Written Answers Nos. 206-216
206. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will prioritise the extension of a pier in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42462/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraBrandon Pier is owned by Kerry County Council and responsibility for its repair and maintenance rests with the Local Authority in the first instance.
My Department did however receive an application from Kerry County Council for funding for a total of 7 projects as part of the 2012 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. The projects were listed in order of priority by Kerry County Council and the Brandon Slip Extension was identified as their priority.
Kerry County Council's application together with the applications from the various other Local Authorities was examined and I am happy to advise that funding was provided for the top three qualifying projects identified by Kerry County Council. In the context of the available resources however, it was not possible to provide funding for the Brandon Slip Extension.
Any application for funding in respect of Brandon Pier in future years by Kerry County Council will be given consideration subject to available exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
207. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when an appeal for a aquaculture licence (details supplied) will be processed and a decision communicated to the applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42475/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board (ALAB) is an independent body established under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act for the purpose of considering appeals against Ministerial decisions in respect of aquaculture licence applications.
On 26 September my Department received a "notification letter" from ALAB dated 24 September advising that, following consideration of appeals against the decision to grant a licence in respect of the applicant referred to by the Deputy, the Board had determined to refuse to grant an aquaculture licence to the applicant.
208. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the position regarding area based payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42494/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 13 April 2012, processing of which has recently been completed. Payment will, therefore, issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person.
209. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the position regarding a disadvantaged area scheme derogation application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42496/12]
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 had not been determined in sufficient time to enable payment with the first tranche on 26 September. However, immediately a decision is reached, the person concerned will be notified in writing. Should the decision be negative, a fully independent appeals procedure is available.
210. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their disadvantaged area aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42514/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 9 May 2012, processing of which has recently been completed. Payment will, therefore, issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person.
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 fhreagra212. 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 fhreagraI 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.
213. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the timeline for setting up the 116000 missing persons hotline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42402/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder EU telecommunications rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. My Department established and is leading a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and An Garda Síochána, to advance this matter. Following cross departmental consultation and an examination of the issues involved by the Project Team, ComReg, which has responsibility for the allocation of this number in Ireland, has now allocated the number to the ISPCC. The ISPCC has been successful in securing EU Daphne funding to support the establishment of the line. Officials of my Department met as recently as this week with the ISPCC and a revised application for funding, in addition to the EU Daphne funding, is expected to be submitted to my Department this week.
Officials of my Department are liaising with the ISPCC in relation to the implementation of the 116 hotline. It is envisaged that a phased implementation of the 116000 line will commence in 2012. In the interim, a holding response is currently heard if an individual rings the 116000 number. The number advises callers wishing to report a missing child to contact An Garda Síochána and advises children seeking assistance to contact the ISPCC.
Once operational, the line will;
1) Provide emotional support to children who are missing, their family and others responsible for the missing child
2) Offer guidance and advice to the callers regarding a missing child;
3) Report risk cases (where identifying information has been received) to the Garda/HSE as per Children First Guidance;
4) Support the Garda Investigation, where appropriate;
5) Redirect calls outside the scope of the line.
It is important to note that the 116000 number is not an emergency number. Emergency calls should always be directed to the 999/112 number in the first instance, where the relevant emergency responses, including the recently launched Garda Missing Children Amber Alert mechanism, may be activated. The establishment of the 116000 line will, however, be of valuable support and assistance to families of missing children and to missing children themselves.
214. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department works with local authorities in the delivery of services; and if so, the details of same. [42557/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra215. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department engage with local authorities in the provision of services and if so the details of same. [42578/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.
My Department engages and works with Local Authorities as follows:
The Children's Services Committees bring together a diverse group of agencies in local county areas to engage in joint planning and co-ordination of services for children.These include representatives from the Local Authorities, HSE, An Garda Síochána, VECs, National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, Irish Primary Principals Network, NEWB, and other organisations who provide services to children and young people. There are a total of 16 such committees.
The membership of all Children Services Committees (CSCs) includes senior managers from the major statutory providers of services to children and families. The Chairperson of each CSC is either the HSE Local Health Area Manager or the Area Manager for Children and Family Services and it is their function to ensure that the Children's Services Committees secures better developmental outcomes for children through more effective integration of existing services and interventions at local level. The Deputy Chairperson is a senior Local Authority officer.
In June this year, my Department established a CSC Steering Group whose main function is to support the effective operation and practical implementation of the work of the CSCs at local level. The Group, chaired by an independent Chairperson includes among its membership five representatives of Local Authorities.
Comhairle na nÓg (youth councils) were established in 2002 by the 34 City and County Development Boards (CDBs) in each local authority area, as part of the National Children's Strategy. Comhairle na nÓg provides a forum for children and young people to discuss local and national issues of relevance to them. Delegates from Comhairle na nÓg are elected to represent their local area at the annual Dáil na nÓg Comhairle na nÓg and Dáil na nÓg are recognised as the official structures for participation by children and young people in the development of policies and services.
In response to the recommendations of the Comhairle na nÓg Implementation Group Report (2007), the former OMCYA established the Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund aimed at improving the operation of Comhairle na nÓg and providing meaningful opportunities for children and young people to be involved in local decision-making.The Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund is designed to assist local authorities to support and develop Comhairle na nÓg. The Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund is managed by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and administered in collaboration with Pobal.
The objectives of the Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund are to support the development and improvement of Comhairle na nÓg as:
- a firmly embedded structure and key consultative/participative forum for children and young people in each CDB area;
- an effective mechanism for children and young people to improve their own lives in partnership with adult stakeholders.
Application and reporting requirements of the Fund requires each CDB to submit documentation on plans, progress, achievements and challenges.Report on budget expenditure is also sought.
My Department provides for the delivery of a range of youth work schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding is made available to national youth organisations under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and to projects/organisations under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund (Rounds 1 and 2) Local Youth Clubs Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres and for a number of Play and Recreation programmes.
In general funding for these schemes is channelled through the Vocational Educational Authorities (VECs) but in some instances funding is paid through the Local County Councils/Local Authorities on behalf of this Department.
My Department also provides a series of small grants to local authorities each year to assist with the cost of staging National Play Day and National Recreation Week events in July and October of each year respectively. In 2011 my Department provided approximately €60,000 to local authorities towards the cost of these events. Local authorities in many cases provided matched or additional funding for the remainder of the costs incurred.
216. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42360/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
