustainable development of the sector, Food Vision 2030.
I had a wide range of engagements with key commercial stakeholders in the Japanese and Singaporean markets and their Irish suppliers which underline the extensive business between Ireland and these priority markets for Irish agri-food exports.
642. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the value of sheep meat imported from New Zealand in 2021 and the first half of 2022. [44604/22]
View answerAccording to CSO data, the value of sheepmeat imports from New Zealand to Ireland in 2021 was €5,155,000 and from January to June 2022 the value of imports was €1,503,000.
For comparative purposes, the value of sheep meat exports from Ireland in 2021 is estimated at €420 million.
643. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds that have been exported to other jurisdictions by location in each of the past five years to date; the procedures and protocols that are in place in relation to the exportation of greyhounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44629/22]
View answer645. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds exported on an annual basis by destination of export, since 2018 to date in 2022. [44631/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 643 and 645 together.
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.
With regard to the export of greyhounds, rules covering the movement of all breeds of dogs, including greyhounds, between EU Member States are set at European level.
Greyhounds being moved from Ireland require veterinary animal health certification. This certification also applies to other breeds of dog, as well as to other animals.
My Department does not specifically collect information on the breed of dog being certified for movement from Ireland, and therefore figures of greyhound movements are not available. My Department does not have or hold information on animals once they move outside of Ireland.
Rásaíocht Con Éireann has informed my Department that RCÉ is committed to international collaboration with regulators in other jurisdictions to ensure that high welfare standards are maintained. RCÉ remains committed to the protection of the integrity of the greyhound industry and to promoting the welfare of greyhounds, and that all necessary resources are being committed to these ends.
644. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount that Greyhound Racing Ireland has received in respect of rental income derived from allowing companies to take a fixing on telecoms and or communications masts located at its race stadiums in each of the past five years to date in 2022. [44630/22]
View answerRásaíocht 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.
646. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44647/22]
View answerThis is an operational matter for Teagasc who deliver the Green Cert Programme.
I have requested Teagasc to examine the matter and provide a direct response to the Deputy within 10 days.
647. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if harvesting lop and top or brash from forestry harvesting sites is permitted with the current standard for harvesting and replanting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44728/22]
View answerLop-and-top or brash are terms given to the side branches and tops of trees that are normally cut from the main stem and left on site during harvesting operations. There is no licence requirement if a landowner wishes to remove some of this material from a site.
The Department's 'Standards for Felling and Reforestation' specifies the use of brash in creating and maintaining dense mats of brash and branch wood on all machine routes, to avoid soil damage, erosion and sedimentation. Brash mats are typically concentrated on primary routes and in the junction of extraction paths and landing sites.
Removing lop on top or brash from site is not described in the Standards for felling and reforestation. Like any non licensed activities it is important that it is done in such a way that it does not interfere with the licence conditions being met. I understand lop and top or brash is sometimes removed from sites and used as a biomass for wood fuel. This should only be done on certain sites where the operation will not have any adverse effects on water quality.
648. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an afforestation application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44745/22]
View answerForestry Contract number CN48948 refers to a FEPS application approved in August 2008 by the Forestry Division of my Department. The works approved were carried out and all grants and premiums have been paid in respect of this contract.
