Alan Kelly
Question:327. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health his views on the creation of an elective hospital in the mid-west. [56089/22]
View answerHealthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (327)
Written answers
In December 2021 the Government agreed, subject to the necessary approvals and requirements under the Public Spending Code being met, a new National Elective Ambulatory Care Strategy. This new strategy aims to change the way in which day case, scheduled procedures, surgeries, scans and outpatient services can be better arranged to ensure greater capacity in the future and help to address waiting lists. The development of additional capacity will be provided through dedicated, standalone Elective Hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin.
The locations chosen will allow for new facilities of a size and scale to implement a national elective care programme that will tackle waiting lists on a national basis. This means that the new facilities will be designed to maximise their capacity and in doing so will operate to cover as wide a catchment area as possible, extending beyond existing and future health areas including the mid-west. The locations were also chosen in line with good practice which suggests that, in order to maximise economies of scale, dedicated, standalone elective centres should be “as big as is reasonably possible” to meet identified demand while providing appropriate population coverage. Locating the new facilities in Cork, Dublin and Galway will enable the provision of a national service while aiming to maximise the coverage of the ECCs as far as is reasonably possible. The introduction of this new delivery capability into the Public Healthcare System will benefit the whole population, including those who do not fall within the immediate geographical catchment. It is envisaged that the Cork and Galway facilities combined will cater for up to 350,000 patients/procedures annually.
The Government is committed to continued improvement of the elective care system in Ireland through the National Elective Ambulatory Care Strategy. We also note that a number of solutions have been developed at individual hospital-level to address local need and will keep an open mind as to how elective care can be best delivered both in the mid-west and across the country.
Question No. 328 answered with Question No. 318.
Greyhound Industry
Questions (329)
Bríd Smith
Question:329. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of individual greyhound owners and trainers who have been the subject of exclusion orders and banning orders since testing for prohibited substances commenced at Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s laboratory in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56010/22]
View answerWritten 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.
Greyhound Industry
Questions (330)
Bríd Smith
Question:330. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of exclusion orders and banning orders issued by Rásaíocht Con Éireann currently in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56011/22]
View answerWritten 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.
Greyhound Industry
Questions (331)
Bríd Smith
Question:331. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the processes Rásaíocht Con Éireann has in place to ensure exclusion and-or banning orders are fully implemented and that those individuals who are the subject of same are prevented from attending greyhound tracks and-or racing dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56012/22]
View answerWritten 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.
Greyhound Industry
Questions (332)
Bríd Smith
Question:332. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of positive tests that have been recorded since Rásaíocht Con Éireann started testing for prohibited substances at its laboratory in Limerick; if he will provide a breakdown of the categories for all positive tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56013/22]
View answerWritten 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.
Greyhound Industry
Questions (333)
Bríd Smith
Question:333. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the frequency with which Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s control committee has met, either in-person or remotely, for each of the years 2015 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56014/22]
View answerWritten 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 Schemes
Questions (334)
Seán Canney
Question:334. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider extending the deadline for the ACRES past the current deadline of 21 November 2022 for a further four weeks to allow farmers and agri-planners to arrange the necessary on-farm inspections in advance of applications being made, given many farmers will be locked out of the scheme otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56026/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027 . Farmers may apply for one of the approaches available under ACRES, namely the ACRES Co-operation approach, available to farmers in eight defined high priority geographical areas, or the ACRES General approach which is available nationally outside of the eight ACRES Co-operation zones.
Farmers must engage the services of an approved ACRES advisor to prepare and submit the application. This includes the preparation of a Farm Sustainability Plan (FSP) which forms the bulk of the application.
The intake into the scheme is phased, with at least two tranches, to spread the workload of advisors.
There are currently just under 700 advisors approved for ACRES. Significant assistance was provided to advisors in advance of the formal opening of the Scheme to enable them to engage with their clients and commence preparation of the Farm Sustainability Plans.
The online system for the submission of ACRES applications was opened on 17th October 2022 with a closing date of Monday 21st November 2022 for the submission of applications under the current Tranche.
Notwithstanding the level of assistance provided and this closing date representing a five-week application period, I am conscious that the submission of ACRES applications is creating a significant workload for, and pressure on, advisors. For this reason, I have decided to extend the deadline for submission of applications for ACRES to Monday 5th December 2022.
Common Fisheries Policy
Questions (335)
Holly Cairns
Question:335. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on strengthening the supports for offshore islands in the Common Fisheries Policy in the upcoming negotiations on the Common Fisheries Policy. [56059/22]
View answerWritten answers
As indicated in my reply to question of 1304 of 8 November 2022, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Regulation (Regulation EU 1380/2013) 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.
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 involved representatives of key industry and environmental stakeholders, including the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation and the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, which represent island and inshore fishers.
The CFP Review Group submitted its final report to me on 5th August. The Group is of the opinion that legislative changes are needed due to a number of critical issues confronting the fishing industry including, but not limited to, the impact of Brexit, the social and economic sustainability of fisheries dependent communities, food security, climate change and biodiversity loss. 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 EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement 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 also brought the report to Government for its information.
Departmental Meetings
Questions (336)
Alan Kelly
Question:336. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dates and attendees at all meetings he has had with an organisation (details supplied) since he assumed office, in tabular form. [56091/22]
View answerWritten answers
During the period requested I have multiple engagements and meetings with all farm organsiations. I think it is crucial that the representatives group of farm family orgnaisations have access to raise issues relating to their members. These meetings can be in person, virtual or via phone. They can be the national body or the regional groups and committees. The list below relates to the meetings with the requested group:
2020
September
December 8th
2021
January 18th
January 28th
February 3rd
February 16th
February 18th
March 3rd
March 19th
April 21st
May 12th
May 13th
June 22nd
July 7th
September 8th
September 22nd
October 15th
October 18th
October 19th
December 16th
December 20th
2022
January 20th
January 27th
February 3rd
February 9th
March 10th
March 23rd
March 28th
June 27th
July 20th
September 7th
September 21st
Departmental Meetings
Questions (337)
Alan Kelly
Question:337. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the dates and attendees at all meetings he has had with an organisation (details supplied) since he assumed office, in tabular form. [56092/22]
View answerWritten answers
During the period requested I have multiple engagements and meetings. These meetings can be in person, virtual or via phone. The list below relates to the meetings with the requested groups
2020
September
December 3rd
2021
May 19th
September 8th
October 1st
October 15th
December 3rd
2022
June 29th
September 7th