Written Answers Nos. 108-119
108. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who received full planning permission for a four-bay slatted unit, but who now wishes to erect a three-bay unit and who intends to apply for a retention order to sanction the three-bay unit, can apply under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33728/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere will be no issue here for the applicant concerned. He can apply on-line for the three bay unit and the existing planning in place for the four bay unit can also be submitted. The terms and conditions of the scheme allow for such circumstances. The applicant should also note that no grant-aid is payable for any works commenced in advance of approval from my Department.
109. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the areas of natural constraint scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33729/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 16 May 2015. 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 before any payments issue. Advance payments under the Basic Payment Scheme will commence issuing to eligible applicants from 16 October 2015.
The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being finalised with the intention of issuing any payment due under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
110. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under an area aid application for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33731/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted an application for both the Basic Payment and the Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes on 29 April 2015. The person named applied on a Commonage with fourteen other herd owners. This commonage is currently over-claimed. The matter is being investigated by my Department with a view to resolution and issuing payments to all valid claimants as soon as possible.
111. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have qualified for the full payment of €5,000 under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33749/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder European Commission regulations all applications must be administratively checked before any application can be approved into the scheme. Almost 27,000 GLAS applications were submitted and final checks will be carried out in October and farmers will then be notified in writing of the outcome of their application. Until this process is complete it is not possible to determine precisely the number of eligible applications or the average payment. Details of the exact individual payments to be made will only be known following completion of pre-payment checks, which will commence after approvals have issued in October and contracts have been accepted.
112. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry will be assigned as a revised designation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33764/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe SFPA has recently outlined its advice in relation to the request to designate Renard Pier for landings of Hake and Monkfish. I will give my full consideration to all relevant issues including this advice. When I have come to a determination I will inform the Deputy.
113. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the issues raised by Canine Breeders Ireland at a meeting that he attended; if his Department can provide the number of registered breeding establishments and dog breeders' premises inspected each year; if he can confirm the number of pups exported to the United Kingdom each week; his plans to request a derogation from the European Union directive that prevents the export of pups to the United Kingdom until the age of 15 weeks; and if he or his Department have been lobbied in this regard; if he will further confirm the number of court cases taken against dog breeders; if his Department retains a record of these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33789/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraLegislation on dog breeding establishments comes under the aegis of the Minister for the Environment and enforcement action, including prosecution, is normally undertaken by that Department. My Department has no pending court cases against dog breeders. There are 68 dog registered breeding establishments in Ireland, 58 of which were inspected jointly by my Department and local authorities during 2015. On average 200 dogs have been exported to the United Kingdom per week since the beginning of 2015.
With regard to pets, in accordance with EU law, all pets entering and leaving Ireland must have a valid rabies vaccination evidenced by a pet passport or a veterinary health certificate. The special derogation from a rabies vaccination that was in place in respect of movement of pets between Ireland and the United Kingdom expired on 1 January 2012 and the rabies rules on pet movement within the EU are applied uniformly across the EU.
With effect from 29 December 2014, when Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council came into operation, dogs must be a minimum of 12 weeks old before a rabies vaccine can be administered. The immunity takes effect 21 days after vaccination, which means that, in fact, pups must be a minimum of 15 weeks of age before they are eligible to travel between Member States of the EU. This new minimum age requirement is based on the veterinary and scientific advice that an animal less than 3 months old may be too young to effectively vaccinate against rabies.
114. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the 2015 areas of natural constraint scheme and the 2015 basic payment scheme will issue to a farmer (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33813/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May 2015. In relation to the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening Payment, I am pleased to confirm that advance payments will commence to issue in Ireland on 16 October 2015, which is the earliest that payments can commence under the governing EU Regulations. In addition, following my direct approach to the EU Agriculture Commissioner, I can confirm that the level of the advance payment is set at 70% for 2015 rather than the normal 50%. The increase in the advance payment for 2015 is, in particular, due to the difficulties encountered in the dairying and pigmeat sectors. Payments under the Basic Payment and Greening Scheme will be made to all applicants, whose applications are fully processed and who have no outstanding errors from 16 October 2015. Processing of the application under the ANC Scheme is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
115. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that a petition of over 2,500 persons is calling for an end to the welfare implications for the re-homing of dog breeds listed on the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998, where some pounds currently do not allow their re-homing based on breed, but rather directly euthanise them. [33862/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe administration of Local Authority Dog Pounds is a matter for the relevant Local Authority and the Minister for Environment and Local Government. However, I am informed that, in dealing with stray dogs, Local Authority officials need to balance a variety of issues, including the fact that certain dogs which come into their care may be unsafe for re-homing. Dogs which end up in the dog pound system may be more likely to have been poorly cared for and poorly socialised and so are more likely to be dangerous and present a risk, particularly to children.
116. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence why there has been an extremely lengthy delay of approximately 15 months thus far in processing an application for a disability pension under the Army Pensions Acts by a person (details supplied), in County Dublin; his views that this delay is acceptable. [33669/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI note the concerns raised by the Deputy regarding the length of time taken to process the application for a disability pension in the case in question. However, the nature of disability pension applications means that the procedure for investigating them takes some time to complete. Once an application is received in my Department the details provided must be checked and verified. This is done by liaising with Army Administration in the Defence Forces. Once all the details have been verified, the applicant is referred to the Army Pensions Board for examination. The Army Pensions Board is a statutory independent Board appointed to investigate disability applications under the Army Pensions Acts and to report to the Minister thereon. The convening of the Board is subject to the availability of the members and the Board deals with all disability pension applications in chronological order. As outlined previously in relation to this case, my Department expects to be in a position to write to the applicant in the near future and advise of the decision regarding his application.
117. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Defence for an update regarding a representation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33716/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Military Authorities that a Freedom of Information application has been received in relation to this matter. A reply will issue as soon as the matter has been fully investigated.
118. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans are to refurbish the Garda Síochána station in Howth, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33660/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Garda authorities for the information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as I have this information to hand.
119. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans are to refurbish the Garda Síochána station in Coolock, Dublin 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33661/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Garda authorities for the information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as I have this information to hand.
