Written Answers Nos 87-93
87. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give due consideration to a proposal to commence contracts for the new agri-environmental GLAS scheme in early 2015, with 30,000 farmers allowed into the scheme in its first year and payments disbursed in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36122/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new GLAS Scheme is currently with the European Commission for approval, as part of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020. Once such approval is granted, my Department will move to open the Scheme for applications. I would hope to be able to do so before the end of the year, but this is entirely dependent on approval being secured in time from the EU. However, I am confident that the scheme will be open to applications in 2015 and I am making provision for up to 30,000 applicants in the first year. Payments for 2015 will be in respect of a part-year only, as is normal with the commencement of a new scheme like this, but contracts will then run for their full five year term from 2016. This means that entrants into GLAS next year will benefit from an additional part-payment in respect of 2015, on top of the usual five year contract.
88. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has examined proposals that €30 million be allocated for on-farm investment programmes across all sectors through the TAMs scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36123/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 period was submitted to the EU Commission for approval in July 2014. The following investments have been identified as priority areas which will be targeted in the initial stages:- (i) dairy equipment, (ii) low emission spreading equipment, (iii) animal welfare and farm safety (specifically beef and sheep handling facilities), (iv) pig and poultry investments in energy, water meters and medicine dispensers, (v) organic capital investment, and (vi) a young farmer capital investment scheme. TAMS II will subsequently be expanded to cover farm nutrient storage and animal housing.
The level of funding allocated to TAMS II for next year will be determined in the context of the 2015 Estimates exercise which is currently underway.
89. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the context of the upcoming budget if he will give consideration to increasing the capital funding allocations for the horticulture, forestry and aquaculture sectors to achieve output targets and employment growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36124/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2015 Estimate for my Department will be considered within the context of the annual gross expenditure ceilings that were provisionally allocated to all Departments at the time of budget 2014 and the comprehensive review of expenditure 2015 - 2017. The Government decision in relation to the expenditure ceilings was taken in order to strike a balance between needs and priorities on a multi-annual basis, to meet the requirements of the overall fiscal commitments which are firmly focused on returning the public finances to a sustainable path and to reduce the General Government Deficit by end 2015.
Preparations for the discussions on the 2015 Estimate are under way in the Department and all budget lines in the Vote, both capital and current will be examined as part of that process having regard to the funding constraints for next year. My intention is to ensure that all resources available to my Department will be managed to provide the optimum benefit to economic activity in the agricultural, food, fisheries and forestry sectors, including farm incomes, and to realising the potential which clearly exists for the sectors to contribute to the national economic recovery.
90. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the context of the upcoming budget if he will give consideration to increasing funding to compensate for losses incurred and income foregone under the national animal health TB, BVD and Johne's disease programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36125/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe TB Eradication Scheme currently embodies a comprehensive range of measures for farmers who experience a disease breakdown, specifically, compensation for loss of reactors at market value, as well as other targeted income supports. The primary compensation measure available under the TB Eradication scheme is the On Farm Market Valuation scheme. In 2013, my Department paid €10.5m to 3,376 herdowners under this Scheme. In addition, herdowners may also qualify for additional payments under the Income Supplement, Hardship or Depopulation Grant schemes subject to compliance with the criteria applying in each scheme. Grants of €1.5m were paid to 934 herdowners under this scheme in 2013. My Department also paid €0.2m Depopulation Grants to 24 herdowners and €0.475m Hardship Grants to 1100 herdowners in 2013.
The Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication Programme currently embodies re-focused support arrangements for farmers faced with the removal of persistently infected (PI) calves from their herds. These measures provide for a €120 payment in respect of disposals of PI calves in suckler herds and payment of €75 towards the disposal of second and subsequent PI female calves born in dairy herds that are disposed of in a timely manner. Both measures are in respect of 2014 born calves and apply for one year only.
In the context of Johne’s Disease, my Department also provided significant additional funding towards the Animal Health Ireland’s Johne’s Disease Pilot Control Programme. One of the most important components of the programme is a veterinary on-farm risk assessment, the objective of which is to provide a framework for the herdowner and his/her nominated veterinary practitioner to identify any farm practices that might constitute a risk of introduction or spread of Johne’s Disease within the farm.
I am satisfied that the arrangements outlined above provide for appropriate compensation in the case of the various diseases and, given the current challenging budgetary situation, I do not foresee the availability of increased financial resources for the schemes.
91. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the current beef price levels and the difficulties experienced by farmers as a direct result of pricing levels; the action he will take to provide sustainable incomes and living standards for farmers in the beef sector in view of the ambitious targets set out under the Harvest 2020 strategy; if he will provide serious consideration to appointing a national independent regulator to the beef sector with responsibility in areas of enforcement and investigation in a bid to help curb the price spiral in the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36136/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that I am fully aware of the difficulties currently being experienced by beef farmers throughout the country. I am committed to working with farmers and industry to both deal with the current difficulties, and ensure we have the right measures in place to aid producers achieve better margins on their farms. While of course I cannot influence prices or commercial interactions between buyers and sellers, I have been actively engaging with the sector with the aim of mitigating the impact of the drop in prices from the highs experienced last year.
This year alone, I have brought forward a number of initiatives to help the sector, including the creation of the Beef Genomics Scheme with a budget of €23 million in 2014. I have also ensured that the budgets of the Beef Data Programme and the Beef Technology Adoption Programme are retained at €10 million and €5 million which, when added to residual payments under the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme, amounts to an investment of €40m in 2014.
I also plan to build on these schemes through the provision for a Beef Data and Genomics Programme in the Rural Development Plan submitted to the EU Commission in July of this year. The Bovine Data and Genomics Programme is intended to deliver an accelerated improvement in the quality and environmental sustainability of the beef herd through the application of genomics technology. This will help farmers to maximise productivity in a sustainable way, while supporting improved quality and traceability in the national suckler herd. It will provide €295 million to suckler beef farmers over its 6 year duration, adding €80 for every animal for which the required actions are undertaken. I must emphasise of course that this scheme remains a proposal pending discussions with the European Commission on the finalisation of the RDP.
This is just one of a series of measures in the €4 billion Rural Development Programme which are focussed on the beef sector. It will also benefit from large scale State and EU investment in a substantial new agri-environment/climate scheme (GLAS), some €195 million per year for disadvantaged areas (now known as Areas of Natural Constraint) and a progressive new Knowledge Transfer measure. It should also be remembered that this is in addition to the €1.2 billion secured for direct payments each year.
My role in relation to the beef sector is to create a policy and support environment that will allow it to flourish in line with normal market principles. As I have stated before, I do not believe a Beef Regulator is appropriate. As the Deputy will appreciate, questions of price are ultimately matters to be determined between the purchasers and the sellers of cattle. It is neither appropriate nor possible for me or any other Minister for Agriculture in the EU, to intervene directly on these issues. Cattle prices are determined by supply/demand dynamics which are in turn influenced by the seasonality of production, the length of the production lifecycle and market conditions such as retail promotions, consumer confidence, competition with other meats and the overall macroeconomic situation.
It is, of course, important that farmers are sufficiently remunerated for producing quality animals. Beef producers must be provided with appropriate production incentives that are reflective of market demands and are communicated to producers in a clear and timely manner. I will continue to engage with both farmers and processors to ensure that the market operates in a fair and transparent manner. As the Deputy is aware, I established a Beef Roundtable earlier this year to facilitate such discussions between the parties. One of the key outcomes arising from this Roundtable involves better and more timely communication between processors and producers aimed at transmitting early and clearer market signals which bring about more strategically planned sectoral responses. Another key outcome has been my announcement of a public consultation regarding possible establishment of producer organisations in the beef sector. This public consultation has now closed and my Department are currently assessing the responses before deciding on next steps. Producer organisations can play a key role in conveying contractual negotiation powers on groups of farmers which can help to address imbalances in the supply chain.
I should also point out that there is an array of information already available on the prices paid in Ireland and elsewhere. My Department collates the prices paid for domestic cattle on a weekly basis and reports this data to the European Commission in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1249/2008 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 148/2014. To ensure price transparency, results for Members States are published on the DG Agriculture & Rural Development website. The published weekly data includes market prices for carcases and live animals as well as information on production and herd inventories. This publicly accessible information allows stakeholders to monitor the evolution of the market situation in each Member State.
There is also a wealth of information available to farmers under the Beef PriceWatch section on my Department’s website, including the prices for Steers, Cows, and Heifers across the classification grid, for each DAFM approved factory. I have also committed to making this existing information even more user-friendly and my Department is currently working on developing a Beef PriceWatch app which will be released shortly.
92. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications approved to date under the Syrian humanitarian admissions programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35980/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the Syrian Humanitarian Admissions Programme applications are currently being examined and that decisions will issue in the near future.
93. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a timeframe within which the gambling control Bill will come before the Houses of the Oireachtas and when it is expected to become law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35989/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy may be aware that the General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill is currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel awaiting formal legal drafting.
As per the Government's Autumn 2014 Legislative Programme, published in the last few days, the Gambling Control Bill is scheduled for publication in mid 2015.
It would be my intention to bring the Bill before the Oireachtas as soon as possible following its publication, with a view to its enactment once the Oireachtas process has been completed.
