Written Answers Nos. 213-220
213. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing home residents who availed of the fair deal scheme; the total cost to the Exchequer annually for the years 2018 to 2022, inclusive; the average payment per patient per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7752/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
214. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE-run nursing homes and privately run nursing homes that have participated in the fair deal scheme annually for the years 2018 to 2022, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7753/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
215. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the total funding for HSE dental services in the past five years in all LHOs in CHO4; the number of children waiting for dental services in these LHOs; their waiting times; the location in which children in these LHOs can have orthodontic treatment carried out; the number of orthodontists available to the HSE in these areas; the criteria being applied that determines whether a child qualifies for HSE funded orthodontic treatment; the number waiting for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7754/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
216. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the opening hours of each specialist menopause clinic by location, in tabular form as of 1 February 2022. [7755/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
217. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who export slurry are qualified applicants for the low emissions slurry equipment grant scheme under TAMS II; if not, the reasoning behind the ineligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7473/23]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is fully committed to encouraging the increased use of Low Emission Slurry equipment. The Low Emission Slurry Scheme (LESS) has been a real success.
Interest in grant aid for the purchase of LESS equipment has been very strong with over 10,700 farmers approved to purchase LESS machinery under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).
Over €68.6 million has been paid to date for investments in LESS equipment under TAMS II.
Whether or not a farmer exports slurry does not determine eligibility under the LESS scheme. The determining factor is the rate of production of organic nitrogen in the farm.
Under the Nitrates Regulations, (Good Agricultural Practice Regulations, (S.I. No. 113 of 2022)) the mandatory use of Low emission slurry spreading equipment by certain categories of farmers is being introduced on a phased basis as follows;
i. Farms exceeding 170 kg nitrogen per hectare from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding - from 15th April 2022.
ii. Farms exceeding 150 kg nitrogen per hectare from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding - from 1st January 2023.
iii. Farms exceeding 130 kg nitrogen per hectare from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding - from 1st January 2024.
iv. Farms exceeding 100 kg nitrogen per hectare from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding - from 1st January 2025.
v. Slurry produced by pigs on any holding - from 1st January 2023.
Under Article 17 of European Parliament and Council Regulation (EU) No. 1305/2013, grant aid may be provided for investments for a maximum 12 months after the imposition of new mandatory requirements such as those in the Nitrates Regulations. This applies to all TAMS II schemes.
The TAMS schemes will continue to be grant aided the Rural Development Programme until the end of 2025 and my Department will continue to provide investment supports for LESS under TAMS 3.
218. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is considering the introduction of a dairy exit scheme and if so, when a decision will be made on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7581/23]
View answerThe Food Vision 2030 Dairy Group was established in 2022 to advance the actions for the dairy sector identified in the Food Vision 2030 strategy; taking account of the requirement for the dairy sector to contribute to achieving the targets set for agriculture emissions in the Climate Act process, i.e. a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030.
The Dairy Group submitted its final report, which was published in late 2022. The report included an option for a voluntary exit or reduction scheme.
The Dairy Group report is being considered carefully before deciding on next steps.
219. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been paid in respect of incorrect entitlements for 2021 and 2022; when this person’s record will be rectified to reflect the correct entitlements; when the monies owed will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7731/23]
View answerAn application for participation in the 2021 Basic payment Scheme (BPS) scheme was received under a reference number from the person named on 17th April 2021. The application was linked to a herd number in February 2022.
In processing the application, it was found that the area claimed by the applicant was greater than the maximum eligible area for the land parcels. Photos have been submitted by the applicant in relation to the maximum eligible area. My Department is currently reviewing the case and the applicant will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
220. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding and the heading under which it was granted to organisations (details supplied) in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [7538/23]
View answerIn response to the Deputy's question, I can confirm that no funding was provided centrally to the organisations referred to by the Deputy in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023.
