Written Answers Nos. 314-325
314. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to strengthen the laws around animal cruelty, including the provision of greater deterrents for those guilty of an offence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12003/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIncidents of animal cruelty are totally unacceptable and my Department devotes considerable resources to protecting animal welfare and dealing with breaches of animal welfare legislation. Sections 11 and 12 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 contain rules relating to the welfare of animals and outlawing cruelty. These rules provide that a person having an animal in his or her possession or control must safeguard and not threaten the health and welfare of the animal. In addition, it is an offence for a person to cause unnecessary suffering, endanger, neglect or be reckless regarding the health or welfare of any animal.
The Act also provides for increased levels of penalties for offences committed under the Act. For major cases taken on indictment, the maximum penalty has been increased from €100,000 to €250,000, with a maximum custodial sentence of five years imprisonment. Section 58 of the Act also provides that a person convicted of an offence under the Act may be disqualified from keeping, owning or working with an animal. These penalties are in keeping with Irish jurisprudence and therefore I do not envisage further changes.
315. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a grassland sheep scheme payment outstanding from 2010 has not been issued to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; what is preventing it from being processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12031/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2010 Grassland Sheep Scheme (GSS) was received from the person named on 27 March 2010, prior to her death in January 2011. Payment issued directly to the estate of the deceased on 24 February 2011.
316. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide, in tabular form on a county basis, the number of applications to the TAMS I and TAMS II schemes to date; the number of applications that have been approved thus far; the number of participants that have received payments to date; the number of payments that have not issued yet; when outstanding payments will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12114/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails on a county basis of the number of applications received in the first two tranches for the following TAMS II Schemes, Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS), Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme (PPIS), Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS), Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES), Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESS) and Organic Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS) are attached. 1,100 part approvals have issued to date and the full approval process has commenced. The approval data is not yet available in the format requested by the Deputy. No payments have issued as yet for TAMS II. The data in respect of TAMS I will be forwarded to the Deputy when compiled.
Applications received in Tranches 1 and 2 TAMS II
|
County |
YFCIS |
PPIS |
AWNSS |
DES |
LESS |
OCIS |
|
Carlow |
14 |
0 |
13 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan |
40 |
12 |
72 |
38 |
27 |
21 |
|
Clare |
54 |
0 |
75 |
41 |
11 |
9 |
|
Cork |
172 |
10 |
236 |
374 |
84 |
19 |
|
Donegal |
37 |
1 |
80 |
18 |
15 |
6 |
|
Dublin |
1 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
|
Galway |
80 |
0 |
111 |
63 |
64 |
18 |
|
Kerry |
94 |
2 |
141 |
175 |
22 |
11 |
|
Kildare |
12 |
1 |
14 |
29 |
1 |
7 |
|
Kilkenny |
81 |
3 |
86 |
97 |
22 |
3 |
|
Laois |
30 |
0 |
31 |
43 |
10 |
17 |
|
Leitrim |
21 |
0 |
21 |
3 |
5 |
22 |
|
Limerick |
63 |
8 |
75 |
99 |
13 |
16 |
|
Longford |
16 |
1 |
19 |
7 |
10 |
7 |
|
Louth |
11 |
2 |
6 |
23 |
7 |
0 |
|
Mayo |
41 |
0 |
47 |
22 |
8 |
7 |
|
Meath |
22 |
1 |
50 |
55 |
10 |
4 |
|
Monaghan |
37 |
44 |
68 |
60 |
14 |
10 |
|
Offaly |
31 |
0 |
18 |
30 |
9 |
13 |
|
Roscommon |
35 |
0 |
65 |
5 |
16 |
38 |
|
Sligo |
25 |
0 |
27 |
6 |
13 |
8 |
|
Tipperary |
87 |
2 |
120 |
217 |
40 |
25 |
|
Waterford |
51 |
5 |
44 |
70 |
16 |
4 |
|
Westmeath |
13 |
1 |
37 |
33 |
16 |
13 |
|
Wexford |
49 |
3 |
53 |
100 |
16 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
13 |
0 |
21 |
21 |
3 |
8 |
|
Total |
1130 |
96 |
1532 |
1660 |
452 |
291 |
317. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the progress to secure new market access for live cattle exports in non-European Union countries, including Egypt, Iran and Turkey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12115/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraGood progress has been made in securing access to new markets for live cattle exports to non-EU countries. In relation to Turkey a Turkish delegation visited Ireland earlier this month to discuss certification and a number of associated issues. In the course of their visit they met with officials of my Department and visited the Central Veterinary Laboratory, farms and cattle assembly centres. The Turkish delegation indicated that they would be submitting a report to their authorities. A decision is now awaited. I am hopeful of a favourable outcome to this process.
With regard to Egypt, a certificate in respect of live cattle exports to that country is already in place and commercial activity is awaited.
In the case of Iran, the market there is for beef, not live cattle. A delegation from my Department recently visited that country and prospects for re-opening the beef market there remain good.
318. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has examined the development of additional volatility tools to deal with the current income crisis across several farming sectors, including risk insurance programmes, and forward selling of fixed-price contracts of commodities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12116/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs a small open economy which exports the vast bulk of its main agricultural commodities, Ireland will always feel the effects of volatility on world markets. However, there are measures in place to help Irish farmers through these periods. I believe that moving up the value chain where possible, in terms of the type of products sold and how they are produced, is an important insulation against volatility. The Food Wise strategy for the sector contains detailed recommendations aimed at improving value added and productivity at farm and food industry level through a focus on sustainability, efficiency, knowledge transfer and innovation.
Direct payments estimated by Teagasc at an average of over €17,000 per farm in 2015, provide a valuable source of farm income support and act as a hedge against price volatility.
With regard to farm borrowings, I will have regular meetings with the CEOs of the main banks, who are all aware of price volatility issues, and are planning accordingly in terms of managing their farm loan books. My Department has also engaged actively with other financial institutions with regard to the development of innovative new lending products for the sector; and is preparing to procure an ex-ante evaluation for the introduction of Financial Instruments under the Rural Development Programme.
My Department will continue to engage with the Department of Finance on key agri-taxation policy objectives, including responses to income and price volatility.
While there are no specific risk management tools included in the Rural Development Programme, risk management is one of the topics covered by Knowledge Transfer Groups. Animal disease risks are covered by the Targeted Animal Health and Welfare Advisory measure.
Fixed price contracts are increasingly becoming a feature of the producer/processor relationship in the dairy sector, with numerous milk purchasers offering such contracts, which provide producers with the opportunity to lock in prices over the medium term, taking costs of production into account. Such relationships are a welcome development in terms of their potential to mitigate volatility.
319. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide, in tabular form on a county basis, the number of applications submitted to the areas of natural constraint scheme in 2015; the number of submitted applications that have been approved thus far; the number of participants that have received payments to date; the total number of payments that have not issued yet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12117/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 103,763 valid applications were received under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme including Areas of Specific Constraints (island) of which 96,002 applications have been paid to date. Of those applications remaining outstanding, a large number will not meet the eligibility requirements and therefore will not become eligible for payment.
|
County |
Applied |
Paid |
Amount € |
Unpaid / Ineligible |
|
Carlow |
763 |
701 |
1,469,913.39 |
62 |
|
Cavan |
4897 |
4644 |
9,433,404.42 |
253 |
|
Clare |
6171 |
5846 |
13,078,110.30 |
325 |
|
Cork |
7227 |
6709 |
15,396,165.32 |
518 |
|
Donegal |
8782 |
7904 |
18,082,649.33 |
878 |
|
Dublin |
152 |
126 |
268,684.45 |
26 |
|
Galway |
12447 |
11418 |
23,949,780.60 |
1029 |
|
Kerry |
7807 |
7263 |
17,149,189.82 |
544 |
|
Kildare |
531 |
479 |
893,280.81 |
52 |
|
Kilkenny |
1789 |
1632 |
3,445,623.71 |
157 |
|
Laois |
1736 |
1598 |
3,165,380.13 |
138 |
|
Leitrim |
3534 |
3295 |
7,164,508.91 |
239 |
|
Limerick |
2977 |
2768 |
5,376,278.59 |
209 |
|
Longford |
2405 |
2257 |
4,628,470.29 |
148 |
|
Louth |
806 |
712 |
1,218,709.92 |
94 |
|
Mayo |
11840 |
10956 |
22,819,489.60 |
884 |
|
Meath |
1361 |
1259 |
2,240,116.30 |
102 |
|
Monaghan |
4141 |
3899 |
7,298,318.56 |
242 |
|
Offaly |
2441 |
2263 |
4,365,706.32 |
178 |
|
Roscommon |
5798 |
5404 |
11,251,813.13 |
394 |
|
Sligo |
4079 |
3800 |
7,893,262.34 |
279 |
|
Tipperary |
4569 |
4244 |
8,912,458.98 |
325 |
|
Waterford |
1451 |
1327 |
2,847,216.16 |
124 |
|
Westmeath |
2702 |
2522 |
4,821,232.84 |
180 |
|
Wexford |
1512 |
1323 |
2,467,013.16 |
189 |
|
Wicklow |
1845 |
1653 |
3,908,417.98 |
192 |
320. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide in tabular form a breakdown between total expenditure incurred in 2015, and the annual amount of funds originally allocated to the beef data and genomics programme, rural environment protection scheme, agri-environment options scheme, green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, locally led environmental schemes, organic farming schemes, land mobility, targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, horticulture industry, the organic sector and areas of natural constraint scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12118/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 29,865 applicants were accepted into the Beef Data and Genomics Programme, of which 4,615 applicants have now withdrawn. Of those herds that had withdrawn 125 applicants subsequently requested re-entry and were duly accepted. A further 132 herds have been excluded due to the absence of eligible animals. Approximately 1,200 herds have not returned any genomic samples. My Department recently issued a letter to all of these applicants and is finalising the position regarding each applicant as replies are received.
A further 3,000 herds have not submitted sufficient samples and/or data to be eligible for payment at this point. My Department will shortly make contact with these herdowners to remind them to submit all outstanding samples and/or data to facilitate payment. The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table:
|
Subhead |
Title of Scheme/Programme |
Original Budget for 2015 €000 |
Post Supplementary Budget for 2015 €000 |
Expenditure for 2015 €000 |
|
A.12 |
Beef Data and Genomics Programme |
52,000 |
35,000 |
34,691 |
|
C.3.1 |
Rural Environment Protection Scheme |
52,000 |
52,000 |
30,459 |
|
C.3.1 |
Mini Catchment |
1,550 |
1,550 |
1,550 |
|
C.3.2 |
Agri - Environment Option Scheme |
71,000 |
71,000 |
79,801 |
|
C.3.3 |
Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme |
20,000 |
20,000 |
11,453 |
|
C.3.5 |
Organic Farming Schemes |
6,000 |
6,000 |
7,969 |
|
C.3 Total (ex Locally Led) |
150,550 |
150,550 |
131,232 |
|
|
C.3.4 |
Locally Led Environmental Schemes |
0 |
0 |
*1,044 |
|
C.4 |
Land Mobility-Early Retirement Scheme |
8,144 |
7,394 |
7,143 |
|
C.5.1 |
Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme |
34,000 |
30,500 |
24,830 |
|
C.5.2 |
Horticulture Industry |
4,200 |
4,200 |
3,961 |
|
C.5.3 |
Development of Organic Sector |
2,045 |
2,045 |
1,426 |
|
C.5 Total |
40,245 |
36,745 |
30,217 |
|
|
D.4 |
Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme |
195,000 |
207,000 |
205,906 |
*The payments made in 2015 for the Locally Led Environmental Scheme (Burren Life) were in relation to a fully funded EU Scheme so no voted allocation is shown.
In relation to TAMS and GLAS, expenditure was lower than the provision in 2015. These are demand-led schemes for which annual expenditures are difficult to estimate in advance. It is anticipated that the funding provided for these schemes will be fully utilised over the period of the rural development programme.
As the Supplementary Estimate changed the definitive allocation for a number of the schemes referred to by the deputy, I have included an additional column showing the definitive allocation as well as the original allocation and expenditure.
321. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the criteria blocking young farmers who are under 40 years of age but who have been farming for more than five years from accessing measures under the new Common Agricultural Policy programme for young farmers, including being able to apply for the national reserve and for top-up entitlements; the reason for their exclusion; the discussions he has had at European Union level concerning this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12119/16]
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. The regulation also provides that priority under the National Reserve is given to ‘young farmers’ and to ‘new entrants to farming’. A new entrant is defined as a farmer who commenced their agricultural activity during the previous two years and no age limit applies. 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, the then Minister announced in March 2015 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 was eligible to apply under the National Reserve measure of the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme.
Eligibility for the Young Farmers Scheme has the same standard as applies to the ‘young farmer’ category of the National Reserve and is clearly defined in the EU Regulation. Eligibility is restricted to farmers who are under 40 years of age and commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting the Basic Payment Scheme application. My Department has no discretion in the implementation of this aspect of the Regulation.
The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to further pursue the category of “forgotten farmers” at an EU level.
322. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have received payments under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; the average payment made to these farmers; the percentage payment made to them; if GLAS+ payments have been made yet; if not, when they will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12120/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor GLAS Tranche 1 applications with a start-date of 1 October 2015 and which have GLAS actions which are payable in 2015 are eligible for a 2015 part-year payment (covering the three month period 1 October-31 December 2015). Some 20,400 applicants have received the first instalment, representing up to 85%, of their 2015 part year payment , at an average payment of €640 per applicant. All remaining cases meeting all of the payment validation checks will be paid the full amount of their 2015 part-year payment at the same time that the 2015 GLAS balancing payment is due to issue, currently scheduled for June 2016.
The full details of the number of GLAS Tranche 1 applications which qualify for GLAS+ payments will only be available when full year GLAS payment calculations are finalised. GLAS + payments in respect of the 2015 part-year payments will issue shortly after the 2015 balancing payment process.
It is important to note that these part-year payments are purely in respect of actions that are payable in 2015. Therefore 2015 part year payments do not reflect the full range of actions undertaken by GLAS applicants and cannot be used as a basis to extrapolate the average value of a GLAS contract over a full year. Farmers will only see the full value of their contracts when payments are calculated for 2016, the first full year of their five-year contracts.
323. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on admitting all eligible applicants under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme tranche 2 into the scheme; the date from which their contracts will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12121/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overall target for GLAS is to attract 50,000 farmers into the scheme. I am pleased to confirm that some 38,000 farmers have been approved into the first two tranches of GLAS, GLAS 1 and GLAS 2, while ensuring adequate provision remains for Tranche 3 of the scheme.
The unprecedented level of applications to the Scheme has meant that for the second tranche of GLAS, priority was given to what are called Tier 1 and Tier 2 candidates, i.e. those who either manage key environmental assets like endangered birds, protected habitats or high-quality water courses, or who have committed to undertake particularly valuable environmental actions like growing feed-crops for wild birds, adopting low-impact tillage techniques or using low-emission slurry spreading methods.
Farmers had been urged to present the highest standard environmental plans under GLAS 2, and to adopt actions that would promote them from Tier 3 to a higher tier, thereby significantly increasing the chance of selection. I am delighted that over 80% of applicants in this second tranche of GLAS opted to do so, and with the funding available to me I have been able to approve all of these.
The majority of GLAS 1 applicants have a contract start date of 1 October 2015, while the remainder have a start date of 1 January 2016. All applicants approved into the second tranche of GLAS (GLAS 2) also have a contract start date of 1 January 2016.
A third tranche of GLAS will open later this year and any applicant who was unsuccessful under GLAS 2 has the opportunity now to re-examine their proposed farm-plan in consultation with their advisor to see how it might be improved to increase their chance of selection under GLAS 3 and submit a new application for GLAS 3 when the scheme is opened.
324. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have submitted data notifications under the beef data and genomics programme 2015; the number who have submitted the required genomic testing under the same programme to date; the number of farmers who have received payments to date for 2015; the amount paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12122/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra23,066 farmers have submitted data notifications under the Beef Data and Genomics Program (BDGP). 23,464 farmers have submitted genotyping samples.
To date, payments amounting to just under €38 million have issued to almost 21,000 herds under the Beef Data and Genomics Program. Payments are continuing on an ongoing basis as compliance is achieved.
325. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who applied to join the beef data and genomics programme; the number of these who have informed his Department that they wish to leave the programme; the number of farmers of the remainder who have failed to furnish any genomic testing results to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12123/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 29,865 applicants were accepted into the Beef Data and Genomics Programme, of which 4,615 applicants have now withdrawn. Of those herds that had withdrawn 125 applicants subsequently requested re-entry and were duly accepted. A further 132 herds have been excluded due to the absence of eligible animals.
Approximately 1,200 herds have not returned any genomic samples. My Department recently issued a letter to all of these applicants and is finalising the position regarding each applicant as replies are received.
A further 3,000 herds have not submitted sufficient samples and/or data to be eligible for payment at this point. My Department will shortly make contact with these herdowners to remind them to submit all outstanding samples and/or data to facilitate payment.
