Vol. 518 No. 6
61 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the progress, if any, he has made in negotiations with the EU in securing the back-dating of forestry grant and premium payments to farmers and others who have participated in forestry plantation schemes during the past decade. [12686/00]
As the Deputy will be aware, the application for higher forestry incentives submitted to the European Commission proposed increased premium levels for those who planted under Council Regulation 2080/92 as well as for those proposing to plant in the current season. Due to the protracted nature of the discussions with the Commission, it was decided that the primary focus would be on securing increases which would have an impact on planting in the current season. The substantial increases in grants and premiums announced by the Minister of State on 6 March will help achieve that objective. The increased rates of grant and premium apply to all those who have planted since 1 October 1999.
I am now pursuing as a matter of priority the question of adequate premium increases for those who planted in earlier years. At a meeting with Commissioner Fischler on 28 March, I stressed the importance I attach to this matter. The Deputy, however, will appreciate that there is absolutely no question of back-dating afforestation grant levels.
A further detailed submission in support of the case was sent to the Commission last month. Our case is now being considered by the Commission. I anticipate that negotiations on this issue are likely to be difficult. However, I assure the Deputy that I am determined to secure adequate increases in premium levels for those who planted between 1992 and October 1999.
I am delighted the Minister is holding the fort for his assistant, the Minister of State, who I understand is "down under" investigating ways and means of improving the Department's mariculture and aquaculture sections. I thought the Minister of State might be here to answer this question but as he is in New Zealand I have no doubt the Minister will do so to the best of his ability. I am disappointed with the Minister's reply because when the Minister of State announced the regulations concerning increases in forestry grants, I understood that he was almost certain the premiums would be back-dated to include people who were the pioneers of the forestry industry since 1990. I thought that we would have definite information today but it appears from the Minister's reply that the matter has been consigned to the back burner by the EU. The Minister cannot see any hope of paying increases to the farmers concerned. If the grants cannot be increased to those who pioneered the industry, the Minister should at least insist that they should enjoy the higher premium rate from the EU as well as those who are now entering the industry. People who had the determination and drive to enter the forestry business from 1990 onwards made a significant contribution to the industry and they should not be forgotten. They will bring their plantations to fruition within the next ten or 15 years, yet they will be penalised if the Minister does not insist they must be included in the new premium grants when he meets his European counterparts.
I apologise for the absence of my Minister of State but I will do my best to stand in on his behalf, hopefully to Deputy Sheehan's satisfaction. A significant effort is being made and I think Deputy Sheehan will acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has had great success in getting premia increased to their current levels.
Not as much as we wanted, though.
Since then, I have had a further meeting with Commissioner Fischler and my officials have had a subsequent meeting also. The difficulty, however, is that the Commission has said that between 1992 and now people contracted to a level of premium and there was no question of that being increased. The Commission's argument is that it is done and finished with. We have put up strong counter arguments along the lines mentioned by the Deputy. The Deputy asked me to insist on the matter with our European partners, but the reality is that we must obtain an agreement from the Commission to this increase. If we cannot convince the Commission on that point then, unfortunately, there is not much we can do. Until now the Commission has been quite negative in its response, although we have put up a cogent case stating that people who planted afforestation since 1992 deserve increases in the same way as those who were paid other agricultural premia. I am satisfied that our case has been made as well as it could have been. All we can do is keep up the fight and try to convince the Commission to accept our viewpoint.
I am delighted that at least the Minister has seen my point.
Does the Deputy have a brief question?
Yes. When premia and grants for other sectors of the agricultural industry are increased, the benefits apply universally. However, farmers engaged in forestry prior to this year are being selectively discriminated against.
We must now move on to the next question.
The Minister should press the matter with his EU counterparts to ensure that will not happen.
I will attempt to do so with the same enthusiasm as Deputy Sheehan has put into the case.
