Willie O'Dea
Ceist:17 Mr. O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the programme of work of Minister of State, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, for the remainder of this administration. [8185/96]
Written Answers. - Responsibilities of Minister of State.
I have delegated responsibility to the Minister of State, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, for a number of work areas. Details of the main ongoing activities and programme of work may be summarised as follows:
1. Legislation
The text of the Control of Horses Bill, 1996 was circulated on 20 May 1996 and the Second Stage is scheduled for Wednesday, 29 May.
2. Leader II and Rural Development
The Minister of State successfully negotiated with the EU Commission approval of a National Leader II programme, replacing the pilot and selective Leader I Programme in Ireland. The programme sets out the general terms on which Leader II operates and the basis on which the approved groups were selected. Following an additional allocation of funds by the EU Commission, total funding for the Leader II Programme, 1995-1999, is IR£95 million.
Priorities of the Minister of State are:
(a) To formulate a strategy for rural development to be devised by the Department arising from recommendations of the Rural Policy Advisory Committee by 31 May 1997.
(b) To have all Leader II contracts signed by 30 June 1996 — currently two of the 36 contracts remain to be signed. Close liaison to be maintained with the Leader groups to monitor performance and effectiveness. A mid-term review to be carried out by 30 April 1997 and additional funds of IR£18 million to be allocated on a merit basis. (c) To have a curriculum for national certificate and national diploma in rural development and enterprise, arising from discussions at the Rural Policy Advisory Committee, in operation by Teagasc and the universities by September 1996.
3. Greyhound Breeding and Greyhound Racing Industry
The Minister of State is actively involved in promoting a number of positive initiatives in relation to the greyhound industry which have contributed to the process of reversal of the downward cycle of the last ten to 15 years experienced by the industry. These initiatives span the fields of taxation, capital investment, marketing and legislative infrastructure and represent the most significant and co-ordinated approach to the development of the industry since the establishment of Bord na gCon in 1958. The Minister of State will continue to progress these matters over the period of his administration.
The Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, has overseen the preparation of heads of a Bill which will provide for the updating of the 1958 Greyhound Act and it is expected that a Bill will be circulated by 31 October 1996. Bord na gCon reports directly to the Minister of State.
4. Cattle Breeding
A feasibility study on the future organisation and financing of cattle breeding activities was completed in October 1995 and published by the Minister of State in November 1995.
Negotiations at industry level on how the consultant's report should be implemented have so far failed to achieve substantive agreement among the industry organisations. The Minister of State is currently engaged in an initiative to facilitate progress to the next phase of the process by which the restructuring of the organisation and financing of cattle breeding can be undertaken to protect the long-term best interests of the Irish dairy and beef industries. His aim is to achieve agreement on the future funding and organisation of cattle breeding by September 1996.
5. Horticulture Industry
The Minister of State oversees the horticulture industry.
The scheme of grant aid for investment in commercial horticulture under the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry, 1994-99, was announced in January 1995. In the first round of applications, which closed on 31 January 1995, 440 applications were received, of which 135 were approved, representing grant aid of IR£900,000 with a total investment of over IR£2 million. The second round of applications closed on 30 April 1996 and is currently being examined.
A new farm improvement programme for horticulture has been introduced with some IR£12 million in grant aid being made available. This will result in a total investment of in excess of IR£50 million in the horticulture industry over the next four years.
The Minister of State established the Horticulture Industry Forum which meets periodically in order to attempt to create greater co-ordination, co-operation and communication within the horticulture industry, placing particular emphasis on establishing closer linkages between market intermediaries comprising the "supply chain".
A priority of the Minister of State is to ensure that the Horticulture Industry Forum, established November 1995, takes an active role in indentifying problems in the industry and realises creative solutions to those problems which are identified. He will participate actively in the business of the forum. An Bord Glas reports directly to the Minister of State.
6. Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS)
Under REPS, the Minister of State has presided over the expansion of the scheme from a stage where, when this Government took office, there were under 500 farmers in REPS, to the current stage where over 13,000 farmers have been approved for payments under the scheme. The amount paid to farmers in that time has increased from approximately IR£3 million to almost IR£47 million at present.
In February 1995 the Minister of State established the REPS Consultative Committee which draws representation from State, agricultural and environmental interests, and was established to give feeback on the operation and effectiveness of the scheme. The REPS Committee has to-date been responsible for putting forward a number of proposals which have been incorporated into the scheme towards its overall improvement.
The Minister of State will keep REPS under review to ensure that (a) the scheme is best suited to Irish farming conditions and (b) the original target of 40,000 participants will be met.
7. Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming
The Minister of State has been successful in promoting greater interest in the scheme of early retirement from farming. Since December 1994 the number of farmers approved for pension entitlement under the scheme has trebled from 1,400 to over 4,300, with the average annual pension amounting to IR£9,126 per annum. As a result, over 132,000 hectares of land have been released to young trained farmers for structural improvement. This is well ahead of the programme estimates and the Minister of State will continue to ensure that the original target of 7,000 participants in the scheme will be met by 1998.
8. Plant Health
The Minister of State has operational responsibility for plant health, which covers: (i) phytosanitary measures, the prevention and-or control of plant diseases and pests, and (ii) the approval, marketing and usage of agricultural pesticides such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides etc.
In the general plan health areas, 12 new national regulations have been introduced and implemented under the responsibility of the Minister of State.
The Minister of State has taken an active role in measures to improve the Department's pesticide control service. He has held a number of meetings with the agri-chemical industry and has successfully negotiated a substantial financial contribution from the industry towards the cost of employing additional staff and facilities in the Department's pesticide control service. These arrangements are at an advanced stage and it is envisaged that they will be in place by year-end.
9. Land Policy
The Minister of State has undertaken to ensure that farming interests are fully represented in the compilation of the proposed national land use policy plan, to be devised by the Minister for the Environment. He has sought and has obtained the views of the various interested parties in this context and is currently engaged in the preparation of a review of current departmental policy, including the impact of various schemes operated and administered by the Department on land policy. It is the Minister of State's aim to finalise the land use policy document in course of preparation by 31 October 1996 and to conclude active discussion of its contents by 31 December 1996.
10. Premium and Headage Payments
A major priority of this Government was to ensure that farmers are paid their entitlements under the headage and premia schemes in a timely and efficient manner. The Charter of Rights for farmers, published in April 1995, provides for a programme for substantially improved services to farmers to be implemented over a two year period.
The charter is our commitment to a quality user friendly service. It is the farmer's assurance of full information, privacy and confidentiality, prompt response to queries and a definite payments schedule. It also provided for an independent appeals procedure, which ensures that all appeals are handled in a way which is seen to be completely fair and impartial. The new headage and premia appeals unit was set up in the autumn of 1995 and is now fully operational. Significant progress was made on improving accommodation facilities in local offices during 1995 and this will continue during 1996.
The payment targets set out in respect of 1995 schemes were largely met or indeed exceeded. During 1995 a record £664.2 million was paid out to farmers under the various headage and premia schemes. Some £415 million of this related to payments under the 1995 schemes.
The Minister of State is committed to maintaining this progress.
11. Food Sub-Programme
Implementation of the Food Sub-Programme 1994-99, which was approved in late 1994, is proceeding satisfactorily.
Up to the end of 1995, a total of 463 grants involving grant aid of £152 million has been approved. Implementation has been integrated with the development plans drawn up by the implementing agencies — Forbairt, An Bord Bia, Teagasc and FÁS.
The sub-programme, in addition to providing financial assistance for investment in fixed assets, will continue to make available considerable support to companies to develop new products, seek out new markets, improve their operational efficiencies and upgrade their skill levels and management capabilities. This contrasts with earlier approaches where public funding was largely applied in support of fixed assets investments.
The sub-programme and its individual measures will continue to be monitored to ensure compliance with the overall objective to build a competitive food industry which will generate national wealth and employment while helping to sustain rural economies.
The Minister of State is responsible for monitoring the food sub-programme.
12. Disease Eradication (other than TB)
The Minister of State will formulate and establish by September 1996 a sheep scab control and eradication plan.