Brian Stanley
Ceist:211. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his Department works with local authorities in the delivery of services; and if so, the details of same. [42555/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 4 October 2012
Ceisteanna (211, 212)
Brian Stanley
Ceist:212. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department engage with local authorities in the provision of services and if so the details of same. [42576/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.
There are a number of areas where the Department and Local Authorities currently interact:
- The Local Authorities are charged with implementing the requirements of the Control of Horses Act, 1996, for which the Department provides substantial funding towards expenses incurred by the local authorities under this Act.
- The Department’s veterinary staff liaises with Local Authority veterinary staff on a number of issues, especially in relation to animal welfare and inspections of local abattoirs.
- Under the Local Government Act, 1941, the Department also has statutory responsibility for the appointment of local authority veterinary staff.
- In the delivery of official controls required under Animal By-Product (ABP) Regulations (EC) No 1069/2009 and (EU) No 142/2011. The local authorities are also represented on the Cross Agency ABP Group which is chaired by my Department.
In 2010, in an effort to minimise duplication of farm inspections between the two Departments, my Department agreed to carry out some 1,600 farm nitrates inspections under the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) regulations on behalf of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. This arrangement was retained for both 2011 and 2012.
EU regulations governing the Cross Compliance regime require relevant competent authorities, including local Authorities to cross report to my Department details of cases where non-compliances are identified as a result of an inspection undertaken by that authority to establish if a penalty should be applied under the Single Payment Scheme and other area-based schemes. Details of any relevant non-compliance identified during the course of the annual cross compliance inspections under the Single Payment Scheme undertaken by my Department are cross reported to the Local Authorities.
My Department is also working with Cork County Council in preparing an application to the Environmental Protection Agency under the Waste Management Act for a landfill licence in respect of the East Tip of Haulbowline Island.
As part of Public Service (Croke Park) Action Plan my Department is examining the scope for broader co-operation with local authority vets with a view to achieving a more integrated public service and creating efficiencies and improved customer service.
Under the Marine Works (Ireland) Act 1902, I, as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, am responsible for maintaining a range of piers, lights and beacons around the coast. The lights and beacons are important navigation and safety aides for a large number of vessels and are maintained by the Engineering Division of the Department. These Navigational Aids mainly serve harbours and piers that are under the control of coastal Local Authorities. Cape Clear in Co. Cork is also maintained by my Department under the 1902 Act. Maintenance and ownership of these structures which serve local coastal communities may be more appropriate to a Local Authority rather than a central Government Department. A number of such structures have been transferred to Local Authorities in the past.