Written Answers Nos. 323-343
323. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for an offshore fish farm in Galway Bay; when a decision is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13046/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay was received by my Department in 2012. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are being considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. A determination in respect of the application will be made as soon as possible following completion of the necessary assessment process. This assessment process will take full account of all national and EU legislative requirements and will reflect the full engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects of the application.
The fullest consideration is being given to all submissions received as part of the statutory and public consultation stages of the process.
As the application is under active consideration as part of the statutory process it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.
324. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address the iniquity in the installation aid available to farmers who established their holdings in 2008 and 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13058/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware that there is a group of young farmers who established their holdings in 2008 and 2009 and who missed out on the Installation Aid scheme which closed to applications in 2008. I intend to prioritise their applications under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation scheme (TAMS), with grant-aid payable at 40%, being introduced under the new RDP. EU Commission approval is awaited on the proposed schemes under TAMS.
Under Pillar 1 of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Regulation provides that young farmers and new entrants are priority categories under the National Reserve. It also provides scope to include an optional provision whereby Member States may use the National Reserve to allocate new entitlements or give a top-up on the value of existing entitlements for persons who suffer from a ‘Specific Disadvantage’. With regard to the group of young farmers who established their holding in 2008 and 2009, but who missed out on both the Young Farmer Installation Scheme which closed to applications in 2008 and the Young Farmer priority category under the National Reserve which includes young farmers who commenced since 2010, I am glad to say that this category can be considered as a ‘group suffering from specific disadvantage’.
The positive result of this development is that these young farmers will be eligible to apply under the 2nd phase of the National Reserve to be given new entitlements or be given a top-up on the value of existing entitlements.
Applications will be made available in early April 2015. This is a very welcome outcome that I feel will address an anomaly in the system and allow for fair and equal treatment for this particular category of young active farmers.
325. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Irish Farmers' Association's Agri-Strategy 2025, and the eradication of tuberculosis in the national cattle herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13059/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy Committee will be finalised by the end of June.
326. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the Irish Farmers' Association agri-strategy 2025 and the poultry sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13060/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy will be finalised by the end of June.
327. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Irish Farmers' Association's agri-strategy 2025 and the milk quota (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13061/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy will be finalised by the end of June.
328. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Irish Farmers'; Association's agri-strategy 2025 and the horticulture sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13062/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy Committee will be finalised by the end of June.
329. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the Irish Farmers' Association's agri-strategy 2025 and the development of an Irish brand for exported beef (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13063/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy will be finalised by the end of June.
330. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the Irish Farmers' Association's agri-strategy 2025 and a wholesale price reporting system for food products within the supply chain (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13064/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy Committee will be finalised by the end of June.
331. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Irish Farmers' Association agri-strategy 2025 and decreasing the number of farms classified as vulnerable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13065/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently examining the 47 submissions received for the 2025 Agri Food Strategy. It is planned that the Report of the 2025 Agri Food Strategy will be finalised by the end of June.
332. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 5 March 2015, when the information will be provided; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13073/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following table presents the information requested regarding comparisons between payments received under the Single Payment Scheme in 2014 and estimated payments that will issue in 2019 for the groups of farmers specified. The categories listed below account for 88,290 farmers, out of an approximate 130,000 Irish farmers who will be eligible to participate under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme.
|
National Summary |
Number of Farmers |
|
Less than 10K in 2014 & Greater than 10K 2019 |
3038 |
|
Less than 10K in 2014 and less than 10K in 2019 |
78,887 |
|
Greater than 10k in 2014 & Less than 10k in 2019 |
2534 |
|
Between 10 and 20k in 2014 and Less than 10k in 2019 |
2527 |
|
Between 10 and 20k in 2014 and Greater than 20k in 2019 |
546 |
|
Greater than 50k in 2014 & Less than 50k in 2019 |
676 |
|
Greater than 50k in 2014 & Greater than 50k in 2019 |
82 |
For the purposes of comparison, the estimate of 2019 payments is based on the entitlements held by a farmer under the Basic Payment Scheme plus the payment the farmer will receive under Greening. In some cases farmers who fall within the specified categories will also be eligible for an additional payment under the Young Farmers Scheme and/or for a further allocation of entitlements or increase in value of entitlements from the National Reserve. It is not possible to include such additional payments in the presentation of this data although such payments or allocations would significantly increase the 2015 payment received by such farmers.
The processing of any outstanding applications for the 2014 or earlier scheme years for individual farmers included in any one of the above categories may alter their values and result in minor changes to the above data.
Given the complexity of the changes, the information requested by the Deputy took some time to compile. In addition, a number of changes will take place in the system of direct payments between the 2014 scheme year and the 2019 scheme year which are reflected in this data. The national direct payment ceiling available to Ireland reduces from €1,216,547,000 in 2014 to €1,211,066,000 by 2019, a reduction of €5,481,000. In addition, for the purposes of calculating the value of new entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme, payments received under the Grassland Sheep Scheme in 2014 are incorporated into the value of entitlements held by those farmers who participated in that Scheme. This data also reflects the introduction of an estimated 6,000 new farmers into the system of direct payments through the implementation of the Scottish Derogation.
333. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason he will not meet persons (details supplied) in County Galway who are involved in a major equine development in China, in view of the economic benefit that could accrue to Ireland from this development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13075/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI received an email from Deputy Ó Cuív on 2 March 2015 regarding the persons named and the proposed development of an equestrian centre in China. I replied to the Deputy on 5 March indicating that I would welcome more detailed information from the persons named on their project as it proceeds. I understand from my trade missions to China that there are significant opportunities for the development of exports of sport horses from Ireland to China.
Horse Sport Ireland has informed my Department that they have undertaken some exploratory initiatives in regard to the export of sport horses from Ireland to China.
I recently launched the Strategic Plan for the sport horse sector that was drawn up by Horse Sport Ireland, Teagasc and the Royal Dublin Society. The Strategy Report highlights the need to improve the marketing and sales capacity across the industry and emphasises the need to grow exports of sport horses to a range of markets, including China.
334. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has made representations to the European Union regarding the reclassification of dogfish to remove this species from the classification of shark, in order to allow Irish fishermen to fish this species again. [13077/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are two species of dogfish of interest to commercial fishermen in Irish waters. In relation to Spurdog, the EU Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is set at zero and the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) has advised that the stock is depleted. Spurdog spawning biomass is currently at the lowest observed level, although stable in recent years. Spurdog is a long-lived, slow growing, and late maturing species and therefore is particularly vulnerable to fishing mortality. ICES advice is that there should be no target fishery and that by-catch in mixed fisheries should be minimised. It recommends that by-catches should be managed as part of a rebuilding plan, including close monitoring of the stock and fishery. The Marine Institute supports ICES advice and further notes that spatial avoidance measures should be put in place as part of a rebuilding plan to avoid large accidental catches. The Marine Institute advise that, considering the low stock size over the last two decades and the very low productivity of the stock, it is not possible to identify any non zero catch that would be compatible with the Maximum Sustainable Yield approach. On this basis, the EU Commission’s proposal for a zero TAC for 2015 was accepted by the EU Council.
“Reclassification” as suggested by the Deputy would not change the reality of the depleted state of this stock.
In relation to lesser Spotted Dogfish, this stock is not subject to a TAC and quota regime. It is mainly a bait fishery and was not permitted under technical measures introduced in 2009 to protect the cod and whiting stocks in Area VIa (off the Donegal coast). Trials by BIM, supported by the Marine Institute on the impact of a fishery targeting lesser spotted dogfish on cod, haddock and whiting was prepared and it allowed Ireland to successfully make the case for an amendment to the EU Regulations to allow for this fishery. This derogation was introduced in Regulation (EU) No. 227/2013 of 13 March 2013. The Regulation, inter alia, provided for arrangements to allow for a lesser spotted dog fishery off the north Donegal coast. The fishery is subject to a number of technical measures including a restriction on the area, length of gill net that may be deployed, maximum period of soak time, restrictions on by-catches. In order to participate in this lesser spotted dogfish fishery, vessels over 10m, must be authorised in the Days at Sea Scheme to fish with Gill Nets in area VIa.
335. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the anomaly whereby young farmers who commenced farming prior to October 2008 and who are still under 40 years of age and did not have the chance to build up good entitlements between 2000 and 2002 are now excluded from the national reserve; if he will take into consideration that these farmers are hardworking, progressive and industrious and have built up their farm businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13144/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the EU Regulations governing the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme, a young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting that application. Priority under the National Reserve is given to ‘young farmers’ and to ‘new entrants to farming’. The Regulations governing the operation of the National Reserve also include an optional provision whereby Member States may use the National Reserve to allocate new entitlements or give a top-up on the value of existing entitlements for persons who suffer from a ‘Specific Disadvantage’. Following my Department’s consultation with the EU Commission, I recently announced that the group commonly known as “Old Young Farmers”, who established their holding between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2009, and who, due to the timeframe of setting up their holding, did not benefit from either the Installation Aid or the Young farmer category of the National Reserve, can be considered as a ‘group suffering from specific disadvantage’. The result is that this group will be eligible to apply to the National Reserve under Phase 2 which will open for applications in early April.
With regard to the group of farmers to which the Deputy refers who commenced farming prior to 2008, officials from my Department are meeting tomorrow with representatives of this group to discuss their particular circumstances.
In establishing the National Reserve I opted for the maximum available 3% of the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling, which is estimated at providing a fund of approx. €24 million in 2015. I expect that there will be significant demand for the two priority categories of young farmer and new entrant under Phase 1 of the National Reserve. These two priority categories close for applications tomorrow and the estimated cost of the applications will be assessed. My Department will then have an indication of the level of resource remaining in the National Reserve to cater for the categories under Phase 2 of the Reserve which will open for applications in early April.
336. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13152/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under 2014 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 12 May 2014. Payment issued under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme on 23 September 2014 with part of this payment offset against a 2010 Single Payment overpayment. On foot of further investigation this matter has recently been resolved and payment under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 13 March 2015.
337. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the 2014 agri-environment options scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13171/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1st September 2010 and full payment has issued in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years. During a 2013 inspection, the person named was deemed non-compliant in respect of the Laying of Hedgerows and Wild Bird Cover actions. On the 10th January 2014, a letter issued to the person named notifying him of the non-compliances found on inspection. On preparing the file for payment it became clear that the extent of the breaches was such that the amount owed by the person named exceeded the amount due for 2013 and therefore no payment fell to be made by my Department at that time.
The person named subsequently appealed the penalty in relation to the Laying of Hedgerows action. This appeal was unsuccessful and the person named was notified of this by letter dated the 31st January 2015. Officials are currently processing the application in respect of the 2014 Scheme year with the intention of issuing payment at the earliest opportunity.
338. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the subsidies available to tobacco growers under the Common Agricultural Policy; his plans to alter these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13179/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTobacco is grown in 12 countries in the EU. The main producers are Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Poland. These countries account for 85% of the EU tobacco growing. Tobacco cultivation represents 100,000 hectares along with 60,000 specialist producers for this sector. The EU produces up to 200,000 tonnes of dried tobacco leaves per year which is less than 3% of the global yearly raw tobacco production, and imports some 400,000 tonnes a year, mainly from Africa and America. The EU exports up to 100,000 tonnes a year.
In April 2004 the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers decided to reform the raw tobacco sector along the same principles as the CAP reform of June 2003. The system of production quotas was abolished and financial support was decoupled from production. EU Member States covered by the tobacco regime were given a transition period to adjust between 2006 and 2009. During this period, these Member States could either completely break (decoupling) the link between production and the financial link provided to the tobacco sector or continue to link part of the provided aid to production. Decoupling aid from production allows producers to grow other crops if they wish while maintaining incomes.
Since 1st January 2010 the EU has not granted any specific subsidies for raw tobacco production with 50% of the previous tobacco aid incorporated in to the direct payment system and the other 50% went into the EU’s Rural Development Programmes, particularly in tobacco growing regions. The tobacco crop is now treated along with other crops for example cereals under the Single Payment Scheme of the Common Agriculture Policy.
339. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on a payment under the 2014 disadvantaged areas scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [13181/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under 2014 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 13 May 2014. Payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not issued as the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements.
340. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide more specific information on the low-cost loans that will be made available to farmers and rural enterprise, as announced by the European Union agriculture Commissioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13197/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommissioner Hogan’s recent announcement refers to financial instruments programmed through rural development programmes and funded accordingly through programme budgets. Ireland’s draft Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 states, ‘Ireland will keep the possible use of financial instruments under review during the programming period’. My Department and I have been active in exploring new and more competitive sources of funding and will continue to do so in the context of evolving market requirements. The recent announcement by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland of a new product, ‘Agriculture Investment Loans’, is a welcome addition to the sources of funding currently in the market. This credit is available, subject to qualifying criteria, at favourable terms (i.e. longer term and lower interest rate) for investments by agricultural SMEs involved in primary agricultural production, the processing of agricultural products or the marketing of agricultural products.
In relation to accessing finance and credit terms generally, I have recently been in contact with the main banks. I emphasised that this is a critical phase in Ireland’s dairy expansion and that the increased investment and output from production and processing will have significant downstream benefits across the economy generally, including for the banking sector. In order to support the on-going development of the dairy sector and to mitigate the current difficulties caused by milk price volatility, I asked them to explore the full range of potential measures that could serve to alleviate the loan repayment burden facing farmers and offer maximum flexibility for dairy farmers in what will be a difficult year ahead. I believe that it is essential that short term cash flow difficulties are not allowed to undermine prudent investment plans or the longer term competitiveness of their operations. I will continue to communicate with the main banks on issues affecting the sector.
341. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the presence of heather in grazing land results in that land being ineligible for payment under the new green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13222/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFarmers opting for any action under the GLAS scheme are required to respect the management requirements set out in the detailed Specifications accompanying the scheme. These vary extensively across the different actions, and in many cases the presence of heather would be immaterial. However, one of the main actions for grazing land under GLAS is ‘Low Input Permanent Pasture’, which is designed to preserve and enhance old pasture-lands, and in this case heather cannot be present in the area selected for the delivery of this action. The presence of heather is allowable on lands grazed as commonage, however, and can also be an acceptable component on hen harrier lands in certain circumstances.
342. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the maximum, minimum and average times to bring an appeal submitted by a farmer to a conclusion, in respect of a ground eligibility appeal submitted to his Department for the years 2011 to 2014, for discrepancies in excess of 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13223/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra343. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the maximum, minimum and average times to bring to a conclusion an appeal in respect of ground eligibility for the years 2011 to 2014, for discrepancies between 3% and 20%, submitted by a farmer to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13224/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 343 together.
My Department operates a comprehensive appeal mechanism to protect the interest of farmers who have difficulties with inspection findings. This appeal system incorporates the option for the farmer to initially seek to have the inspection outcome reviewed internally by an officer more senior than the inspecting officer. If the farmer remains dissatisfied, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office.
The data relating to cases reviewed internally within the Department is not available in the format requested by the Deputy. However, the average time taken to process these review requests, covering all categories of ground inspections under the Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Schemes, was 242 days for review requests received in 2011, 195 days for review requests received in 2012 and 136 days for review requests received in 2013. The provisional figure for review requests received in 2014 is 94 days.
The Agriculture Appeals Office has indicated that the data in relation to appeals to that office is not available in the format requested by the Deputy. However, the average time taken to deal with appeals submitted to that office in relation to the schemes listed in the Schedule to the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 was 92 days in relation to appeals received in 2011, 96 days in relation to appeals received in 2012, 93 days in relation to appeals received in 2013. The provisional figure for appeals received in 2014 is 90 days.
