Written Answers Nos. 1799-1818
1805. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the decision to refuse an appeal under the BEAM scheme in the name of a person (details supplied) given that they could not reduce the herd due to TB; and if the decision can be overturned on compassionate or force majeure grounds. [63837/22]
View answerThe objective of the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) was to provide temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland. The granting of the aid was subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.
Just over 33,000 participants, including the person named, joined the scheme and, in doing so, gave a commitment to reduce the production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on the holding by 5% for the reduction period 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021 as compared with the reference period of 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019 as recorded on the Department's AIM system.
Following the end of the reduction period, my Department undertook a series of administrative and compliance checks to ensure that the commitments farmers had entered into under the BEAM Terms and Conditions had been met.
Participants who had been restricted due to an outbreak of TB on their holding during the reduction period had their 5% bovine nitrates reduction commitment reduced in line with the length of their restriction(s).
In the case of the person named, even after applying the proportionate adjustment to his 5% reduction requirement to take account of the TB restriction, the commitment to reduce the bovine livestock manure nitrogen by 5% was not met and, as a result, all BEAM monies received were to be recouped.
The person named was informed of this by letter which also advised him of his right to request a review of the decision if they so wished.
The person named contacted my Department to request such a review and the outcome of that review issued to him on 16 June 2022, upholding my Department's original decision and advising them of their right to appeal the outcome to the Agriculture Appeals Office if they so wished. To date there is no record of an appeal being lodged.
1806. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his future plans to provide funding to an initiative (details supplied) following a submission from an organisation in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63846/22]
View answerA submission from the organisation named was recently received by my Department. Officials are presently examining this submission, and any decisions concerning future funding will be made in due course.
1810. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined given that they are being billed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63879/22]
View answerThe charges referred to by the Deputy include annual harbour fees and charges concerning use of Fishery Harbour Centre facilities on and off over a number of years.
The origin of the charges have been explained to the individual concerned periodically. Notwithstanding that, I have asked my Department to write to the individual concerned to set out the origin of the charges involved again and to advise on payment arrangements.
Any individual with outstanding or overdue debt is welcome to make a proposal regarding the payment of the debt by instalments, if they so wish, and such a proposal will be considered by my Department.
1811. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 672 of 13 December 2022, when the scheme for forgotten farmers will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63908/22]
View answerI am committed to delivering a support package for the cohort known as the Forgotten Farmers. These are farmers who find themselves in this position, in many cases, through no fault of their own.
My Department has developed a preliminary outline of a proposal to provide support to the group of farmers commonly referred to as forgotten farmers. There are a number of issues to be addressed, before the details of the eligibility requirements and benefits to successful applicants under a scheme can be finalised. Details of the scheme will be made available as soon as this process has been completed.
1812. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide correspondence to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63945/22]
View answerThe GLAS 2 contract of the person named was selected for an on-farm inspection on 6 July 2022 and notification of the inspection findings issued to the person named by letter dated 23 August 2022. The GLAS contract was rejected as a result of this inspection. This letter gave the person named the option of appealing this decision with the Regional Inspector. An appeal of the inspection decision was lodged, and this appeal was received in the GLAS section 19 September 2022.
The Regional Inspector reviewed the appeal and notified the person named of the findings by letter dated 18 October 2022. The original findings were upheld.
The option of appealing this decision with the Agricultural Appeals Office is currently available to the person named. This appeal must be submitted in writing within three months of the date of the Regional Inspectors letter (18/10/22). The appeal must include the facts and contentions upon which they intend to rely together with such documentary evidence that they wish to submit in support of the appeal.
1813. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of times he and-or officials from his Department met with Coillte regarding forestry licences in 2022; the dates of those meetings; the participants; the agenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63969/22]
View answerIn relation to meetings specific to licences, my officials held approximately 45 meetings directly with Coillte in relation to felling licences. These normally covered a discussion around the licences issued the previous week, licence projections for the coming week, Natura Impact Statements (NISs) submitted by Coillte the previous week by Coillte and the NISs to be submitted in the coming week by Coillte.
In addition my officials held approximately 38 meetings in relation to Coillte forest roads licences. These meetings mostly dealt with both sides updating on the progress of individual applications. I understand these were largely technical meetings between my Forestry Inspectorate staff and professional staff from Coillte.
There has been continued high output in forestry licencing in 2022, with considerable reductions in the backlog of forestry licences and another significant year-on-year increase in the number of licences issued.
In 2022 my Department issued 1,200 more licences than applications received. In total my Department issued 4,713 licences which was 90% of our targeted output. Most of these licences were for the private sector.
The total volume of wood licenced in 2022 was over 9.5 million cubic metres, which significantly exceeds the COFORD forecast of just over 4 million cubic metres. This is the second year in a row that the volume licenced is more than double the annual forecasted volume to be harvested.
Both Coillte and the private sector are receiving sufficient felling licences to ensure employment is not affected.
In 2022, 1,607 felling licences were issued to the private sector and 1,686 felling licences were issued to Coillte.
