Written Answers Nos. 194-205
194. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the proposals he has put in place to assist farmers who are facing a fodder crisis this winter; and could we have a debate on this issue. [39893/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is keeping the situation under review through monitoring of the weather and its effect on horticulture, cereals and silage production and grass growth. In the meantime, I sought and received EU approval for the advance payment of the 2012 Single Payment Scheme. This was approved and will enable payment to issue immediately following 16 October and will represent early payment of €600 million to farmers.
I also fully appreciate the value and importance of the other scheme payments to farmers and I remain committed to ensuring that the maximum numbers are paid at the earliest possible date, mindful, of course, of the over-riding necessity to ensure compliance with the governing EU requirements. REPS payments in respect of 2011 are up to date and AEOS payments are well advanced and continue to issue as quickly as possible. My intention is to ensure that payments in respect of 2012 which are due later in the year are brought forward to the earliest possible date. The closing dates for spreading of chemical and organic fertiliser have been extended by 2 weeks. This will help farmers to make the most of the grass growing season.
Teagasc have been very active in providing advice & assistance for farmers affected by the bad weather. Teagasc has conducted a survey of the fodder position on livestock farms and are monitoring the situation. All Teagasc offices are taking calls from concerned farmers. A series of public meetings are being held across the country in September to address fodder / financial and social aspects of weather crisis. Weather clinics were held in all Teagasc offices recently. Newsletters/media articles are being prepared to outline options open to farmers facing difficulties.
195. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he has received an appeal regarding the suckler cow welfare scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when a decision will issue on this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39911/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraA request for review of the decision to exclude the person concerned from further participation in the Suckler Welfare Scheme, because of non-attendance at a mandatory training course, was received on 31 August 2012. Having reviewed the particular circumstances, it has been decided to readmit this herd owner to the Scheme and my Department has written to the herd owner setting out the position and requirements for compliance with the Scheme. Payment to the person concerned will issue, as soon as possible, subject to the completion of the normal validation processes.
196. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he intends to lease or sell any of Coillte forestry; if so, if he will indicate the areas of the Coillte portfolio being considered for leasing or sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39925/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government decided, in the context of the State asset disposal programme, that consideration would be given to the examination of certain assets of Coillte. The Coillte Board and Management have been actively engaged in recent months with NewERA, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department to examine the financial and other implications of developing the potential of Coillte’s forest assets.
197. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when an appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39931/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named commenced REPS 3 in September 2006 and received payments for the full five years of their contract. The final Year 5 payment issued on 27th January 2011 for the amount of €3,198.10. However, following a compliance inspection on the 13th July 2011, a 100% clawback of €3,198.10 on the final year payment was imposed on 8th September 2011 for failure to keep “field boundaries, hedgerows and stonewalls retained as indicated on the Agri-environmental Plan of the person named”. An appeal was lodged by the person named with the Agricultural Appeals Office on 7th March 2012. The case is currently under review and a decision will issue shortly.
198. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the position regarding the disadvantage scheme for 2012 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; if this will be paid as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39944/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Currently, this applicant is one of a number whose cases are impacted by a requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare and who have applied for a derogation in this regard. This application is currently under consideration and, immediately a decision is reached, the person will be notified in writing. However, should the decision be negative, a fully independent appeals procedure is available.
In general, I can also confirm that payments under the 2012 Scheme are scheduled to begin issuing as and from 26 September, directly to the nominated bank accounts of Scheme applicants, whose applications have been determined at that stage. These payments will include derogation cases where the applications have successfully met terms of the scheme and are fully processed for payment.
199. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will take measures to ensure that the new goats at Howth Head, County Dublin, are managed well and looked after properly. [39946/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has responsibility for the protection and welfare of animals kept for farming purposes. I understand that the goats on Howth Head have been introduced to the area by Fingal County Council with permission from the National Parks and Wildlife Service as the land is designated a special area of conservation. Accordingly, issues relating to the management of the goats are the responsibility of Fingal County Council which is a local authority under the remit of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
200. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the structures he intends to put in place to assist farmers with dyslexia to complete various application forms for farm payments. [39954/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has two Access Officers and an Inquiry Officer in accordance with section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005. Access Officers are a point of contact for people with disabilities wishing to access Department services. Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Act place obligations on public bodies to make their public buildings, services and information accessible to people with disabilities.
My Department has responded to the concerns of farmers with dyslexia by publishing the terms and conditions document for the 2012 Single Payments Scheme in larger print. An audio version of the terms and conditions document has also been made available on CD. These can be found on the Department’s website or can be posted on request. The Department’s website also has the “BrowseAloud” facility to read web pages aloud for people with literacy and visual impairments.
Department officials are available in all regions to provide assistance to applicants who have questions or concerns on any scheme operated by the Department. The 2012 terms and conditions document provides details of telephone numbers and other contact details.
201. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if new entrants to farming are entitled to claim the disadvantaged area scheme payment and join the REP scheme and agri environment options scheme, if open, from the year of entry into farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39955/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo be eligible for payment under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS) an applicant must in his/her own right:
- Be a person aged 18 years or over.
- Hold a valid Herd Number issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
- Occupy and farm in his/her own right and at his/her own risk a minimum of 3 hectares of forage land, situated in an area within the State designated as a Disadvantaged Area by the Minister and classified as Less Severely Handicapped Lowland or as a Coastal Area with Specific Handicaps or as More Severely Handicapped Lowland or as Mountain Type Grazing.
- Submit a valid 2012 Single Payment Scheme application form.
- Undertake to farm and manage the land applied on in 2012, for the full calendar year.
- Undertake to remain in farming in a Disadvantaged Area for 5 years from the date of the first payment of a Disadvantaged Areas Scheme payment.
- Comply with Cross Compliance requirements set down in EU legislation (Directives and Regulations) on the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare, and plant health and must maintain the farm in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC).
- Have a holding that meets the minimum stocking levels.
- In relation to any mountain commonage that is farmed, be a participant under REPS/AEOS or any National Scheme that may be in place or be compliant with the relevant Commonage Framework Plan.
- Co-operate fully with Department staff, or Agents, in relation to any inspection or any request for documentation.
- No payment shall be made in favour of beneficiaries for whom it is established that they artificially created the conditions required for obtaining such payments with a view to obtaining an advantage contrary to the objectives of that support scheme.
I can confirm that new entrants to the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme are catered for annually, subject to the above criteria. Agri-environment schemes to date have facilitated applications from all registered farmers. I do not envisage any change in the future in this respect.
202. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of children who were expelled from primary and second level schools during the academic year 2011-2012; the number of the children that were referred to the National Educational Welfare Board; the actions that were taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39716/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra203. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of children in second level schools who during the academic year 2011-2012, were absent from school for five to ten days; ten to 15 days; 15-20 days; and greater than 20 days; the number of these children who had their absence investigated by the National Educational Welfare Board; the actions that were taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39717/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra204. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide in tabular form the number of children in primary level schools who during the academic year 2011-2012, were absent from school for five to ten days, ten to 15 days, 15-20 days and greater than 20 days; the number of these children who had their absence investigated by the National Educational Welfare Board; the actions that were taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39718/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 202 to 204, inclusive, together.
Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 all recognised schools are obliged to submit an Annual Attendance Report to the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which operates under the remit of my Department, on the levels of school attendance each year.
The Deputy may be aware that I launched the publication of the most recent data currently available, that being for the 2009/2010 school year, in June this year. This was the sixth in a series of reports based on data collected by the NEWB on non-attendance in primary and post-primary schools through the Annual Attendance Report. This data can be used to monitor the levels of attendance, exclusions and suspensions across all of the country’s primary and post-primary schools. The series of reports is available in full on the website of the NEWB at www.newb.ie. Data for the schools years 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 are currently being collated and verified with schools by the NEWB.
The data gathered describe absences reported to the NEWB in specific circumstances such as where a child is absent for 20 days or more, where a child is expelled or suspended for six days or more cumulatively, or where the school generally has concerns about the educational welfare of a child in accordance of the statutory requirements of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. Accordingly, the Board advises that data are not collated in such a way as to allow all the breakdowns requested by the Deputy.
The NEWB advises that when a young person is referred to the Board by a school, parent or another agency the initial work of the Education Welfare Officer is to assess the nature, scope and depth of the problem. This action taken then falls into two distinct categories. The first is a brief intervention whereby low level intervention proportionate to the need of the individual case can often effectively resolve the issue, thus preventing attendance problems escalating. For example, this work includes assistance with finding a school place and advice and support around Section 29 Appeals, suspensions and expulsions. In 2011, the Board reports that it worked with 12,062 children and families in providing assistance at this level.
Problems of poor school attendance that are the manifestation of more complex and deep rooted difficulties can take significant time, expert help and on-going support from the NEWB to make progress. Such work can involve developing a plan with the family, young person and school to address the various barriers identified. These intensive interventions are used when brief interventions have not been successful, or are not appropriate in the circumstances. In 2011 there were a total of 3,845 children who received an intensive intervention from the Educational Welfare Service. I have requested the NEWB to forward a copy of the 2011/2012 analysis of school attendance data in primary and post-primary schools to the Deputy when it is available.
205. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding free child care in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [39715/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September 2010 and is implemented by my Department. The CETS programme provides €145 towards the weekly cost of full time childcare places to participating childcare services for qualifying FÁS and VEC students for the duration of their course. Students on part-time courses are funded on a pro rata basis. The eligibility criteria under which trainees and students qualify under the programme is determined by FÁS and the VECs. The Childcare Directorate in my Office has been in correspondence with the person referred to by the Deputy and I can confirm that funding has been approved by my Department under the CETS programme to provide for the childcare needs of these children for the period between 24 September 2012 and 23 June 2013.
