Written Answers Nos. 1-124
123. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons who applied for a derogation under the stocking density rules of the 2012 disadvantaged area scheme; the number who have been granted a derogation to date; the number refused and the number of outstanding appeals to be dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6993/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt will be recalled that, arising from the 2012 budgetary process, savings needed to be found in my Department’s expenditure for 2012 to keep it in line with government targets. Accordingly, it was necessary to adjust the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. However, rather than simply apply an across the board cut to the rates payable or reduce the maximum payable area, I decided that real efforts should be made to focus the Scheme on those farmers who are most actively contributing to achieving the aims of the Scheme, namely: ensuring continued agricultural land use, thereby contributing to the maintenance of viable rural communities; maintaining the countryside; and maintaining and promoting sustainable farming systems, which take account of environmental protection measures.
I was also determined that those adversely affected by the 2012 changes should be afforded the opportunity to appeal, where they could show legitimate reasons for their inability to meet the new requirements. In total, my Department wrote to in excess of 10,000 beneficiaries under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme whose holdings had not achieved the minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare, as required under the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Scheme.
Provision was made for an appeals process to take account of a variety of situations, specifically: Restriction on the stocking levels on the holding due to adherence to an agri-environments plan such as REPS, AEOS or National Parks and Wildlife Service plan; Farming marginal land where the level of stock that can be maintained is restricted; Illness or death in family; Outbreak of animal disease in the herd; New entrant to farming.
In response, my Department received 9,635 applications from farmers seeking derogation from the requirement that the minimum stocking density on the holding should be 0.3 livestock units per hectare or higher in respect of 2011.
These applications have been fully processed, with 7,086 being successful. Those, whose applications were unsuccessful, were informed of their right of appeal to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee. Appeals were received from 1,459 applicants, of which my Department was in a position to overturn the original decision on 547 cases, without the need to refer to the DAS Appeals Committee, on the basis of additional information which had not previously been submitted.
Of the 849 appeals submitted to date to the Committee, decisions have been taken in respect of 599 cases, of which 192 were allowed, 351 disallowed and 56 requested to submit additional information. Processing of the outstanding appeals remains ongoing.
124. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the procedures in place regarding the slaughtering of horses here where the horsemeat is subsequently exported; the control mechanisms that are in place in relation to the traceability of this horsemeat if it is imported back into Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6915/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll slaughter plants which are approved under the relevant EU food safety regulations, known collectively as the ‘Hygiene Package’, are entitled to export the meat they produce. EU law provides for the free movement of goods between Member States. On that basis, meat and meat products, such as horsemeat, produced in an approved establishment, can be moved freely within the EU. Responsibility for compliance with EU food safety and traceability requirements rests in the first instance with food business operators (FBOs). FBOs must have a system in place to identify the source of inputs and destination of outputs (commonly referred to as “one step forward and one step back”).
The regulatory requirements are designed to ensure that meat produced in approved slaughter plants is suitable for human consumption. The same legislation applies across the EU and the same controls will apply if horsemeat is imported back into Ireland.
All equines (which include horses, ponies and donkeys) are required to be identified in accordance with EU and national legislation. An equine for slaughter for human consumption must be accompanied to the slaughterhouse by its passport. The passport includes information on any veterinary medicines administered to equines. The information on the passport determines whether the animal can be slaughtered for human consumption.
My Department has detailed procedures for the slaughter of horses in abattoirs under its supervision and has communicated these and the checks required both to its staff and the business operators. It has liaised with passport issuing agencies in Ireland and has developed protocols to allow abattoir operators to check the details of passports with these agencies to seek to ensure that they are valid and that only those horses eligible for slaughter are slaughtered. Where forged or tampered passports accompanying horses to slaughter are detected, it is the policy that such animals are destroyed and removed from the food chain.
An annual audit of meat products is carried out in each Department approved meat plant. The audit includes physical identity, labelling and documentary checks. This includes product originating both in EU Member States and third countries. In addition, labelling and documentary checks form part of the routine checks conducted by Department officials.
