Written Answers Nos. 721-740
721. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of the 12,483 non-coursing greyhounds born and registered with the Irish Coursing Club between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 that were registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland only.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39501/23]
View answerThe Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the competent authority with regard to the maintenance of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book. The ICC has been responsible for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923 and this was further underpinned by the enactment of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958.
Coursing is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly by the ICC, subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. Hare coursing is managed and regulated by the ICC.
The ICC has informed my Department that the information requested is not available as a report.
722. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of the 11,698 non-coursing greyhounds born and registered with the Irish Coursing Club between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022 that were registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland only. [39502/23]
View answerThe Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the competent authority with regard to the maintenance of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book. The ICC has been responsible for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923 and this was further underpinned by the enactment of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958.
Coursing is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann, hare coursing is managed and regulated by the ICC.
The ICC has informed my Department that the information requested is not available as a report.
723. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds re-homed for each of the years 2018 to 2022, broken down by year of birth, in tabular form. [39503/23]
View answerRásaíocht 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.
724. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds that participated in a least one official trial at an RCE-registered track, broken down by year of birth, for each of the years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [39504/23]
View answerRásaíocht 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.
725. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason persons (details supplied) are still waiting on payment for the TAMS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39579/23]
View answerThe persons named submitted applications under Tranche 1 of the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3). This scheme provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings. The scheme has proved very popular, with an unprecedented level of applications received under Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 (almost four times the average number received per tranche under TAMS 2).
Applications received across all of the measures in Tranche 1 of TAMS 3 are currently being processed. Once the initial processing is completed all applications will be subject to a ranking and selection process, which is a regulatory requirement for all TAMS 3 applications.
To assist farmers, I decided that farmers who require the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities, or urgent animal welfare related investments required for the winter of 2023/2024, could apply for priority approval up to 15 September 2023. These priority applications will now be assessed with approvals, as appropriate, issuing thereafter.
Approvals will then issue by scheme, starting with the Solar Capital Investment Scheme.
726. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will devise a scheme with improved compensation for those with plantations impacted by ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39607/23]
View answer733. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any financial assistance is available to farmers who need to remove ash trees infected with ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39775/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 726 and 733 together.
I am pleased to state that the reconstitution scheme for ash dieback is open for applications under the new Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027. This scheme includes the following enhanced features:
• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, from €1,000 to €2,000;
• Enhanced replanting grant rates under the new 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.
In addition, my colleague, Minister of State Pippa Hackett, has tasked an independent group to review existing Department supports for Ash Dieback. The group had a remit to review the existing and previous supports available to landowners with ash plantations funded under the National Forestry Programme and to engage with relevant stakeholders to seek their views on the current supports for ash forest owners. The group has just presented the Minister of State with its report, which she is now considering.
727. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail the preparations being undertaken by his Department in advance of the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882); the guidance that is being issued by his Department to organisations and businesses in advance of the enactment of the directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39661/23]
View answerThe European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) advocates for a universal design or ‘design for all’ approach to accessibility, ensuring access to products and services for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is the Lead Government Department with the remit of the transposition and implementation of the Directive on behalf of Government departments with the deadline of the 28 June 2025. DCEDIY is currently engaging with a range of departments, agencies and EU bodies to reach agreement on key policy decisions.
While not the Lead Government Department in this policy area, my Department is certainly committed to supporting this development and implementation of the European Accessibility Act and the successor to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-21, the key framework for policy and action to address the rights of persons with disabilities in Ireland.
My Department engages frequently with the National Disability Authority regarding policies relevant to persons with disabilities. My department is represented on a range on interdepartmental committees of relevance to the representation of people with disabilities. These include:
• Working Group on the development of a Well-being Framework for Ireland
• Oireachtas Disability Group
• Interdepartmental Committee on Human Rights
• Interdepartmental Committee on access to services by ‘off-line’ citizens
My Department does not manufacture products or provide the services covered in the Act, however, with regards to the services provided to our customers my department aims to ensure that the needs of all its customers, including people with disabilities are met and that the rights of equal treatment are upheld in the delivery of services.
In accordance with Section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005, two Access Officers are appointed who are responsible for providing or arranging for, assistance and guidance to persons with disabilities accessing services provided by the Department, when requested, and generally to act as a point of contact for people wishing to access such services. In addition to the Access Officers, department officials are available in all regions to help applicants who have questions or concerns on any scheme operated by the department. We have an Accessibility officer to facilitate contact with the department and take suitable measures as necessary.
The move of my department’s website to the www.gov.ie portal enabled the redesign of this platform to comply with the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and National Disability Authority (NDA) guidelines. This includes ensuring that content on the website is at a suitable reading comprehension level.
As is fully appropriate and in conjunction with the relevant lead Department, my Department will engage proactively and as necessary to ensure implementation of the European Accessibility Act and the successor to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-21.
728. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39693/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department. I have been informed however by the Agriculture Appeals Office that the Appeals Officer assigned to this case issued a decision on this appeal in January 2023. I understand that a review of that decision was sought in May 2023 and I am assured that this review will be conducted by the Director of Agriculture Appeals Office as soon as possible.
729. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a final report from the National Deer Management Strategy Group will be completed and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39701/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, policy responsibility for deer and other wildlife resides with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
I am aware of the importance of the sustainable management of our national deer population for agriculture, forestry as well as overall biodiversity within nature ecosystems. In order to address this the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and I convened the Deer Management Strategy group last Autumn, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Teddy Cashman. On foot of a recommendation of the strategy group an open public consultation on the management of deer was launched late last year by myself and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
This was the first major public consultation into the impact of deer and it received over 1,500 submissions from all over the country and all walks of life.
The role of the Deer Management strategy group is to develop a strategy for sustainable management of the national deer population.
The deer management strategy group is currently compiling its final report and it is anticipated to be completed in the coming weeks.
730. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a list of all key life events recorded by the RCETS in respect of non-coursing greyhounds; whether the data recorded for each key life event applies to non-coursing greyhounds registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39767/23]
View answerRásaíocht 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.
731. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if references to the 'Irish economy' in a report (details supplied) refers to the economy of the Republic of Ireland only; if so, the reason owners and trainers resident outside the Republic of Ireland were included when calculating the value of greyhound racing to the 'Irish economy'; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39768/23]
View answer732. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if references to the 'Irish economy' in a report (details supplied) refers to the economy of the Republic of Ireland only; if so, the reason coursing and non-coursing greyhounds registered to owners normally resident outside the Republic of Ireland were included when calculating the cost of preparing and racing greyhounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39769/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 731 and 732 together.
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 questions raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the questions have been referred to the body for direct reply.
734. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason farmers’ ANC farm payments are delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39788/23]
View answerThe new CAP 2023-2027 came into force this year and payments will commence for ANC and the other Schemes from 17 October this year. With this being the first year of the new CAP Strategic Plan, a whole range of new schemes is being introduced,along with substantial changes to existing schemes over a relatively short time period.
My Department is fully committed to making payments to farmers under the various schemes at the earliest date possible and to the maximum number of farmers possible. This commitment to farmers is evidenced in the very high payment rates achieved across all schemes over the last number of years in both EU and Exchequer funded schemes. Almost €1.8 billion will be paid to farmers across the country during this period. At EU level, Ireland ranks amongst the most efficient Member States in getting payments to farmers quickly and in line with the legal requirements of relevant attendant EU Regulation.
In addition, the mechanisms used by the Department to check the scheme requirements for many of the schemes are also changing in 2023, especially with the mandatory introduction of the Area Monitoring System (AMS) as required under EU regulations for 100% of all beneficiaries. The AMS has many significant benefits for Irish farmers including a reduction in the number of on-farm physical inspections and the introduction of warning alerts to farmers so as to minimise the occurrence of non-compliances, allowing farmers to correct mistakes and giving farmers and advisors more time to respond to queries with no impact on their payment.
It should also be noted that the closing date for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes applications (including the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme) was Monday 29 May 2023, two weeks later than previous years and thereby providing farmers and advisors more time to understand the new scheme requirements and to submit their applications before the closing date.
My Department will review the payments dates at the end of the year for future years with the view to bringing forward the payment dates in line with the Farmers Charter, which is currently being negotiated with the farm organisations.
735. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total hectares of land excluded from afforestation activity under bird exclusion zones within the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39848/23]
View answer736. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of land excluded from afforestation activity due to hen harrier designation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39849/23]
View answer738. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is a new or expanded hen harrier layer increased geographical area on IForIS which will impact on applications in the new forestry programme; the protocol around this new hen harrier layer and when it was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39851/23]
View answer739. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the scientific research used to agree bird exclusion zones in the new forestry programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39852/23]
View answer745. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the qualified authority who decided on bird exclusion zones within the forestry programme 2023-2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39860/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 735, 736, 738, 739 and 745 together.
Ireland received a State aid approval letter from the EU Commission regarding its new Forestry Programme. Among other things, this letter states that afforestation under the new programme “will be avoided on environmentally unsuitable sites. Afforestation will be adapted to environmental sensitivities, such as habitats and species (including NATURA sites, Freshwater Pearl Mussel and Hen Harrier, Breeding Curlew, open habitat birds, Annex I habitats), high nature value farmland, peat soils, hedgerows, water quality (including fisheries sensitive areas, waterbody status, acid sensitive areas), archaeology, landscape, and local sensitivities.”
Under the Forestry Programme 2023-2027, afforestation is excluded from a defined buffer centered on known Curlew breeding sites. This buffer has increased from 1km to 1.5km in radius. Ireland’s Curlew Task Force, convened by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage (DHLGH), had previously deemed that the screening distance of 1km buffer was inadequate. The Curlew Task Force comprised a wide representation of stakeholders, including experts from relevant Government bodies and eNGOs.
The designation of lands as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for breeding Hen Harriers is a function exercised by the DHLGH, in accordance with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. My Department has not approved any afforestation within any of the six SPAs designated for breeding Hen Harrier since 2013. The continued exclusion of afforestation from these areas is supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
In addition, there are a number of examples where Hen Harrier Higher Likelihood Nesting Areas (HLNAs), centered within the relevant Hen Harrier SPAs, extend beyond the SPA boundary into adjoining countryside. As was the case under the previous Forestry Programme (2014-2022), afforestation is not permitted in these areas under the new Programme.
A new requirement involves the consideration of the distribution of Hen Harrier within the wider countryside, as recorded by the NPWS in its Article 12 reporting. If an overlap with one of the areas involved occurs, my Department will have to consider the potential impact of the afforestation project on known breeding sites and available foraging habitat. Any application for afforestation in these areas must be accompanied by a report providing relevant details including any mitigation proposed in response to this sensitivity.
My Department also confirmed to the European Commission that due regard will be given to the BirdWatch Ireland Breeding Wader Hotspot map in the decision-making process in respect of applications for afforestation licences. These hotspot maps have been derived from bird observation records in various scientifically validated datasets. Training for Registered Foresters is underway regarding the new procedures arising from this sensitivity, and regarding the documentation that may need to accompany afforestation applications in these areas.
Adoption of these new requirements was necessary due to concerns raised by the European Commission during our State Aid approval process, and in order to provide further protection to threatened bird species. I am confident that the changes introduced will allow my Department to fully align the licence application and assessment process for afforestation with both environmental legislation and the State Aid conditions underpinning the new Forestry Programme.
737. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the area of acid sensitive land excluded from afforestation activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39850/23]
View answerThe acid sensitivity protocol, agreed by my Department, the COFORD council and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), defines areas of the country where the underlining geology indicates a limited capacity of surface waters to ‘buffer’ acidification and knock-on impacts on aquatic ecosystems, especially the hatching of salmonids. These Acid Sensitive Areas amount to a total of 601,660 hectares.
In such areas, ions absorbed by conifer canopies from the atmosphere can wash into surface waters, thereby increasing acidification. In response, the aforementioned protocol requires the sampling of receiving waters to gauge their inherent buffering capacity, with a threshold set that rules out afforestation with conifers.
However, afforestation with native woodlands within the designated areas does not fall under this protocol. This is due to the limited contribution native woodlands make to surface water acidification (for various reasons, including their predominantly deciduous nature), and the wealth of ecosystem services such woodlands deliver.
This measure was agreed with the EPA in 2013 (as per my Department's Forestry Circular 4 of 2013) and remains in place. It has also been applied to the creation of new agro-forestry within these acid-sensitive areas. As a result, those Forest Types available under the new Forestry Programme and involving the creation, through afforestation, of new native woodland and new agro-forestry do not fall under the acid sensitivity protocol. This creates various opportunities for farmers and other landowners within these acid-sensitive areas to engage in afforestation.
740. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, particularly sections 6.8, whether such conditions and requirements apply to existing and new farmers considering entering the organic farming scheme and other such farming schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39853/23]
View answer744. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, specifically section 6.8, if the definition of a farmer for farmer rate of premiums is consistent with national policies on rural regeneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39858/23]
View answer748. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, section 6.8, to clarify what is the active farmer check; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39866/23]
View answer754. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if advisors providing services to farm families considering succession and availing of his recently announced succession planning advice grant will have to inform the young people taking over the family farm that they will not qualify as farmers for the farmer rate of premium under the forestry programme for a period in excess of four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39874/23]
View answer758. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, section 6.8, to clarify and detail the percentage of persons who commenced farming in 2023, who are recognised as carrying out a farming activity by his Department, who will qualify as a farmer for farmer rate of premiums under the forestry programme 2023 to 2027, in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027, in tabular form, particularly given the requirement to be a member of BISS or BPS for the previous four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39892/23]
View answer760. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, specifically section 6.8, is this definition of a farmer confined to the afforestation programme only or does it apply to any other schemes or conditionality across his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39984/23]
View answer772. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, specifically section 6.8, the definition of a farmer as outlined in the section acts as a disincentive for persons commencing farming, particularly the previous four years’ applicant for BISS or BPS, from entering the afforestation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40188/23]
View answer773. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document, specifically section 6.8, the definition of a farmer for farmer rate of forestry payments as defined was a decision made by his Department or one instructed by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40189/23]
View answer776. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify a matter (details supplied) in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027 document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40271/23]
View answer778. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify a series of matters (details supplied) in relation to the afforestation scheme 2023-2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40273/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 740, 744, 748, 754, 758, 760, 772, 773, 776 and 778 together.
The farmer definition as defined in section 6.8 of the Afforestation Scheme document 2023 – 2027 requires the applicant to have been an approved participant in the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Scheme in the application year and an approved participant in either BISS or the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in the previous four years. This farmer definition as defined by my Department only applies to the Afforestation scheme. It does not affect other schemes within my Department and was not requested by the European Commission.
The active farmer check used is the active farmer check required for Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS). It is defined in section 10 of the BISS 2023 terms and conditions, linked here at: www.gov.ie/en/service/4ae67-basic-income-support-for-sustainability-biss-scheme/
I do not foresee this farmer definition being a disincentive to those commencing farming. New and young farmers who do not meet the criteria to be in BISS or BPS the previous four years will only need to be in BISS or BPS from the year they were approved members of either the Young Farmer schemes or the National Reserve for new and young farmer schemes until the year of their afforestation application. This will continue for the lifetime of the Afforestation Scheme 2023 – 2027.
To encourage Forestry to be part of the next generation of farmers plans, applicants of inherited or planned inheritance (gifted) land, will benefit from the succession/inheritance rules relating to immediate family members and will be able to fulfil the farmer qualifying criteria. The FAQs on the new forestry programme will be updated to elaborate on the detail of the farmer definition following clarification sought by stakeholders and interested parties.
My Department currently does not have the figures available for the number of new farmers for 2023. These figures will not be known until the Department make final approvals in November 2023.
My Department will work to ensure that new farmers can avail of Forestry as part of the Afforestation Scheme 2023-2027, and that as many as possible new farmers meet the criteria to be defined as a farmer under the scheme so that they receive farmer rates of premiums. I want to ensure that the farmer differential benefits farmers directly and exclusively.
