Written Answers Nos. 237-248
237. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration is being given under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 to a comparison of the value of biodiversity and flora and fauna of native woodland verses the current habitat’s representation of number and volume of species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40777/23]
View answerThe new €1.3 billion 2023-2027 Forestry Programme is closely aligned with the 2030 Forest Strategy, and is designed to provide lasting benefits for many key areas, including climate change, biodiversity, water quality, wood production, employment and the provision of amenities.
All applications for approval under the new Afforestation Scheme, which opened for applications on 6 September, will be subjected to a detailed environmental assessment to ensure that any project that is approved will be compatible with the protection and enhancement of the environment. This includes the ruling out of afforestation on sites where the current onsite ecology and biodiversity merit retention as open habitat.
This assessment process includes the application of the Land Types for Afforestation procedures to rule out afforestation on certain peat soils and infertile sites, which overlap considerably with important upland habitats. A number of ecological checks are carried out in relation to onsite ecology, and the potential overlap with ecologically sensitive areas, such as SPAs, SACs, Annex 1 habitats, certain High Nature Value farmlands, and Breeding Wader (including Curlew) sites.
Particular procedures required by environmental legislation – namely Appropriate Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment – are also applied. Furthermore, any project that is approved must adhere to the Environmental Requirements for Afforestation, which set out a number of design and operational safeguards to protect onsite and adjacent habitats, include streams and rivers, hedgerows and areas of scrub.
This assessment process involves the input of my staff, consultation with other statutory bodies and a regime of pre- and post-planting inspections undertaken to ensure that the site details are accurately captured, and that the project is realised in accordance with the terms and conditions set.
The assessment outlined above incorporates new environmental requirements set out as part of the State Aid approval of the new Forestry Programme.
238. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration is being given under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 to a more compacted and applicant friendly planting licensing process, in view of the ever-lengthening licence application process for approval to attract more applicants and investors going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40778/23]
View answerThe new Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027, which was launched on 6th September, supports the largest, most farmer-friendly investment in forestry in the history of the State, and the Afforestation Scheme is now open to applications.
It is the case that changes in regulatory requirements in relation to forestry licensing has necessitated additional information sometimes being required by landowners when applying for a licence. Furthermore, environmental considerations which must be complied with as part of our State Aid approval will require a detailed assessment process and consideration by applicants of the impact of afforestation on peats, birds and high nature value farmland. While this brings some complexity to applying for a licence, I am confident that the diverse range of forest types, coupled with attractive grants and premiums, now on offer under the new Programme will encourage landowners to plant trees.
My Department operates an on-line application system (iNET) to facilitate the submission of forestry applications by registered foresters, on behalf of the landowner. Having access to iNET spatial layers aids data entry of pertinent spatial information by the registered forester and allows for the consideration of environmental receptors such as nearby rivers, streams or European and nationally designated sites (NHAs, SPAs, NHAs SACs etc).The system ensures that registered foresters have access to the most relevant and up-to-date environmental, ecological information and scheme related layers when compiling and submitting their afforestation licence application.
We are providing training and guidance to registered foresters to assist them in submitting valid applications and furthermore we are providing an environment report grant to help landowners apply for afforestation licences.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to continual improvement and will continue to work to ensure that our systems are as accessible as possible in order to facilitate a well-functioning licensing system.
239. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the status of a transfer of entitlements application (details supplied) in view that it is now over eight months since the application was lodged and it has not been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40779/23]
View answerMy Department received a 2022 application to transfer payment entitlements to the named persons on 5 May 2022. On four separate occasions between 1 July 2022 and 4 May 2023, my Department sent query letters to the relevant party regarding outstanding documentation.
In the intervening times, officials spoke to the relevant parties to the transfer, their representatives and the Deputy in an attempt to resolve the issue surrounding the required document. In line with procedures and to enable payment of other money to the named persons, this transfer application was rejected on 29 May 2023 because the required document had still not been received. If the required document is received or circumstances change to render this document unnecessary, then my Department can revisit this decision.
240. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applications will open for the voluntary dairy cow scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40850/23]
View answerI established the Food Vision Dairy Group as well as the Food Vision Beef & Sheep Group last year to advance the actions for the beef and sheep, and dairy sectors identified in the Food Vision 2030 strategy, taking account of the requirement for the sectors to contribute to achieving the targets set for agriculture emissions in the Climate Act process.
The first priority for both Groups was to chart a pathway to achieving the legally binding target of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030, equivalent to a reduction of 5.75 MT of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Both the Dairy and Beef & Sheep Groups submitted their final reports towards the end of 2022, which have been published. The reports identified measures which could contribute to reducing emissions. The publication was timely as it then served to inform the Climate Action Plan 2023 which was launched in December 2022.
A key recommendation of the Food Vision Dairy Group was to explore and take forward a voluntary reduction scheme for the dairy herd. My officials are currently working to explore this further and there will be significant engagement with stakeholders over the coming months on the parameters of any such scheme.
However no decision has been taken by Government to proceed with such a scheme, and no Exchequer funding provision is currently in place for such a scheme. I will work collectively and collaboratively with farmers and their representatives in charting a pathway forward.
241. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in an effort to implement a reasonable degree of regulatory flexibility with respect to slurry spreading deadline of 1 October 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40955/23]
View answerIn accordance with the Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations, (SI 113 of 2022 as amended), the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in consultation with me, last year agreed and published criteria to determine whether the period for slurry spreading could be extended beyond the 30th of September up to the 15th of October.
These scientific criteria were developed to ensure that any risk to water quality would be considered and that any delay in the closed period would only be granted where an assessment of the criteria indicates that a delay in the closed period does not represent a threat to water quality. These criteria are published at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/3f44d-good-agricultural-practice-regulations-exemption-criteria-for-the-closed-period-and-shallow-cultivation/.
In light of recent weather conditions my Officials have already engaged with Officials in DHLGH on this matter in line with the criteria as published. Minister O'Brien has agreed that extending the slurry spreading season for an additional seven days is justified in light of current conditions. Therefore, the closed period this year will now commence on the 8th of October. The need for any possible further extension will be considered in due course as the current weather situation evolves and in line with the published criteria.
242. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if multi-annual funding for disability organisations that are delivering vital services on behalf of the HSE and the State will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40816/23]
View answerIn recent years, significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services. Building on the previous year, an unprecedented level of funding of €2.6bn for Disability services has been allocated for 2023. This follows substantial increases in the budget in 2021 and 2022; and reflects this Government’s commitment to strengthening the funding provided for the disability sector and working to act to address the shortfalls identified in the Disability Capacity Review.
Unlike the position for capital expenditure, where multi annual commitments are made within the National Development Plan, the Estimates process for current expenditure allocates funding on an annual (single- year) basis and no formal mechanism currently exists to provide funding on a multi-annual basis to providers.
In order to address the capacity deficits identified in the Disability Capacity Review to 2032, in July 2023, Government approved the Disability Action Plan 2024-2026. In line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the Action Plan represents a key step in the expansion and reform of specialist community-based disability services including respite and residential services. The Action Plan is now being prepared for publication, including in accessible formats, and will be available in the coming weeks.
243. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if any chief executive of a State/semi-State body or other public body under the aegis of his Department received any benefit from taxable benefits being paid on their behalf by the body/organisation for each of the years 2019 to date; if so, the amount and details, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40754/23]
View answerMy Department engaged with each of the public bodies under its aegis and I can confirm a nil return in respect of the National Disability Authority, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Oberstown Children Detention Campus and the recently established Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam. I can advise that the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) and the Ombudsman for Children are to respond to your question directly.
The sole response received in relation to any taxable benefits being paid to a Chief Executive came from Tusla, who have kindly supplied the information below:
"The Annual Financial Statements call out the Remuneration and travel expenses of the CEO. Other than the Pay agreed for the CEO through the DCEDIY, and travel expenses incurred by the CEO in the performance of their duties, there were no other benefits paid. Details of these travel expenses can be found in the financial statements linked below.
Tusla Annual Reports/Financial Statements: www.tusla.ie/publications/annual-reports/ "
244. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the little baby bundle pilot initiative; if an estimated timeframe will be provided for the completion of the pilot scheme; if his Department is committed to a wider roll-out of the little baby bundle scheme after it takes into account the feedback of parents participating in the pilot initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40783/23]
View answerFrom February 2023, 350 expectant parents from the Rotunda Hospital Dublin and 150 parents from Waterford University Hospital were offered an opportunity to participate in the First 5 Little Baby Bundle pilot project.
329 expectant parents from the Rotunda hospital and 149 parents from Waterford applied to participate. Included in this number is 8 sets of twins who have each received a bundle. The Little Baby Bundle has now been delivered to the homes of all participating parents at a time of their choosing.
Parents participating in the pilot initiative were subsequently asked to share their views and experiences of the Baby Bundle and its contents, which will inform the development of proposals for a potential wider national roll-out. Wider consultation with health and social care professionals was also undertaken.
The Little Baby Bundle has an estimated value of €300 and is a range of useful items, including play items to encourage early communication and bonding, household items for help with safe bathing and safe sleep, as well as a range of other items to support new parents after the birth. This welcome gift from the State for a new arrival to a family acknowledges this very significant and special moment for parents.
The initial feedback has been very positive. I await the final report, which is due in the coming weeks. At that stage consideration will be given to any further expansion.
245. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to publishing outstanding actions - implementation plans such as the cost of disability action plan, implementation plan on disability capacity or reviews UNCRPD implementation plan and invest money to resource them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40802/23]
View answerAs Minister for State with responsibility for Disability, it is very important to me that we address the most significant challenges and barriers that people with disabilities face on a daily basis across Ireland, and the investment of resources to achieve these ends is vital. Continuously advancing the human rights in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and addressing recommendations in the Disability Capacity Review are priorities of mine as Minister. In both respects, my Department has been actively engaged in developing strategies and action plans to ensure that we continue to make critical progress across Government.
The Programme for Government sets out the commitment to develop an implementation plan to coordinate implementation of Ireland’s commitments under the UNCRPD, and this new strategy will succeed the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS). This new strategy will serve as the blueprint for making significant progress in supporting people with disabilities to live their lives on an equal basis with all in society. As such it is important to get it right, and that will take time. Both I and my officials are actively engaging with people with disabilities and their representative organisations to determine the strategy's priorities and specific, measurable and outcome-focused actions aimed at achieving the strategy's ambition. I very much believe in the power of the phrase "nothing about us without us", and it is important to me that people with disabilities feel that they have shaped the new strategy to ensure that it is capable of making meaningful change in their lives. Alongside these extensive and valuable consultations The Cost of Disability Report, which was published by the Department of Social Protection in December 2021, is a very important part of the evidence base informing the development of the strategy.
Once adopted, it will be incumbent on all Departments and Agencies across Government to ensure that sufficient resources are invested in a timely manner to deliver on agreed actions and achieve the outcomes and impact expected and required.
The Disability Action Plan 2024-2026 has been developed on foot of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032 – A Review of Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032. This review set out the extra capacity requirements for disability services up to 2032, based on an analysis of demographic trends and unmet need. was approved by Government in July 2023. This Action Plan provides for the first phase of implementation of the recommendations of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032 and is currently being prepared for publication this Autumn.
246. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the proposed Referendum on Article 41 of the Constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40861/23]
View answerOn 8 March 2023, the Taoiseach and I announced that a referendum will be held to amend the Constitution as recommended by the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the Special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. An Inter-Departmental Group (IDG), involving all Government Departments and chaired by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, was subsequently established to further examine and progress work on these recommendations. The work of the IDG is well advanced and policy proposals, to include Heads of Bills, will be brought forward to Government for decision. It is important to clarify that decisions on the wording of any proposed Constitutional amendments and the publication of any related draft legislation are a matter for Government, which is supported in its work by the IDG.
247. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the widespread concerns in relation to the proposed provision of services and the concerns of the local community, as outlined in representations to his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40886/23]
View answerThe number of international protection applicants (IPAs) and Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) arriving in Ireland is expected to remain at elevated levels for the foreseeable future. Access to suitable accommodation is severely constrained. The Department is continuing to avail of offers of accommodation made to it, that meet the standards in our offer proposal mechanisms, such as repurposed office buildings and sports facilities, to address the accommodation shortfall. These options are necessary in order to provide shelter to international protection arrivals, to meet basic needs and to prevent homelessness. I want to assure the Deputy that contracts for accommodation are not agreed until such time as my officials have been provided with evidence that all applicable building and planning obligations have been met by the provider.
While all efforts are made to notify public representatives and State agencies in advance of utilising a building for accommodation of IPAs, the emergency nature of the response required means that advance communications are not as comprehensive or as early as the Department would like. Due to the sheer scale of the present crisis this inevitably means that emergency accommodation of those seeking refuge must be occupied on a faster timeline than would otherwise be the case.
Before the opening of any facility, the Department endeavours to engage with local representatives to provide information as soon as possible, following the agreement of terms with contractors. These constraints limit the time window for advance consultation.
The Department of the Taoiseach has convened a Senior Officials Group (SOG) which is looking at the issue of community engagement and communications. The Department, and several others are engaged in that process. This involves evaluating the most effective methods of engaging with communities in respect of refugees and international protection applicants. A community engagement and communications approach has commenced, and the newly established Community Engagement Team have met with local communities in Co. Cavan to discuss their concerns. The Department is cognisant of these issues and is working towards improving advance communications with elected local representatives, local authorities and local communities, for onward dissemination to interested parties in this regard.
Over the past year, communities across Ireland have demonstrated great solidarity and welcome for those who come here seeking refuge.
248. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding has been prioritised to finalise and introduce a comprehensive disability transport support scheme for disability services and service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40892/23]
View answerThe issue of mobility supports for people with disabilities is a key priority for me as Minister. I have made every effort to drive progress in this area, whilst acknowledging that this is a complex issue that crosses the responsibilities of a number of public bodies and departments beyond my own. Work is underway, at a whole of government level, to scope out what a more holistic and better coordinated system of transport supports for disabled people might entail.
Under Action 104 of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, a Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to formulate proposals on how transport supports could be better coordinated across the state. The Group's work sought to capture the range of supports being provided and to develop proposals for next steps. I chaired the work of the Transport Working Group from January 2022 until the conclusion of the Group's work in December 2022. The Final Report of the Group was published earlier this year and is available on my Department’s website.
The Report indicated that further evidence is required to understand the breadth of transport and mobility supports required by people with disabilities across Ireland. In continuing this work I am keen that any supports we provide be sustainable, holistic, joined up, and person-centered, and take a whole-of-journey perspective.
The recommendations of the NDIS Working Group are under active consideration across departments and agencies with responsibility for the wide range of current and historic transport supports for persons with disabilities. To this end, the Department of the Taoiseach recently convened a Senior Officials Group (SOG) to discuss next steps in progressing the recommendations of the NDIS TWG final report. My officials are engaging and actively contributing to discussions on this matter, which are ongoing, and I am pleased to see this matter being progressed and teased out by the appropriate department.
