Parliamentary questions

Farmers Indebtedness

Michael Collins

510. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will request all co-ops to have more forbearance with farmers - dairy, suckler, beef and tillage - in their current plight caused by poor prices, bad weather and other circumstances outside their control; if he will request the co-ops to allow for more flexibility in their billing system in line with farmers income times; and his views in this regard. [28283/16]

Commonage Land Use

Charlie McConalogue

511. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of commonages under GLAS 1 and 2 that have no planner approved to complete a commonage management plan, by county in tabular form; the total number of commonages under GLAS 1 and 2 that have been approved a planner to complete a commonage management plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28294/16]

GLAS Data

Charlie McConalogue

512. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of commonage farmers by county, in tabular form; the total number of commonage farmers who have applied to GLAS 1 and 2; the total number of commonage farmers that have had their applications processed by county; the total number of commonage farmers by county that have received and not received GLAS payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28295/16]

Commonage Management Plans

Charlie McConalogue

513. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of commonage farmers who have completed a commonage management plan, CMP, by county in tabular form; the total number of commonage farmers who have not completed a CMP; the total amount of commonage farmers who have received GLAS payments to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28296/16]

GLAS Payments

Charlie McConalogue

514. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department is taking to facilitate all commonage farmers who wish to submit an application to GLAS by the extended deadline considering planners have encountered difficulties logging into the online system or completing commonage management plans as mandatory under the scheme; if he will ensure that no delay to payments will occur considering the issues being encountered are beyond the control of commonage farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28297/16]

Departmental Contracts

Charlie McConalogue

515. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department has decided to roll over the current genomics tag contract with the existing supplier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28298/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Data

Charlie McConalogue

516. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of farmers participating in the areas of natural constraint scheme per county, in tabular form on an annual basis over the 2014 to 2016 period; the total annual budget allocation for the scheme in this period; the total amount of funds expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28299/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

517. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of technical work carried out to date by his Department with respect to designating eligible areas under the areas of natural constraint scheme by reference to new biophysical criteria by 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28300/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

518. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the counties that have had technical work carried out to date by his Department with respect to designating eligible areas under the areas of natural constraint scheme by reference to new biophysical criteria by 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28301/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

519. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the existing areas that are currently designated as an eligible area under the areas of natural constraint, ANC, scheme by reference to new biophysical criteria by 2018 that have been identified as being ineligible following technical mapping work carried out to date by his Department, by county in tabular form; the number of farmers currently enrolled in the ANC sheme who have been provisionally observed as having ineligible areas under the new criteria following mapping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28302/16]

Milk Supply

Charlie McConalogue

520. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of farmers who have applied to the EU voluntary milk reduction scheme by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28303/16]

Horse Racing Ireland

Charlie McConalogue

521. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has satisfied himself that all State body guidelines were fulfilled and full transparency observed in all aspects of the reappointment of Horse Racing Ireland's CEO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28304/16]

Animal Welfare

Michael McGrath

522. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to strengthen the law to tackle abuses to animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28311/16]

Departmental Programmes

Thomas Pringle

523. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28315/16]

Agriculture Scheme Applications

Pat Breen

524. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an application will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28330/16]

Rural Development Programme Projects

Brendan Griffin

525. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the introduction of a sheep payment; the proposed requirements to receive the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28343/16]

Beef Data and Genomics Programme

Brendan Griffin

526. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reopen the beef data and genomics programme for new participants with additional funding for suckler cow support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28344/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Funding

Brendan Griffin

527. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if funding will be increased for areas of the natural constraints scheme to reverse cuts in previous budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28345/16]

TAMS Funding

Brendan Griffin

528. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if unspent TAMS II funding from 2016 will be carried forward to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28346/16]

Herd Number Applications

Seán Sherlock

529. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application by a person (details supplied) who has applied for the return of a herd number. [28402/16]

Agriculture Schemes

Michael Healy-Rae

530. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce new schemes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28440/16]

Fisheries Protection

Pearse Doherty

531. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures which will be taken to ensure that events which occurred in 2015 arising from the activities of supertrawlers fishing off the coast of Donegal, which resulted in the destruction of hundreds of locally owned fishing traps and pots, will not be repeated or happen again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28442/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

532. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue under the 2016 area of natural constraints scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28444/16]

Basic Payment Scheme Payments

Michael Healy-Rae

533. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a farm payment to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28445/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Payments

Michael Healy-Rae

534. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an area of natural constraints scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28469/16]

Agriculture Schemes

Pearse Doherty

535. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who availed of the historical farm rescue package scheme of 1982 to 1985; the average payment through the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28486/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

536. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has to date exercised his powers under section 29A of the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 to demand that Horse Racing Ireland provides a full account of the way the reappointment of its chief executive officer complies with the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. [28503/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

537. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has to date exercised his powers under section 29A of the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 to give a direction to Horse Racing Ireland on its compliance with the code of practice for the governance of State bodies or any other code or policy issued by the Government. [28504/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

538. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he or his Department had any contact from any member of the board of Horse Racing Ireland prior to 13 July 2016 noting that support for the reappointment of the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland was not unanimous within the board. [28505/16]

State Bodies

Clare Daly

539. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify his response to Parliamentary Question No. 686 of 12 July 2016, in which he stated (details supplied), in view of the fact that on the same day the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform stated in Parliamentary Question No. 449 of 12 July 2016 that he had sanctioned the reappointment of the chief executive officer based on the strength of the business case presented to him, which was strongly supported by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. [28506/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

540. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date on which his Department requested permission from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to extend the contract of the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland by a further five years. [28507/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

541. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the discussions between his Department and the Department of Finance regarding the latter's stated position in 2011 that the contract governing the second term of the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland should preclude that person from retaining their position when that second term came to an end. [28508/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

542. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify his statement at the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 27 September 2016 regarding amendments to the pay and entitlements of the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland; if he will clarify specifically the amendment of pay and entitlements which took place and when; if those amendments did not encompass basic pay and pension entitlements; if the chief executive officer's pay up to the date that they finished their second term was €191,000 plus €56,000 in pension entitlements; and the details of all pay and entitlements contained in the chief executive officer's new contract. [28509/16]

Horse Racing Ireland Staff

Clare Daly

543. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department did not insist upon an open competition to fill the role of chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland when the incumbent's second term in the role came to an end. [28510/16]

Animal Identification Schemes

Pearse Doherty

544. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an application made by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal in respect of a certificate of compliance for the movement of cattle from a single holding to or from another holding for feeding purposes was not generated until 3 June 2015, yet the person can provide a certificate of posting for 28 May 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28516/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Payments

Robert Troy

545. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28535/16]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

546. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds which were homed by the Irish Greyhound Board in 2015; the arrangements which were made for retired racing greyhounds that were not homed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28555/16]

Greyhound Industry

Clare Daly

547. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds which were euthanised at greyhound tracks here after sustaining racing injures; if the statistics for injuries to greyhounds during racing can be published by the Irish Greyhound Board on a track by track basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28556/16]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

548. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of money the Irish Greyhound Board expended on retired greyhounds which were finished racing in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28557/16]

Greyhound Industry

Clare Daly

549. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of the surplus moneys allocated to the greyhound industry in 2015 which was spent on greyhound welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28558/16]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

550. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Irish Coursing Club has a homing scheme for retired coursing dogs; the number of dogs the Irish Coursing Club rehomed in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28559/16]

Agriculture Scheme Eligibility

Éamon Ó Cuív

551. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of entitlements a person (details supplied) in County Galway has; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28569/16]

Knowledge Transfer Programme

Jackie Cahill

552. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will amend the knowledge transfer programme to allow the entry of young farmers in particular who are not in a financial position to slaughter cattle at this time but who would otherwise benefit from participation in the programme. [28588/16]

Agriculture Scheme Eligibility

Noel Grealish

553. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of his Department’s engagement with the European Commission regarding the forgotten farmer; if he has sought recognition from the European Commission for forgotten farmers as a group with specific disadvantage under the national reserve in the same way that old young farmers are currently provided for; if not, when he plans to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28589/16]

Land Issues

Michael Moynihan

554. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to establish an online database of the Land Commission data dating from the pre-Cromwell time to the Griffith Valuation and through to the present day records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28604/16]

Plant Protection Products

Louise O'Reilly

555. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Ireland is one of the 15 EU member states to oppose the EU Commission proposal for criteria for endocrine disruptors; the Government position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28660/16]

TAMS Applications

Niamh Smyth

556. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review and process a TAMS application for a person (details attached) without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28663/16]

Aquaculture Licence Applications

Pearse Doherty

557. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reasons why in a Ministerial determination relating to EIS requirements for an aquaculture licence application in County Donegal (details supplied), it has been determined that an EIS is not required with respect to the application; if consideration was given to the fact that the area to which the application relates is located within a special area of conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28666/16]

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Michael Fitzmaurice

558. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of retired public sector employees in his Department, including bodies under its aegis, who are in receipt of a public sector pension that have been re-employed either part-time or full-time, temporary or otherwise by the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28974/16]

Broadband Service Provision

Gerry Adams

559. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the detrimental impact which the lack of high-speed broadband is having on a business (details supplied); the timeframe for the delivery of high speed broadband to this address; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28400/16]