Written Answers Nos. 273-284
273. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how he plans to address viability issues in the sheep industry; if he will make arrangements to introduce a €30/ewe targeted payment to underpin this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11711/23]
View answerBoth I and the Government are fully committed to maintaining a viable sheep sector as an integral element of a balanced regional economy. Sheep farmers are hugely committed to producing a world-class, safe and sustainable product and the Government recognises that.
Market prices are a commercial matter between suppliers and buyers and the Government has no role in determining commodity prices in the sheep sector. I do recognise the pressure that sheep farmers have been under as a result of the downturn in the markets over the past number of months.
My Department provides significant support to the sector under the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), both through a new targeted scheme for sheep farmers - the Sheep Improvement Scheme - and through the broad range of schemes in the CSP.
The new Sheep Improvement Scheme has over 19,000 applications submitted. The scheme replaces the previous Sheep Welfare Scheme but shares the same aim of improving animal health and welfare in the sector, with a 20% increase in the ewe payment rate - from €10 to €12 - compared to the previous scheme.
The CSP provides almost €10 billion in supports over the period to 2027 for farm families. Sheep farmers are eligible for several other schemes in addition to Sheep Improvement Scheme, including the ACRES and Organics schemes, which are particularly suited to sheep enterprises or mixed beef and sheep enterprises.
I have secured places for all 46,000 farmers in ACRES which I know will benefit to many sheep farmers.
Furthermore, support for early-stage producer organisations, which will be introduced later this year, will strengthen the position of sheep farmers in the supply chain.
At my request, the Food Vision Sheep Group met recently to discuss the sheep market situation. All the main stakeholders are represented on the Group and were invited to make submissions. I will carefully consider the Chair’s report on the outcome of the Group's deliberations and we continue to monitor the market situation in the sector.
While market returns have reduced from the record prices of recent years due to increased input costs, Teagasc forecasts suggest that 2023 family farm income for specialised sheep farms will be 2% down on 2022 at €19,500, due to the important role which direct payments play in contributing to sheep farm incomes.
However, I have now asked officials in my Department to examine what potential supports, if any, could be put in place to support our sheep farmers in light of the recent challenges. Budgets for 2023 have been set and are locked in place so any changes to this will require scoping out as well as diverting funds from previously agreed areas.
We have a sheep sector that is the envy of the world with our sheep farmers at the core of everything we do. I want to ensure there is a long-term and sustainable future for the sector.
274. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine he maximum funding available for TAMS via the Rural Development Programme and CAP Strategic Plans over the 2023 to 2027 period; the amount allocated in Budget 2023; the amount remaining to be allocated across 2024 to 2027. [11761/23]
View answerThe Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) is a demand-led scheme and TAMS 3 will continue to support farmers from 2023 onwards. An indicative budget for TAMS for 2023-2027 under the Rural Development Programme and CAP Strategic Plan is €370m. The allocated budget for 2023 is €73.5m with €296.5m to be allocated across 2024 to 2027.
275. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commission a social, economic and environmental impact assessment of factory-controlled feedlots. [11762/23]
View answerIt is important to clarify that there is no legal definition of a feedlot herd. The Department defines certain herds as Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) in the context of the Bovine TB Eradication Programme. This definition is unique to that programme and does not necessarily mirror the use of the term "feedlot" by the public and/or other institutions. CFUs are subject to enhanced biosecurity measures as part of the TB Programme and can only sell direct to slaughter.
My Department's statutory responsibility in the context of meat plants is to approve slaughter plants in accordance with the European Union (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations 2020 and to ensure that the DAFM-approved plants operate in compliance with the EU's food hygiene legislation, animal health and animal welfare standards.
My Department’s remit in relation to controlled finishing units is to ensure that they operate in compliance with the EU's animal health and animal welfare standards.
I have acknowledged the importance of transparency in the market for primary producers and my Department is progressing several initiatives to increase transparency. Central to my commitment to transparency is the introduction of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022, which is currently going through the legislative process. This Bill provides for the establishment of a new, independent statutory office, An Rialálaí Agraibhia, which will promote fairness and transparency in the agri-food supply chain by enforcing unfair trading legislation and by carrying out an independent price and market analysis reporting function.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department and Bord Bia already publish a wide range of price and comparative market data on a weekly basis.
276. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to support the production of agricultural hemp. [11763/23]
View answerThe current Programme for Government includes a commitment to fully explore fibre crops such as hemp and consider whether these crops have a viable market. To fulfil that commitment, my Department carried out a consultative process in 2021 to examine the commercial viability of growing hemp for fibre use only. The report on this consultation was published in December 2022.
As part of the consultation, stakeholders were invited to consider a number of questions including existing markets, the strengths and weaknesses of fibre crops and the scaleability of the Irish fibre crop/hemp industry, taking into account the market size and value, industry processing capacity and economic returns along the supply chain.
The main finding of the report was that the growing of fibre crops such as hemp for the purposes of fibre production only is not currently viable in Ireland. However, hemp can be successfully grown here and offers opportunities for diversification and crop rotation while delivering environmental benefits. Potential markets also exist for hemp fibre with its use in the construction industry offering the most significant opportunity.
While the overall outcome of the consultation is that the growing of fibre crops such as hemp is not currently viable, it is a matter for the industry to address and bring forward a proposal containing viable options for consideration.
Hemp is included as an eligible crop under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS). However, the growing of hemp requires a specific license from the Health Products Regulatory Authority which operates under the auspices of the Department of Health.
277. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagements he has had with his Cabinet colleagues to support and encourage women farmers. [11764/23]
View answerAt a European level the number of women in farming has been slowly increasing. 2016 data suggests that, on average, around 30% of farms across the EU are managed by a woman, but with some considerable differences between Member States. The Census of Agriculture 2020 reported that just 13% of farm holders in Ireland are female.
I am very pleased that, for the first time, Ireland’s new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027 includes specific measures aimed at increasing the participation of women in farming. Ireland’s CSP, which will deliver some €10 billion to farm families over the next five years, includes innovative proposals to promote gender equality, including:
- An increased grant rate of 60% under the Capital Investment Scheme to fund investments by trained women farmers.
- The promotion of women-only Knowledge Transfer Groups.
- Improved recording and reporting of gender data and the leveraging of the National CAP Network to increase the involvement of all women in the implementation of CAP.
- All CAP interventions will be developed with a gender-aware perspective to ensure there are no inherent barriers to women's participation.
- European Innovation Partnerships offer an ideal opportunity for the sector to develop initiatives that will promote women's participation in farming.
In addition, since 2015, the Department has provided support for rural female entrepreneurs under the ACORNS programme. This initiative involves the development and implementation of a tailored programme to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
Food Vision 2030, our shared 10 year strategy for the agri-food sector, recognises the importance of gender equality to its long-term sustainability and includes actions to promote and improve gender balance.
One of those actions was to hold a National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture, which I hosted on 1st February this year, St Brigid's Day. The Dialogue was chaired by former Tánaiste and Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, and it examined gender issues in the sector generally via discussion panels, guest speakers and workshops on themes including: Leadership and Visibility; Education and Awareness; Sustainability; and Legal and Financial matters. The outcome of the discussions will be compiled into a report that will inform policy in this regard in the coming years. This will be strengthened by a specific research project on women’s participation in agriculture, and ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
I look forward to making further progress on this important issue and will continue to update my Cabinet colleagues in this regard.
278. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 163 of 8 December 2022, the status of the establishment of the wool council; if the promised €30,000 for initial set-up costs has been drawn down to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11952/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, one of the main recommendations of the Wool Review Report which was published in July 2022, was the establishment of an independent Wool Council led by industry. It is envisaged that the Council would develop and promote Irish wool domestically and internationally and bring together multiple stakeholders to foster collaboration, innovation and scaling activities in the wool sector.
It would also be a forum where stakeholders would further examine and explore the potential uses for wool identified in the Wool Review Report. In support of the Wool Council my Department has committed to providing €30,000 in financial assistance towards the initial set-up costs.
In December 2022, a meeting of the stakeholders interested in forming a Wool Council took place. This group discussed their common aims as well as agreeing to establish an stakeholder led working group to take the next steps in formally establishing the Wool Council. Officials from my Department also attended this meeting to outline the criteria needed to draw down the seed funding of €30,000, which was announced in July 2022.
The next meeting of the Wool Council stakeholder group is set to take place in the coming weeks where it is understood that the draft terms of reference will be presented and nominations for Council Officers will be sought. Once established, the Council will be able to start to drawdown the €30,000 committed as required.
It is my hope that the Council will bring wool stakeholders across Ireland together to achieve more commercially and ultimately generate additional income for the primary producers.
Wool is a tremendous product - it is durable, versatile and sustainable. It is my ambition that the new Wool Council will help drive further value for wool to benefit our sheep farmers.
279. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the options available to upland farmers, other than burning, to manage older growth heather; the resources and support available to farmers from his Department for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10916/23]
View answerEvery year, the Department publishes the various scheme Terms and Conditions to support farmers and their advisers in submitting their claims under the area-based payment schemes operated by the Department.
The 2023 Terms and Conditions for the EU Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area based schemes sets out the requirements for maintaining land so that it can be deemed eligible to receive payments. Land must be maintained, but an applicant is free to determine the most appropriate means of maintenance for their own lands, taking account of the local conditions that exist on their holding.
In terms of upland areas that may have older growth heather, these areas of strong heather will not lead to a reduction in the eligible area for payment once there is an appropriate activity on the land parcel in question.
In terms of alternative options for the management of uplands, these have been explored as part of various European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) Projects and the main findings suggest that management is determined by the baseline conditions, site targets and conservation priorities so a site specific response is necessary.
Other than controlled burning, selecting appropriate grazing levels including type of stock, number, timing and areas to be grazed were considered primarily as a first option, or alternatively mechanical or hand cutting with brush cutters were considered.
The EIPs also identified the need for farmers to have an idea of their potential habitat scores and what the uplands could look like when balancing biodiversity and agronomic activity, hence the need for training and awareness so that farmers can understand the targets for the habitats and the measures required to achieve them. Relevant training programmes, including site visits were essential to building the capacities of farmers to manage the upland challenges.
Learnings from these EIP projects have informed the development of ACRES, our new flagship €1.5bn agri-environmental scheme, and the approaches within it. Under the ACRES Co-operation Project it is planned that results based payments will be in place which incentivise quality of habitat outputs. My Department is liaising closely with the National Parks and Wildlife Service regarding the development of appropriate scorecards for these areas. Furthermore the ACRES Co-operation Project teams are developing local action plans and associated investments and landscape actions to complement the delivery of conservation objectives, while at the same time supporting the farmers who deliver these outputs.
280. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11991/23]
View answerI inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department.
I have been informed that the Agriculture Appeals Office received an appeal from the person named on 23rd February 2023.
I understand the Agriculture Appeals Office has been in correspondence with the person named and the Appeals Office is awaiting a reply in order to progress the appeal.
I have been assured that once all relevant documentation is submitted to the Agriculture Appeals Office, the appeal will be processed without delay.
281. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the Control of Dogs Act working group, the stakeholders who were consulted during the process; if scientific evidence has been incorporated; if so, if that evidence will be published; the stage that the review is currently at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11993/23]
View answerMinister Heather Humphreys and I held a meeting on Monday 9th January and instructed officials to convene a working group on the control of dogs’ issue. The terms of reference of the group have been agreed and are published on my Department’s website.
The working group on the control of dogs comprises officials from my Department, the Department of Rural and Community Development (DCRD) and representatives of the County and City Managers Association (CCMA), including representatives of local authority dog wardens and local authority veterinary inspectors, and representatives of An Garda Síochána. The group includes three qualified veterinarians.
A public consultation was carried out by DRCD on the subject of dog control in 2021. The results have been published on the DRCD website. The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has also outlined its policy concerns on the subject of dog control and sheep worrying.
It is within the remit of this working group to engage with subject matter experts as appropriate.
This group has now held six meetings and will continue to meet regularly in the coming weeks.
The working group examined issues related to dog control and made recommendations for actions to address this problem. The report of the group has been submitted to myself and Minister Humphreys and we are considering it carefully. I will be bringing a Memorandum to Government shortly on this issue.
The group will continue to meet to coordinate action on these issues across departments and agencies.
282. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development whether she is aware that an organisation (details supplied) in Cork has received no increase in funding for the past five years and has just been allocated funding for the next five years with only one staff member. [11681/23]
View answerMy department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community-based organisations, to provide employment opportunities and local services through a social enterprise model.
My department and Pobal have undertaken significant work on the restructuring of the CSP, with the redesigned programme introduced and all existing organisations transitioned to the new programme from January 2023. All organisations have received new contracts based on their existing staffing levels.
While an appeals mechanism is available following the restructuring process, there is a separate process in which organisations can now apply for additional staff under the CSP programme. It is open to organisations to seek additional staffing resources under the programme, by contacting their Pobal Development Co-ordinator, in the first instance.
It is also suggested that organisations should contact their Local Development Company and their local Intreo Office to explore the possibility of additional staff resources from activation programmes such as Community Employment, RSS or Tús.
283. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development whether a community association can appeal the number of staff it is allocated through funding and not just the amount of funding allocated. [11682/23]
View answerMy department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community-based organisations, to provide employment opportunities and local services through a social enterprise model.
My department and Pobal have undertaken significant work on the restructuring of the CSP with the redesigned programme introduced and all existing organisations transitioned to the new programme from January 2023. All organisations have received new contracts based on their existing staffing levels.
While an appeals mechanism is available following the restructuring process, there is a separate process in which organisations can now apply for additional staff under the CSP programme. It is open to organisations to seek additional staffing resources under the programme, by contacting their Pobal Pobal Development Co-ordinator in the first instance.
It is also suggested that organisations should contact their Local Development Company and their local Intreo Office to explore the possibility of additional staff resources from activation programmes such as Community Employment, RSS or Tús.
284. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will advise on possible funding options for playgrounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11911/23]
View answerMy Department supports playgrounds in communities throughout Ireland to ensure they remain vibrant and sustainable places to live.
The CLÁR Programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period.
The CLÁR 2022 programme awarded a record €12.2 million in funding supporting 292 projects. Outdoor community recreation facilities, including playgrounds, were eligible for support under the Developing Community Facilities and Amenities Measure (Measure 1) of CLÁR 2022. A list of successful projects is published on my Department’s website (at www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/91ba52-clar/).
A new round of CLÁR funding in 2023 will be launched in the coming weeks and details of measures to be supported will be set out at that stage.
The Community Recognition Fund 2023 was launched in January. This €50 million fund aims to support the development of community infrastructure and facilities in recognition of the contribution being made by communities across the country in welcoming and hosting significant numbers of arrivals from Ukraine and other countries.
The funding is specifically targeted at projects that are located in communities, towns and villages that are hosting the Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection and/or International Protection Applicants.
The Fund will support the development of community facilities, including playgrounds, that will be used in the future by all members of the community. Local authorities are in the process of engaging directly with impacted communities with a view to submitting funding proposals to my Department on or before 15th March.
The Community Enhancement Programme provides vital supports to community groups in disadvantaged areas across Ireland. The programme has provided over €43 million in funding for over 17,000 projects since 2018 through small grants for the improvement of facilities.
I was delighted to launch the Community Support Fund with funding of €10 million on 18th November last year. This fund, under the Community Enhancement Programme, is designed to assist community groups with their energy/running costs and will also provide funding for small capital works projects.
The Community Support Fund is being administered on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their local authority. Groups should contact their local LCDC for further details on the application process.
The LEADER Programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in 'Our Rural Future'. The LEADER programme is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development.
Support under the LEADER programme is provided under a broad range of themes, including the Social Inclusion Theme in the current LEADER programme or the Rural Infrastructure & Social Inclusion theme in the 2023-2027 programme. Funding for playgrounds may be available under these themes.
In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, it must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy in the sub-regional area concerned, and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme.
Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact their relevant LAG, through its Implementing Partner, to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The list of all Local Action Groups, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on my Department’s website.
