Written Answers Nos. 216-226
216. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Defence if his Department has given any consideration to the use of telephony switchboard services that are shared with another Govlernment Department or another public body in order to reduce costs and increase call handling capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14512/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Defence already provides a shared switchboard service for the Defence Organisation locations countrywide. The relocation in 2010 of the Department’s Dublin-based staff to Newbridge, Co. Kildare, under the Decentralisation Programme, resulted in a cost saving initiative concerning the switchboard facilities, with an annual saving of some €65k.
217. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Defence if he received a copy of the Being Young and Irish – Take Charge of Change report from the Office of the President, Áras an Uachtaráin as part of President Higgins series of seminars with young persons here which took place in Dublin, Galway, Monaghan and Cork in 2012; if he has noted the Take Charge of Change declaration made by the participants; the steps he has taken arising out of the report’s findings in order to achieve young person’s vision for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14527/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the Being Young and Irish – Take Charge of Change report from the Office of the President and I support the aim of the initiative in engaging young people in becoming an active part of shaping Ireland’s future. The themes covered in the report and its findings do not fall within the ambit of the Department of Defence.
218. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of the single farm payment who have less than 15 ha of eligible land; between 15ha and 25ha of land; between 25ha and 32ha of land; between 32ha of land and 50ha of land; between 50ha of land and 100ha of land; and over 100 ha of land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14364/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2010 SPS payment database, which my Department has used to model various CAP reform proposals, shows the following distribution by farm size:
|
- |
Less than 15 ha |
15 to 25 ha |
25 to 32 ha |
32 to 50 ha |
50 to 100 ha |
Over 100 ha |
Total |
|
Number of Farmers |
27,963 |
25,947 |
14,554 |
27,164 |
22,046 |
5,406 |
123,080 |
219. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite and approve an appeal regarding a forestry contract in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14378/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraBased on additional information supplied by the above named person that the area under his plantation is enclosed and improved, the Forest Service has re-examined this case. As a result, it has been decided that the classification of the plantation will be restored to GPC3 or enclosed land. On this basis, recoupment of the overpayment will be based on the area now determined as correct and in line with the client’s request that the site be treated as GPC3. The Forest Service has therefore recalculated the outstanding debt and has notified the client that his request has been approved and that the amount to be repaid has been reduced.
220. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will have their agri-environment options scheme application processed and payment issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14379/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2011 and has received full payment totalling €794.42 in respect of 2011.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. Payments in respect of the 2012 Scheme year are subject to a similar administrative checking process which includes verification of capital investments through checks on receipts. These checks have been successfully completed and I expect payment to issue shortly.
221. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in issuing a REP scheme 4 payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14427/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named commenced REPS 4 in January 2008 and received payments for the first four years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. These checks have now been completed for 2012 in this case and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €5,708.03 issued for payment on 15 March 2013. The remaining 25% Year 4 balancing payment will issue shortly.
222. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on the appeal of an organic farming scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14465/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agriculture Appeals Office received the appeal from the person named on 25 February 2013. Upon receipt of the Department file, the appeal will be assigned to an Appeals Officer who will be in contact with the person named before making a decision in this case. It is not anticipated that there will be any undue delay in dealing with this appeal.
223. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to hold a public consultation process in relation to the proposed sale of the Coillte asset; when this consultation will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14470/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to the Government decision that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be put forward for sale, the National Treasury Management Agency, via its NewERA Unit, has been actively engaged with Coillte, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department to examine the financial and other implications of a potential transaction. Substantial work has been undertaken to date on the identification of the forestry assets involved, the determination of their value and the consideration of a number of issues associated with the proposed sale of the harvesting rights.
As part of that process, a number of detailed financial, technical and other specialist reports were prepared for Coillte, by external specialist consultancy bodies, in full consultation with the Board of Coillte and its executive management. The Government is fully conscious of the concerns that have been raised by the general public, recreational groups, the timber processing sector, trade unions and members of the Oireachtas in relation to the Coillte sale proposal.
NewERA, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department have also met with the Coillte Unions and the Irish Timber Council and are currently considering the reports submitted by both of those representative groups, namely the report by Peter Bacon and Associates, commissioned by IMPACT, containing an “Assessment of the Consequences of the proposed Sale of Coillte’s Timber Harvesting Rights – 10 January 2013”, and “The impacts on the sawmill sector arising from the proposed sale of Coillte’s harvesting rights – February 2013 ”, a report by EPS Consulting for the Irish Timber Council.
On foot of these consultations, no further decision on Coillte will be made until it is discussed at cabinet.
224. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a dairy efficiency scheme 2012 payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14472/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraPayments in respect of the 2012 Dairy Efficiency Programme commenced issuing on 15 March 2013; payment to the person named issued on that date, directly to the nominated bank account.
225. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made within his Department on phasing out the use of LoCall 1890 numbers that can be extremely expensive when dialled from mobile phones and introducing 076 number, which generally included in tariff bundles provided by most mobile network operators and are charged at the same rate as national calls, in view of the fact that the number of mobile phones exceed the number of landlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14477/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently uses 076 numbers from a block of numbers obtained from Comreg by the Centre for Management and Organisation Management (CMOD) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, for use by public bodies.
These numbers are used for all new requirements which would have traditionally been serviced using “Lo-Call 1890” type numbers. An upgrade of my Department’s telephone technology is being progressed as resources allow and this will facilitate the replacement of the remaining 1890 numbers, which will be migrated to 076 numbering when feasible.
226. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered the use of, or implemented, integrated voice response systems in his Department's phone systems or in the phone systems of agencies within his remit; if the staff and salary cost savings which might arise have been assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14493/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently uses integrated voice response systems in a limited number of circumstances as appropriate. In the majority of offices calls are handled directly by locally-based staff, or are redirected as appropriate to staff at other locations. Staff are normally assigned to telephony duties on a rota basis, in parallel with their other administrative duties. The ability to handle calls in multiple locations has been a key facilitator of ongoing organisational restructuring of my Department at a Local Office level and has allowed for the re-deployment of staff to higher priority tasks, both within my Department and to other Departments.
As regards the details requested in relation to the agencies that fall under my Department’s remit, this would be an operational matter for the agencies themselves.
