Written Answers Nos. 342-355
342. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to works undertaken at a quay (details supplied) in County Galway; if a foreshore licence was required for the work undertaken; if one was sought and approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23165/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe pier referred to by the Deputy is in the ownership of Galway County Council. The Council has advised my Department that the pier was in a state of serious collapse and posed a real and significant danger to all those who used the pier.
My Department did not receive an application for a Foreshore consent in relation to the works in question and a legal question has arisen as to the requirement for such a consent in all the circumstances that prevailed including, but not limited to, whether the structure in question pre–existed the 1933 Foreshore Act.
My Department is currently examining this matter in conjunction with its legal advisors.
343. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to works undertaken at a quay (details supplied) in County Galway; if officials of his Department or agencies under his remit have expressed concerns in relation to the possible heritage, aesthetic or visual impact of the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23167/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI previously answered a very similar question on this matter for the deputy on the 27th of May. My Department does not have responsibility for the quay at Seanchéibh, which is owned by Galway County Council. Full responsibility for its development, repair and maintenance, rests with that Local Authority.
My Department does, however provide funding for the small scale development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
When funding is made available it is done so on the basis of the project specifications set out by the local authority who are wholly responsible for the design of the works. The actual works, including ancillary works, are carried out by the local authority themselves. In addition the Local Authority itself is fully responsible for ensuring that permits relating to the project, including planning permission, foreshore licence etc. are in place, as appropriate. Other issues aligned to the implementation of the project such as heritage and aesthetic issues are matters solely for the Local Authority.
I would therefore direct the deputy to contact the Local Authority in the first instance with regard to this matter. It can also be pursued further with the Local Authorities’ parent Department, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
344. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding his Department's testing of deer for tuberculosis (details supplied) in County Wicklow; his plans to expand the study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22966/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to my reply to the Deputy on 10th June (22576/15) in connection with the survey conducted by my Department on the incidence of TB in deer in a small area of County Wicklow. In that reply, I explained that further laboratory analysis of cultures is ongoing is relation to tissue taken from the deer to identify linkages between the TB found in deer, badgers and cattle. This work has not been completed yet.
My Department monitors the incidence of TB in wild deer nationally through the analysis of suspect lesions or carcases submitted by farmers and hunters who are permitted to slaughter deer under license from the Department of the Environment. Submissions of deer since 1 January 2014 from farmers and hunters to our Regional Veterinary Laboratories indicate very low levels of TB in wild deer in all areas with the exception of parts of Wicklow. These findings indicate that TB is not a problem in wild deer in these areas and is unlikely to be a contributory factor to TB breakdowns in cattle herds.
As I indicated to the Deputy in my reply to a Question of 10 June, responsibility for wild deer rests with my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the Wildlife Acts. The findings in relation to the Wicklow deer study will be considered by the recently established Irish Deer Management Forum (IDMF) which will assess the findings and make appropriate recommendations in relation to all aspects of deer management for Wicklow and nationally.
345. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the beef genomics scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22972/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2014 Beef Genomics Scheme application of the person named has recently been finalised. I have been informed by my officials that payment will issue in the coming days to the nominated bank account of the person named.
346. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on all public and private, official and unofficial, engagements and meetings with a person (details supplied), and with senior executives within the person's media companies here; and the outcome of such meetings. [23038/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraNeither I nor any of my Department officials have met or engaged with the person in question or with senior executives within that person’s media companies.
347. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the details of a satellite inspection, carried out under the 2014 single payment scheme, will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the date of the inspection; the way this will affect the person's 2014 single farm payment; when the payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23067/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 15 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed to confirm eligibility under the schemes. The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing inspection. Initial processing of this inspection identified a requirement to verify the eligibility of the lands declared by means of a field inspection.
An initial field visit was carried out on 3 February 2015. However it was not possible to inspect all of the lands to be verified on that date. A further field visit was carried out on 2 April 2015 to complete the verification of the lands. The results of these verification checks have now been finalised and there is no financial impact on payments due under both the Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas’ schemes.
Payments under both the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas and Single Farm Payment Schemes are being processed and will issue shortly.
348. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding forestry payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23075/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis plantation was inspected four times since 2012 by the Department and had failed each inspection due to ongoing trespass by animals. A fifth inspection, carried out in May 2015, confirmed the trespass issue has now been resolved and the plantation is now up to standard. The applicant should be aware that trespass is a serious matter and that this site may be subject to random inspections. Any further occurrences of trespass will result in the further suspension of premiums and financial penalties may also be applied.
Application forms for outstanding premiums will now issue to the applicant for signing. Payment of the premiums will be made once the completed forms have been returned to the Department. Applicants in receipt of €10,000 or more in any one year are required to provide a current Tax Clearance Certificate before payments can be made.
349. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in a payment under the agri-environment options scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; when the applicant may expect to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23081/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Department review of the non-productive capital investment claims submitted by applicants under AEOS was undertaken in 2014. This review identified irregularities with documentation submitted for reimbursement in some of these claims. A full Department investigation was then initiated, which in turn led to the matter being referred to the Gardaí. Payments to applicants under review have been deferred pending the outcome of the investigation. The application of the person named is one of these cases.
The initial stage of this investigation is now concluded and my Department has written to the person named on 10 June last seeking further evidence to support their claim for payment that they have previously submitted. Suitable evidence to verify what has been claimed as expenditure incurred would include a certified copy (by the issuing bank) of the cheque used to pay for the goods from the participant’s bank, supported by a bank-statement and/or documentation that was submitted to Revenue when the participant was making normal returns to that Department. Where satisfactory proofs are provided payments will then be processed.
350. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures available under the rural development programme to assist farmers affected by flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23096/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020 will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, achieving a more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas.
The RDP has been developed on the basis of extensive stakeholder consultation, and while it does not include a measure directly providing assistance in the event of flooding, there are a number of relevant supports. For example, under the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) in the RDP, support is provided for a range of actions which can contribute to the stabilisation of river banks and may help alleviate flooding. These include Riparian Margins, Protection of Watercourses from Bovines or Small Woodland Establishment.
351. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the finance available for a privately owned mart to further develop and expand, if it is providing an essential service in a community, and has a good trade going through it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23098/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position is that my Department does not have a grant aid scheme for the development of livestock marts.
352. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the payment of a grant for a milking machine in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23102/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is an applicant under the TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme. I am pleased to say that payment of €12,598.45 has been approved in this case and will issue shortly.
353. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position with respect to the allocation of entitlements under the old young farmers criteria, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23134/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the EU regulations governing the ‘Young Farmer’ priority category of the National Reserve, a ‘young farmer’ is defined as follows:
- S/he is aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme;
- S/he is setting up an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application.
Applications under Phase 2 of the National Reserve in respect of the category referred to as ‘old young farmers’ opened on 1st April 2015 and closed for receipt of applications on 29th May 2015. Old young farmers are defined as farmers who established their holding in 2008 or 2009, who comply with the definition of ‘young farmer’ for the purposes of the National Reserve Young Farmer priority category, but who missed out on both the Young Farmer Installation Scheme which closed for applications in 2008 and the priority category of Young Farmer under the National Reserve which includes farmers who commenced farming since 2010.
By the closing date of 29th May 2015 some 6,000 applications had been received in respect of the National Reserve under the categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant’ under Phase 1 and ‘old young farmer’ under Phase 2. In addition, some 8,500 applications were received under the Young Farmers’ Scheme. While processing of applications has commenced, applications under the National Reserve and/or Young Farmers’ Scheme cannot be fully processed until 2015 Basic Payment Scheme applications received have been processed for each farmer concerned and land details verified.
My Department will correspond in due course with each applicant to advise them of the outcome of their application once it has been fully processed. Where additional information is required in support of an application, my Department will correspond directly with the applicant with a view to obtaining the required information.
354. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a single payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23188/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2013 and 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2013 and 6 May 2014 respectively. Payment has not yet issued for these applications, as the holding has not satisfied the scheme minimum stocking requirements for the scheme years in question. As the person named is deceased , my Department has requested the representatives of the deceased to submit details in the form of a flock register to support the applications already received.
355. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position in relation to an appeal under the agri-environment options scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23189/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agriculture Appeals Office have advised that the person named lodged an appeal with the Agriculture Appeals Office on 23 February 2015 in relation to the Agri-Environment Options Scheme. A decision letter issued to the person named on 12 June 2015 . The person named was also advised that it remains open to them to raise any issue with the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman.
