Parliamentary questions

Mushroom Industry

Niamh Smyth

508. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to protect the Irish mushroom industry in the wake of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29419/16]

TB Eradication Scheme

Niamh Smyth

509. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review and assist a person affected by TB (details supplied); the procedures in place to prevent TB recurring consistently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29425/16]

Compensation Schemes

Kevin O'Keeffe

510. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which compensation paid to vegetable farmers whose crops were destroyed by the cold snap of late 2009 and early 2010 was in accordance with EU state aid rules; if he will now apply the same criteria to tillage farmers on the south coast of Cork, who suffered winter barley crop losses in late 2015 and early 2016 as a result of the storm belt which in turn created a sea mist that facilitated a salt drift to blow inland and do untold damage to the tillage crops of the farmers; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these same farmers have taken a double hit in that after replanting their crops they had to endure a salvaging operation in order to harvest same. [29435/16]

Organic Farming Scheme Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

511. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied ) will have to wait until November 2016 to receive payment under the organics programme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29439/16]

Organic Farming Scheme Payments

Michael Fitzmaurice

512. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in a payment to a person (details supplied) under the organics programme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29440/16]

GLAS Issues

Peter Burke

513. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider implementing a scheme to promote the growth of hedgerows on farms considering the positive environmental benefits associated with their growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29462/16]

GLAS Issues

Peter Burke

514. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the growth and maintenance of hedgerows on farms will be considered for inclusion under the GLAS scheme in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29463/16]

Brexit Issues

David Cullinane

515. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the impact of Brexit on the food industry in Waterford city, county and the south east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29504/16]

Basic Payment Scheme Applications

Dara Calleary

516. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) will have farm payments processed; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29512/16]

Equine Industry

Michael Healy-Rae

517. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an application for funding (details supplied) has been successful; if so, when moneys will be made available; if not, the reasons for a refusal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29522/16]

Aquaculture Licences

Pat the Cope Gallagher

518. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the location or bays in County Donegal where appropriate assessments have been carried out in respect of special areas of conservation and the habitats directives; the location by bay, inlet or shore area in such cases as they have been completed as part of the screening process and lodged with his Department; the commencement and expiry dates and species type of shellfish aquaculture licences currently in force in County Donegal; the location by bay, inlet or shore area and species type of shellfish aquaculture licence applications currently under consideration by his Department in County Donegal; if each application under consideration by public bodies as co-ordinated by the aquaculture and foreshore division of his Department is open for consultation to the public, awaiting determination by him, granted but within the appeal period, or granted where the appeal period has expired; the current status of shellfish licence applications in the vicinity of Cruit and Kincasslagh, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29530/16]

Aquaculture Licences

Pat the Cope Gallagher

519. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an environmental impact assessment is not required for shellfish farming aquaculture licence approval within a special area of conservation, SAC, when it is required for approval of a fin fish farming licence within an SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29531/16]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Robert Troy

520. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a payment of €30,000 was withheld from a person's (details supplied) single farm payment for 2014; if he will investigate this matter and rectify it by allocating this money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29541/16]

Dairy Equipment Scheme Applications

Seán Fleming

521. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received for dairy equipment under the TAMS; the number which have been processed to date and in respect of which payments have been issued; the number waiting for a payment to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29543/16]

Health and Safety Regulations

Joan Burton

522. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the health and safety framework of each commercial and non-commercial State agency; when the health and safety policy of each was last reviewed; when the safety statement of each was last reviewed; if each body has a health and safety committee and when this was last elected; if each has a health and safety representative and when this person was last elected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29556/16]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Joan Burton

523. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the gifts or hospitality given to employees to attend overseas sports or musical events during 2015 in regard to all commercial and non-commercial agencies; the locations of such visits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29557/16]

Aquaculture Licences

Pearse Doherty

524. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to concerns from the fishing community that the size and scale of the activities to which an aquaculture licence application (details supplied) relates will render the proposed site and its waters inaccessible to local fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29635/16]

Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Payments

Dara Calleary

525. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of areas of natural constraint scheme payments for a person (details supplied). [29639/16]

GLAS Payments

Dara Calleary

526. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied). [29640/16]

Animal Culls

Tom Neville

527. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29656/16]

Departmental Records

Pearse Doherty

528. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an application 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, although the person can provide a certificate of posting for 28 May 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29672/16]

Meat Processing Plants

Jackie Cahill

529. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his officials at meat processing plants are aware of cattle being paid for under the meat processor-run insurance scheme; the percentage of injured or rejected cattle that are actually paid for under this insurance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29712/16]

Bovine Disease Controls

Charlie McConalogue

530. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of departmental expenditure allocated in 2016 to provide financial supports for farmers faced with the removal of persistently infected animals under the BVD eradication programme; the total amount of funds expended to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29715/16]

Bovine Disease Controls

Charlie McConalogue

531. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of farmers who have applied in each payment category in 2016 for the removal of persistently infected animals under the BVD eradication programme; the total number of such farmers who have been issued payments to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29716/16]

Aquaculture Licences

Pearse Doherty

532. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the concerns from the fishing community that the size and scale of the activities for which an application relates will render the proposed site and its waters inaccessible to local fishermen in regard to an application for an aquaculture licence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29804/16]

Animal Identification Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

533. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the arrangements in place to ensure a supply of EU-approved cattle tags for farmers after November 2016, in view of the withdrawal of the previous tender process, taking into account the fact that Ireland has no technical specification for bovine tags that has EU approval as required by EU regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29823/16]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

534. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider making the installation of CCTV in abattoirs here a mandatory requirement in order to protect against potential abuse of animals. [29854/16]

Waste Disposal

Shane Cassells

535. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he intends to put in place for the elderly and also for persons who are unable, due to infirmity or storage issues, to have wheelie bins for waste management in their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29314/16]

Landfill Sites

Catherine Murphy

536. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the tonnage of waste being dumped in a location (details supplied) in County Kildare for each of the past five years; the tonnage of waste being dumped at that location from Connacht, Ulster, Leinster and Munster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29330/16]

Waste Disposal

Catherine Murphy

537. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the tonnage of waste exported for disposal for each of the past five years; the destinations of this waste and the port from which it left Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29331/16]

Climate Change Policy

Eamon Ryan

538. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the proposed timeline for ratification of the Paris climate agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29636/16]

Fisheries Protection

Tom Neville

539. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider lifting the draft net fishing ban for two weeks in the year in order that children and teenagers can be taught about fishing to ensure that the culture and tradition will not be lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29663/16]

Waste Disposal Charges

Billy Kelleher

540. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the exemptions in place for households with medical grounds following the introduction of pay-by-weight refuse collection on 1 September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29785/16]

Electricity Transmission Network

Eamon Ryan

541. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has received a report on the break in the east-west electricity interconnector between Dublin and Wales; the reason for the loss of service; and when the interconnector will be back in operation. [29982/16]

Climate Change Policy

Eamon Ryan

542. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeline for Ireland in the ratification of the Paris agreement. [29980/16]

Climate Change Policy

Eamon Ryan

543. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if, in the event that the Government has not ratified COP21 in advance of the COP22 conference on 7 to 18 November 2016, Ireland will be able to participate fully in all the institutions involving ratified countries. [29981/16]

Electricity Transmission Network

Timmy Dooley

544. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will confirm that the east-west interconnector power line will be out of commission for the next five months due to repairs; the steps being taken to remedy this; the effect this will have on Irish electricity supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29392/16]

Electricity Transmission Network

Timmy Dooley

545. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment regarding the east-west interconnector power line being out of commission for the next five months due to repairs, if this will result in higher electricity bills for consumers, as has been reported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29393/16]

Electricity Transmission Network

Timmy Dooley

546. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment regarding the east-west interconnector power line being out of commission for the next five months due to repairs, if CER had discussions with his Department on the possible consequences this will have on retail and wholesale electricity bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29394/16]

Bioenergy Strategy

Eamon Ryan

547. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the public consultation on the strategic environmental assessment of the draft bioenergy strategy will take place. [29403/16]

White Paper on Energy

Michael Collins

548. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the White Paper on renewable energy. [29420/16]

Electricity Generation

Michael Collins

549. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the Government will encourage all the electricity providers to pay domestic producers of electricity either by solar or wind, as opposed to only one company (details supplied). [29421/16]

Strategy for Renewable Energy

Michael Collins

550. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the current system and prices of microgeneration can be improved to encourage more persons to invest in renewables and the existing producers to recoup some of their investment. [29422/16]

Strategy for Renewable Energy

Michael Collins

551. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the Government and the various Departments can come together to draw up new plans to update the renewables industry (details supplied). [29423/16]

Broadband Service Provision

David Cullinane

552. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to roll out dark fibre broadband in the south east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29502/16]

Renewable Energy Incentives

Charlie McConalogue

553. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on concerns raised in a document (details supplied); his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29524/16]

Renewable Energy Incentives

Charlie McConalogue

554. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for the introduction of a renewable heat incentive; if he will ensure that any such incentive that is introduced will facilitate smaller-end users using wood chip boilers with a capacity of around 100 kW output; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29526/16]

Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme

Peter Burke

555. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to extend the closing date of the REFIT 3 scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29547/16]

Health and Safety Regulations

Joan Burton

556. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the health and safety framework of each commercial and non-commercial State agency; when the health and safety policy of each was last reviewed; when the safety statement of each was last reviewed; if each body has a health and safety committee and when this was last elected; if each has a health and safety representative and when this person was last elected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29548/16]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Joan Burton

557. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the gifts or hospitality given to employees to attend overseas sporting or musical events during 2015 in respect of all commercial and non-commercial agencies; the locations of such visits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29549/16]