Written Answers Nos. 187-194
187. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of recorded hit and run instances per annum from 2005 to 2012, in total and broken down by county; the number of fatal casualties in such instances per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26167/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested a report from the Garda authorities on the matters raised by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly when the report is to hand.
188. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the proposals for the future status of Redhills Garda Station, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26192/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commissioner's Policing Plan for 2013 sets out details for the closure of 100 Garda stations throughout the country. Redhills Garda Station is listed and will close at a future date, to be determined, upon the amalgamation of the Cavan and Ballyconnell Garda Districts. The Garda Commissioner has stated that the revised structures will continue to support the Garda community philosophy through the clustering of services at policing hubs. This centralisation of services will facilitate the introduction of enhanced patrolling arrangements which, in turn, will provide increased Garda visibility as well as maintaining existing Garda links with communities throughout the country. The objective will be to ensure that the best possible policing service will continue to be provided to our communities.
189. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the Minister or Minister of State that represented Ireland at the Ministerial Council meetings of the European Union during the Irish Presidency of the Council to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26217/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe relevant Council is the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Since the start of the Irish Presidency on 1st January 2013 there have been two meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, one "informal" meeting in Dublin in January and one formal meeting in Brussels in March. I chaired both meetings of the Council. I will also be chairing the next meeting of this Council which will be held on the 6th and 7th of June in Luxembourg.
190. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of parliamentary replies issued by him to this Deputy in 2013 containing an undertaking to provide extra information requested; the date of the question in each case; the date on which the information was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26232/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that there were no occasions in 2013 when the information requested by the Deputy, via the Parliamentary Question system, was not available at the time of asking.
191. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline in tabular form from in respect of the years 2000-2012 the number of times Kilpedder rifle range in County Wicklow was used for training activity by the Irish Defence Forces and any other use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26153/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought is not readily available at the present time. It will however be compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
192. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Defence the Minister or Minister of State that represented Ireland at the Ministerial Council meetings of the European Union during the Irish Presidency of the Council to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26210/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring each Presidency of the Council of the European Union, one formal and one informal meeting of Defence Ministers is held. There is no separate Defence Ministers' Council within the EU Council of Ministers. However, Defence Ministers meet as the ‘Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers’ format’. These Council meetings are held in Brussels or Luxembourg at the invitation of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Baroness Catherine Ashton. I attended the formal Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers’ format in Luxembourg on Sunday 22 and Monday 23 April 2013. Catherine Ashton chaired the meeting. The meeting commenced with a working dinner on Sunday evening which discussed the current situation in Mali and the wider Sahel region. Discussions on Monday 23 April 2013 were dominated by preparations for the European Council debate on security and defence in December 2013. The day began with a meeting of the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board in Ministers of Defence format which discussed work on EDA projects to enhance the development of defence capabilities and strengthen Europe’s Defence industry. Later we discussed the work of the European Commission’s Defence Industry Task Force which is responsible for coordinating Defence issues within the Commission. The meeting also discussed increasing the effectiveness, visibility and impact of Common Security and Defence Policy and focused, in particular, on the usability and flexibility of Battlegroups.
I also hosted and chaired, on behalf of Baroness Ashton, the informal meeting of Ministers of Defence in Dublin Castle on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 February 2013. Discussions during the meeting covered a range of issues including the upcoming European Council debate on Defence, Mali, the Horn of Africa and Partnerships between the EU and the United Nations. Mr Herve Ladsous, the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations attended the meeting of EU Defence Ministers for the first time. The discussion on partnerships afforded Ministers the opportunity to discuss how to foster more effective co-operation and build partnerships in order to enhance the effectiveness of UN Peacekeeping operations. These meetings of Defence Ministers are important in enabling Member States shape the evolution of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, both strategically and operationally, and to work together on issues of mutual concern.
193. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Defence the number of parliamentary replies issued by him to this Deputy in 2013 containing an undertaking to provide extra information requested; the date of the question in each case; the date on which the information was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26225/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn my role as Minister for Defence, I have not issued any parliamentary replies to the Deputy containing an undertaking to provide extra information to date in 2013.
194. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of outstanding payments due to farmers in County Tipperary under the various agricultural schemes; the number subject to appeal and the length of time it takes to process same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25966/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the 2012 Single Payment Scheme (SPS), a total of 6,891 applications were submitted by Tipperary applicants and, to date, 6,872 of these have been paid, while under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS), the corresponding figures are a total of 4,537 applications were submitted by Tipperary applicants with, to date, 4,263 of these having been paid. The unpaid SPS cases involve substantive issues concerning Court cases, inheritance issues, etc. The DAS cases largely concern cases where the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements have not been satisfied.
There is a formal system of appeal in place for both the Single Payment Scheme and the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, with applicants entitled, in the first instance, to seek an internal Departmental review of a decision they are not satisfied with; this review is conducted by a more senior official, not previously involved in the case. Thereafter, the applicant has the right of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office, which is statutorily independent of my Department; should the applicant so wish, an oral hearing of the appeal is an option. If necessary, applicants may then complain to the Office of the Ombudsman, should they remain dissatisfied with the appeal process at that stage. Appeals under both Schemes are dealt with as expeditiously as possible, mindful of the particular details of individual cases; while appellants to the Agriculture Appeals Office are required to lodge their appeal with that Office within three months of having been notified of the unsuccessful outcome of the internal review within the Department, there is no regulatory time limit on subsequent appeals to the Office of the Ombudsman.
With regards to other schemes, 1,483 eligible herdowners in Tipperary registered 46,669 animals under the Suckler Welfare Scheme in 2012. Full or partial payment has been made to 1,224 herdowners in respect of 30,518 animals. This Scheme provides that payment is made as each animal becomes eligible and given the nature of the Scheme 9,126 of the animals born during 2012 have not yet met all of the criteria of the Scheme. Accordingly they have not yet become eligible for payment.
Where all required information has been received 1,114 herds have one, or more, animal which have been found not to be in compliance with the Scheme. Currently 127 herdowners in Tipperary have requests for reviews of negative decisions submitted and 1 herdowner has sought an appeal to the Director of the Appeals Office. The length of time required to process reviews and appeals is subject to a number of factors, including the overall volume of these cases received from all Counties and the complexity of the cases which of their nature require individual review.
In relation to AEOS I payments outstanding in respect of 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme were 7, 8 and 23 respectively. For AEOS II, payments outstanding for the 2011 and 2012 Schemes were 88 and 30 respectively. Some 47 REPS payments remain outstanding.
