Wednesday, 20 Mar 2024

Written Answers Nos. 1053-1073

Horse Racing Industry

Questions (1053)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

1053. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 6 March 2024, the number of engagements or interactions undertaken by his Department with industry stakeholders including studbooks either face-to-face, event or by video platform during 2023 regarding the sport horse sector; if he will provide details of the various officials involved in such interactions, their grade and each individual organisation that was interacted with, in tabular form; if similar information can be provided for each organisation delivering equine services under contract to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12908/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

It is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy within the required timeframe. The information is currently being compiled and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

PQ Reply to PQ12908

Agriculture Supports

Questions (1054)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

1054. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2023 BISS payment will issue to a farmer (details supplied) in County Kerry for leased lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12921/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and associated area-based schemes was submitted to my Department on 4 April 2023 from the above named applicant. All processing work has been completed with regard to the transfer of entitlements for the named person and any payments due should issue this week. Officials from my Department have been in contact with the applicant to inform them of this.

Food Industry

Questions (1055)

Paul Donnelly

Question:

1055. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of food products seized by his Departmental officials at both Dublin Airport and Dublin Port in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [12975/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The table below details the number of consignments and associated products and weights (by tonnes) which were detained by Import Controls Division in Dublin Port and Dublin Airport throughout 2023 and to date in 2024.

Note: a consignment can contain more than one product depending on the importer.

Detained Products 2023 - to date in 2024	Products of Animal Origin	Plant Health Products
Total Consignments	62	186
Total Products	61	250
Weight (in tonnes)	584.29	438

Forestry Sector

Questions (1056)

David Stanton

Question:

1056. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has concluded its consideration of the report on supports for landowners affected by ash dieback; if so, when he expects his department's ash dieback action plan to be presented to Cabinet for approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13056/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A detailed Ash dieback action plan is being prepared by Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett for submission to Cabinet for approval next month. This will outline comprehensive actions by my Department to deal with the issue of ash dieback. Detailed deliberations are taking place to ensure an efficient, appropriate and proportionate response.

As part of the Forest Strategy Implementation plan, the Minister of State, Deputy Pippa Hackett, has established a Forestry Strategy Consultative Committee (FSCC) to support this work. Members of the FSCC have been selected from a broad range of relevant stakeholders. This Committee will establish a range of sub-groups to inform its activities, and in this regard will convene a specific subgroup which will work as a task force to ensure a greater level of engagement and action on ash dieback and other forest health matters.

In July 2023 my Department launched the Reconstitution scheme for Ash Dieback under the new Programme 2023-27 with 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.

So, for example, a forest owner with 10 years of remaining premium who enters into the Reconstitution Scheme to plant FT1 (native forest), could receive a lump sum payment of €6,355 per hectare.

My Department continues to issue approvals under the Reconstitution scheme. There are now over 500 land owners representing 1,900 hectares, whose plantations were affected by ash dieback, that have approval to carry out reconstitution under the terms and conditions of the Reconstitution Scheme, under the new Forestry Programme. I would urge ash owners who have not yet availed of the scheme to assist them in clearing their sites and replanting, to do so now. They will not be disadvantaged in relation to any further initiatives under the action plan.

Question No. 1057 answered with Question No. 1039.

Agriculture Industry

Questions (1058)

Robert Troy

Question:

1058. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter concerning the Irish native honeybee (details supplied). [13107/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The movement of bees within the Union is governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/429 (the Animal Health Law) which is supplemented by Commission Implementing and Delegated Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2020/688 and 2021/403). These EU regulations contain specific provisions to safeguard the health of bees located in the territory of the Union. The importation of honeybees into Ireland is allowed under these Regulations and a statutory ban on non-native bee imports into Ireland may constitute a restriction on trade.

Import data from the past three years shows a decline in the number of honey bees imported into Ireland from 1285 in 2021 to 388 in 2023.

My Department has procured research services to provide an independent scientific assessment to investigate the threat to and adverse impact upon biodiversity and the ecosystem arising from the introgression/crossing/cross-breeding of the native Irish Honey Bee, Apis mellifera mellifera with non-native species or sub-species of and/or strains derived from Apis mellifera imported to Ireland. In October 2023, the National University of Ireland, Galway entered into a 12-month contract for the provision of research services regarding the Native Irish Honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera ). Work has commenced on this project and it is important that this work concludes before deciding whether or not to introduce legislation banning the importation of non-native honey bees into Ireland.

Live Exports

Questions (1059)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1059. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that the master's confidential report is missing for the first shipment of in-calf heifers that left Waterford for Algeria on 4 January 2024 in livestock vessel Finola M. [13144/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Master's report for this voyage was not delivered immediately after the voyage to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Officers of my Department followed up with the operators. The non-delivery was a result of an administrative delay on the part of the private operators involved. The report is now with the Department.

Live Exports

Questions (1060)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1060. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the master's confidential report (details supplied) was returned by the captain of the vessel within seven days of arrival at the destination port, as set out in Regulation 20 of the Carriage of Livestock by Sea Regulation SI 356 of 2016. [13145/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Master's report for this voyage was not sent immediately after the voyage, due to an administrative delay on the part of the private operators involved. The matter was followed up by officers of my Department with the result that the report has since arrived and is in possession of the Department.

Live Exports

Questions (1061)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1061. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the master's confidential report document (details supplied) was returned by the captain, the reason it cannot be located. [13146/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Master's report for this voyage was recently received by my Department. When it was not returned to the Department immediately after the voyage, the matter was followed up by officers of my Department. The delay arose due to an administrative error on the part of the private operators involved.

Live Exports

Questions (1062)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1062. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action his Department is taking to retrieve or locate a document (details supplied). [13147/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As the Master's report for this voyage was not forwarded immediately after the voyage, the matter was followed up by officers of my Department with the result that the report has since arrived and is in possession of the Department

Live Exports

Questions (1063)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1063. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a document (details supplied) was not returned by the captain, what steps will be taken to initiate a prosecution under section 36 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if the certificate of approval for the Finola M will be revoked due to the non-compliance with Regulation 20 of the Carriage of Livestock by Sea Regulations. [13148/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The document that is the subject of your question has been returned by the Master of the vessel concerned. It was not returned immediately after the voyage, due to an administrative delay on the part of the private operators involved. The matter was followed up by officers of my Department with the result that the report has since arrived and is in the possession of the Department.

Live Exports

Questions (1064)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1064. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of heifers that became sick or injured during a journey (details supplied); the number that died; and how many were unloaded from the vessel. [13149/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Master's report for this voyage shows that the same number of in-calf heifers that boarded in Ireland disembarked in Algeria. The report does not record any morbidity or mortality on the voyage.

Pigmeat Sector

Questions (1065)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1065. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he shares animal rights activist concerns that the EC Pig Directive is routinely breached not only by almost all pig farmers but also by Teagasc, the national agriculture and food industry research, advisory and training body, which is largely funded by the Government; his views on whether the issue is not just tail docking, pigs are not being provided with adequate enrichment, which is a major risk factor in tail biting; what actions will be taken to ensure compliance with the Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13173/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department is fully committed to the ongoing promotion of high animal welfare standards and to the continued enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which provides a modern framework for applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare.

On the issue of the Pig Welfare Directive and specifically the matter of tail docking, I can confirm to the Deputy that all pig farms across the country are subject to animal welfare inspections, as part of official controls under the EU Pig Welfare Directive.

Since 2020, veterinary inspectors from my Department have implemented a programme specifically designed for on-farm pig welfare inspections. These inspections identify risk factors for tail biting, on all farms visited, inform the farmer of these risks and require the farmer in question, to address same. This includes the need to provide meaningful enrichment materials to pigs irrespective of the flooring type, with the aim of rearing pigs with intact tails in a sample of pens initially.

In addition to the tail biting risk factor inspections, officials from my department also carry out additional pig welfare inspections to check compliance with wider aspects of the Pig Welfare Directive.

My Department has been collaborating for a number of years with Animal Health Ireland and Teagasc to deliver a free pig welfare-tail biting risk assessment tool for pig farmers. This is important as it operates in parallel to the regulatory inspections previously outlined, and enables pig farmers to work with their own veterinary practitioner to identify farm-specific risk factors for tail biting and to develop an action plan to deal with risks.

In April 2023 I launched TAMS 3 - Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme. The scheme includes grant aid for new pig housing at the rate of 40% up to a maximum investment ceiling of €500,000. More importantly the specifications for pig housing under the scheme have been scrupulously researched in order to specifically address the issues that lead to tail biting. They include more space for pigs, provision of solid lying area, more feeding space and so on. I am confident that future housing constructed in line with this specification will, when combined with addressing the other relevant risk factors, enable pigs to be reared without the need for tail docking.

Animal Passports

Questions (1066)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

1066. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when equine passports will issue for three foals (details supplied), with an application submitted in October 2023; the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13174/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I am advised by the relevant breed society that three 2023 foal applications of the person named, were purchased and logged to their system on the 10 October 2023, with the hair samples for each foal being sent to the laboratory on the 13 October 2023.

In order for these foal applications to be parentage tested by SNP DNA, DNA samples for the sire and the three dams were required as they were not already on the SNP platform. The initial DNA results were inconclusive which meant that further testing on the initial samples was required in order to produce DNA results.

The relevant breed society have informed officials in my Department that testing for the foal DNA result takes on average of 25 working days. However, these turnaround times do not allow for situations where more samples are required, or if additional testing is required. Additional time delays also occur where a sample does not pass the test in the first instance and further tests are conducted which adds another 15 working days.

The relevant breed society have advised that they received full SNP DNA results for two foals of the person named on the 14 March 2023. Identification documents were posted to the person named on the 15 March 2024.

The final DNA result was reported to the relevant breed society on the 19 March 2024 and I am informed that this identification document was posted to the person named on that day.

Pigmeat Sector

Questions (1067)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1067. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide all antibiotic usage data in relation to pig farms in Ireland, broken down by farming system, for example intensive indoor pig farms, organic outdoor, from January 2020 - January 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13185/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Currently, in accordance with the Veterinary Medicinal Products legislation, in particular Article 108, the antibiotic usage records for all types of pig farms in Ireland are kept by the keeper/owner.

My Department operates a national Antimicrobial Usage Database which collects antibiotic usage data only from commercial pig farms; this data is provided on a voluntary confidential basis. This data is anonymised and aggregated for high level analysis to determine annual usage at a national level. The analysis shows that since January 2020, the annual antibiotic usage levels across these pig has been 118mg/kg in 2020, 81mg/kg in 2021, 64mg/kg in 2022 and 74mg/kg in 2023.

Public Private Partnerships

Questions (1068)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

1068. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details on all planned PPP projects and ongoing PPP contracts; the status of each project; the anticipated or known capital cost; the anticipated or known cost to the Exchequer over the lifetime of the contracts; the annual total payment of PPP unitary charges and the percentage share of the total capital budget for his Department and all public bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13189/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has currently no planned PPP projects or ongoing PPP contracts.

As regards the 13 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.

Fodder Crisis

Questions (1069)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

1069. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of concerns about farmers facing a shortage of fodder over the coming weeks; if he is considering supports for farmers with addressing this gap or with high costs of buying silage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13258/24]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In March 2022 I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee as result of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. One of the aims of this committee was to put measures in place to ensure that there is enough fodder and feed for the winter and spring months. In late June, early July 2023 Teagasc carried out a Fodder Survey which was updated last October, indicated that nationally on average, dairy and drystock farms were on target for sufficient winter fodder supplies.

My Department monitors the fodder situation on an ongoing basis and I am advised that supplies are relatively stable on both dairy and beef farms. Teagasc have advised that silage is available to purchase, and that some farmers had included the option of purchase fodder in their winter feed budgeting plans.

Grass growth over the winter period has yielded strong pasture covers on farms. However, I am aware the risk of shortages is dependent on spring weather and the ability to turnout livestock to grass. My Department will continue to monitor the situation but at the moment there are no plans to introduce supports to assist farmers buying silage at this time.

Departmental Inquiries

Questions (1070)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

1070. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if financial assistance will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12313/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Fórsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps

Disability Services

Questions (1071)

James Lawless

Question:

1071. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will examine matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12886/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Deputy Anne Rabbitte)

This question refers to matters, in the main, under the responsibility of Primary Care. As such it is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health. However, I understand that this service matter has now been referred to the HSE which will respond to the Deputy directly from the appropriate care area, as soon as possible.

Disability Services

Questions (1072, 1073, 1074, 1075)

Emer Higgins

Question:

1072. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff in the HSE's Children’s Disability Network Teams; the number of staff in Section 38 organisations; and the number of staff in Section 39 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11542/24]

Emer Higgins

Question:

1073. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Children’s Disability Network Teams that are currently fully staffed; the expected duration of such staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11544/24]

Emer Higgins

Question:

1074. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the criteria used to determine the number of therapists required in each Children’s Disability Network Team; and the details of such criteria. [11545/24]

Emer Higgins

Question:

1075. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of therapy staff in each specialisation that have left the Children’s Disability Network Teams system in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11548/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1072 to 1075, inclusive, together.

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Fórsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps

Question No. 1073 answered with Question No. 1072.