Martin Browne
Question:580. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department has put in place for the enforcement of the EIA (Agriculture) Regulations 2011. [24093/23]
View answerAgriculture Industry
Questions (580)
Written answers
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations were introduced in 2011 and amended in 2013 and 2017. The Regulations stipulate where a screening application or consent application is required and must be submitted to my Department.
A screening application must be submitted to my Department where an individual intends to carry out works that exceed one of the thresholds or where sub-thresholds trigger the requirement for screening as set out in the Regulations.
An application for consent is required where the proposed works exceed the threshold for mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment or, where following screening, my Department considers the works are likely to have a significant effect on the environment and the works may not proceed without consent.
When an application is submitted to my Department it is subject to an ecological assessment and an on-site inspection. The final decision is then made based on whether or not the proposed activity may have a significant effect on the environment.
Where reports of potential breaches of the Regulations are brought to our attention they are investigated by the Inspectorate of my Department.
In addition, as part of the Programme for Government, my Department has committed to a full review of these Regulations. This review will also include a review of procedures for dealing with applications. This review will take place very shortly and I encourage all stakeholders to get involved in the consultation process.
Forestry Sector
Questions (581)
Claire Kerrane
Question:581. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise regarding a specific focus (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24101/23]
View answerWritten answers
Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from my Department. Certain matters relating to the company, including pension increases, are subject to consent from the Shareholding Ministers.
When former civil servants transferred to Coillte on vesting day they ceased to be members of a civil service pension scheme and became members of the relevant pension scheme established by Coillte under the Forestry Act 1988. This is therefore a matter for the company and I have passed the issue to them for direct response to the Deputy.
Forestry Sector
Questions (582)
Carol Nolan
Question:582. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details on the participation rates of the reconstitution and underplanting scheme (ash dieback); the number of applications made to the scheme from its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24199/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy may be aware that the first confirmed finding of Ash Dieback Disease (Hymenoscyphus fraxineaus) in Ireland was made on 12th October 2012 at a forestry plantation site which had been planted in 2009 with trees imported from continental Europe.
In March 2013, the Department introduced a Reconstitution Scheme (Chalara Ash Dieback) to restore forests planted under the afforestation scheme which had suffered from, or which were associated with plants affected by disease.
Following a Review of the National Response to Ash Dieback Disease arising from scientific advice and evidence that eradication of ash dieback disease is no longer feasible the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) was launched in June 2020.
A total of €875,476 has been expended by my Department on the RUS scheme since it opened in 2020, involving interventions on 525 hectares. A total of 974 applications have been received representing 3720 hectares with 390 approved for an area of 1239 hectares. Those with outstanding applications will have the opportunity to opt into the new Scheme proposed under the new Forestry Programme, subject to State Aid approval.
In March, an Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback via general de minimis was introduced which contains a doubling of site clearance rates, increased grant rates and an improved premium regime. This allowed those who have valid existing approvals where work has not commenced to opt into the Scheme which includes the following enhanced features:
• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate from €1,000 to €2,000.
• Enhanced grant rates as per draft Forestry programme 2023-2027
• Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
• In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
Some 18 applications representing 74 hectares have been approved under the interim scheme for the reconstitution of ash dieback.
In total €9.2 million has been expended to date on schemes to deal with ash dieback with interventions made on 2338 hectares.
Forestry Sector
Questions (583, 590, 596)
Carol Nolan
Question:583. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the reconstitution and underplanting scheme (ash dieback) is fit for purpose; if he will conduct a review of the operation and the terms of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24203/23]
View answer
Colm Burke
Question:590. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration would be given to proposals (details supplied) in respect of the interim reconstitution and underplanting scheme (ash dieback); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24286/23]
View answer
Holly Cairns
Question:596. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on adjusting ash dieback schemes to ensure that all infected ash dieback plantations are eligible for a 100% reconstitution grant, that covers all costs associated with clearing the site and replanting with a forest type that meets their management objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24342/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 583, 590 and 596 together.
The Deputy may be aware that the first confirmed finding of Ash Dieback Disease (Hymenoscyphus fraxineaus) in Ireland was made on 12th October 2012 at a forestry plantation site which had been planted in 2009 with trees imported from continental Europe.
In March 2013, the Department introduced a Reconstitution Scheme (Chalara Ash Dieback) to restore forests planted under the afforestation scheme which had suffered from, or which were associated with plants affected by disease.
Following a Review of the National Response to Ash Dieback Disease arising from scientific advice and evidence that eradication of ash dieback disease is no longer feasible the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) was launched in June 2020.
The purpose of the RUS scheme was to clear all ash trees and replant with other species. Grants for site clearance and replanting to cover the costs associated with these operations were provided and premiums continued to be paid where the contracts were still in premium.
A total of €9.2 million has been expended to date on both schemes.
Last month, an Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback via general de minimis was launched which contains a doubling of site clearance rates, increased grant rates and an improved premium regime. The interim scheme includes the following enhanced features:
• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate from €1,000 to €2,000.
• Enhanced grant rates as per draft Forestry programme 2023-2027
• Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
• In addition, for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
A similar scheme for the reconstitution of ash dieback will be launched as part of the new forestry programme.
State Aid Guidelines provide for aid for the restoration of damage to forests caused by a variety of events including damage from disease and pests. State Aid rules are explicit that this aid is for restoration and does not facilitate compensation for loss, including income.
My Department continues to review the operation of the ash dieback scheme, having regard to its effectiveness, the status of the plantations, state aid regulations and other issues having regard to the age and stage of the rotation of the almost 16,000 hectares of ash that were grant aided between 1990 and 2013.
The Forestry Act, 2014 provides for an exemption from obtaining a tree felling licence in situations where the tree felling is carried out to control or to prevent the spread of disease. While applicants who apply for the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) are, therefore, not required to apply separately for a felling licence the area must remain as a forest under the terms of RUS.
Food Safety
Questions (584)
Claire Kerrane
Question:584. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there have been changes to the Export Health Cert process; if he will advise specifically with regard to certification of poultry and its transport to Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24230/23]
View answerWritten answers
Official controls and certification provide the necessary assurance to our trading partners that Ireland is as a safe, secure, and sustainable source of agri-food products. In the case of exports outside the EU, the requirements of these trade-related movements and the accompanying official sanitary and phytosanitary certificates are set by the authorities in the importing country of destination, and by any other non-EU countries the consignment might transit. The controls carried out by officials in my Department are based on those requirements.
Since the United Kingdom left the EU live poultry to Britain must be accompanied by an export health certificate set by the UK authorities. These certificates replaced the previously used intra-community health certificates ,which are used for internal trade within the EU.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (585)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:585. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why is there an age restriction for women when applying for the TAMS grant, and not for men; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24237/23]
View answerWritten answers
The new CAP places a particular focus on generational renewal and on promoting the participation of women in the social and economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming. Gender equality is also a key objective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and a priority for me as Minister.
Eight of the ten schemes under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) have no upper age limit. Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme and the Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme are the only schemes with an upper age limit.
TAMS 3 provides for a general grant rate of 40% for eligible investments. It is also offering an enhanced grant rate of 60% to eligible women farmers, who meet the eligibility criteria.
Eligible women farmers are those:
• Aged between 18 years of age and 66 when she applies for support.
• Meet the conditions for being head and having control of the holding.
• Meets the requirements for the appropriate training and/or skills required at the time of applications.
Women applicants who do not meet the criteria above will remain eligible to apply under the general TAMS 3 schemes at the standard rate of 40%.
The women farming measure under TAMS 3 aims to balance the need to address the issues of both generational renewal and gender balance in farming.
Agriculture Supports
Questions (586)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:586. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why is there an absence of grant aid for farmers with the traditional working horse (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24238/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years. There are a range of new improvements to TAMS including increased grant aid rates, investment ceilings, new investments, and new support categories which will align it more with the priorities in agriculture including environmental , renewable energy and facilitating farm modernisation.
Farmers using a traditional working horse are eligible for TAMS funding for stables and all other equine investments that are included in TAMS 3. TAMS 3 is intended for farm modernisation, improving competitiveness and working and production conditions on farms rather than supporting traditional systems of operation and as such supports for horse powered farming equipment are outside the scope of scheme.
It is proposed to introduce an Innovative Forest Technology Scheme in the next Forestry Programme, of which ‘Element 3: Forest Machinery Grant’, will provide support to a maximum of €50,000 per project for four projects per year.
It is planned that this measure will provide grant support for the purchase of new forest machinery with optimal fuel consumption and environmental performance and could include projects that use horse drawn timber extraction methods. The measure will also support the purchase of cable timber extraction systems for use on steep and soft site types and will not apply to harvesting and forwarding machines.
Agriculture Supports
Questions (587)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:587. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be made available in the interest of animal welfare for the heavy horse working harness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24239/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years. There are a range of new improvements to TAMS including increased grant aid rates, investment ceilings, new investments, and new support categories which will align it more with the priorities in agriculture including environmental , renewable energy and facilitating farm modernisation.
Farmers using a traditional working horse are eligible for TAMS funding for stables and all other equine investments that are included in TAMS 3. TAMS 3 is intended for farm modernisation, improving competitiveness and working and production conditions on farms rather than supporting traditional systems of operation and as such supports for horse powered farming equipment are outside the scope of scheme.
Wildlife Conservation
Questions (588)
Holly Cairns
Question:588. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department and public bodies/agencies that operate under his remit have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species, such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24255/23]
View answerWritten answers
Pollinating insects such as bees are vital for protecting our biodiversity, landscape and regulating our natural environment. My Department is making considerable efforts to make Ireland more pollinator friendly and to support the conservation, study and improvement of the native Irish honey bee (Apis Mellifera Mellifera) which is under threat from disease and cross breeding. We have successfully installed three hives of native Irish honey bees on the roof of Agriculture House on Kildare Street and host three hives in the Department Apiary located at Johnstown Castle.
My Department provides support via grants to the National Beekeeping Association to assist bee keeping associations with the conservation of the native Irish honeybee (Apis mellifera mellifera ). In addition, the Investment Aid Scheme for the development of the commercial Horticulture Sector provides a mechanism for individual beekeepers to avail of funding to help them purchase tangible assets for their beekeeping enterprise.
Under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) farmers can undertake to install Barn Owl nest boxes (this includes Kestrel nest boxes). For ACRES Co-operation Project (ACRES CP) the list of Non-Productive investments and Landscape Actions will include artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species. Officials in my Department are currently finalising the list of investments which will be publicised in the coming months.
In relation to the farms managed and operated by my Department, a number of measures have been implemented that are bird, bat and bee and biodiversity friendly in line with best practice and initiatives such as the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. This includes the placement of beehives, bird and bat boxes at its farm at Backweston, Co Kildare.
As regards the 12 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.
Forestry Sector
Questions (589)
Colm Burke
Question:589. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration would be given to the establishment of a targeted financial support scheme to safely manage the removal of infected roadside ash trees, to be administered by local authorities, that would assist landowners and farmers in coordinating the safe removal of the trees through financial grants to support them in hiring relevant professionals to safely fell these trees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24285/23]
View answerWritten answers
The care and management of trees adjacent to roads is the responsibility of the landowner on whose land the roadside trees are growing. It is advisable that landowners make themselves aware of the full legal extent of their land ownership and of any obligations arising from this.
My Department does not offer funding for the removal of roadside trees, but has recently published guidance on the subject of roadside trees (“A Guide for Landowners to Managing Roadside Trees”) and this can be accessed at the Department website.
Question No. 590 answered with Question No. 583.
Animal Diseases
Questions (591)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:591. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current cost of the culling of each badger under the TB Eradication Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24324/23]
View answerWritten answers
Since my Department began the widespread rollout of the badger vaccination programme in 2019 significant resources have been required in terms of manpower, supplies and services. My Department has funded these resources each year in line with requirements. In 2022 approximately €6.4 million was spent on the wildlife programme.
Given the range of activities and varied workload that the staff involved in the wildlife programme undertake it is not possibly to extrapolate how much it costs to cull badgers on an individual badger basis.
Animal Diseases
Questions (592, 595)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:592. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the rate of use of vaccination and microchipping of badgers under the TB Eradication Programme per annum over the lifetime of the project to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24325/23]
View answerMarc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:595. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current resources assigned to the badger culling programme and the badger vaccination programme, and their assigned geographical area and rate of culling and vaccination completed in each area over the last five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24328/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 592 and 595 together.
There are approximately 54 full time equivalent (FTE) DAFM technical officers working on the wildlife programme across the country, working primarily from the Department's regional veterinary offices. In addition there are also 2 FTE veterinary staff working on the programme, with support from regional veterinary staff assisting with vaccination, microchipping and examinations amongst other requirements. My Department also ran a tender competition in 2022 for services relating to the wildlife programme in which the successful tenderer supplies staff to assist the technical and veterinary officers of my Department with the requirements of the wildlife programme.
The country is divided into removal and vaccination zones, with more and more of the country turned over to vaccine year on year. The table below gives the number of badgers captured in the removal zones and those captured for vaccination in the vaccine zones from 2019 - 2022.
|
Year |
Removal Zone |
Vaccination Zone |
Total |
|
2019 |
5,254 |
1,937 |
7,191 |
|
2020 |
4,382 |
4,698 |
9,080 |
|
2021 |
5,800 |
6,586 |
12,386 |
|
2022 |
5,199 |
7,244 |
12,443 |
|
Total |
20,635 |
20,465 |
41,100 |
Animal Diseases
Questions (593)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:593. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the project timeline with measurable deliverables with regard to the badger culling programme and badger vaccination programme under the TB Eradication Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24326/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under the TB Eradication Programme badger vaccination is being substituted for continued culling of badgers such that a significant reduction in the numbers of badgers culled can be achieved over the coming years while still maintaining effective control of the risk posed to other species. The intention is to gradually reduce badger culling per annum in tandem with the badger vaccination programme.
The large-scale rollout of badger vaccination commenced in late 2019. Every year more and more of the countryside is designated as vaccination zones. This is reflected in the numbers of badgers captured for vaccination in these zones rising from an initial figure of 1,937 badgers in 2019, to 4,698 badgers in 2020. This figure rose again in 2021 to 6,586 badgers, with a further 7,244 badgers captured for vaccination in 2022. Research has shown that population penetration of the badger population with the vaccine needs to exceed 50% to be effective. The badger is a secretive, nocturnal wild animal. This makes it difficult to accurately estimate the badger population in Ireland. This in turn makes it difficult for my Department to give a precise timeline on this project. Work is ongoing to accurately estimate the current badger population numbers.
Departmental Programmes
Questions (594)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:594. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any geographical data is held on the current vaccinated microchipped badgers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24327/23]
View answerWritten answers
All badgers that are vaccinated and microchipped by my Department as part of the Wildlife programme are recorded on a piece of dedicated software.
Whilst this piece of software has GIS capabilities, the geographical data is limited to the GPS co-ordinates of all main badger setts and sub setts that have been identified as part of the Wildlife programme.
Question No. 595 answered with Question No. 592.