Written Answers Nos. 366-389
366. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the status in relation to the identification of a suitable short-term base for the ambulance service in Edenderry, County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32981/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
367. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that infants with hip dysplasia who require a hip spica chair, such as in the case of a person (details supplied), will receive one from the HSE due to the fact that they are not available in any other way. [32982/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
369. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the furthest distance, in terms of kilometres, that an ambulance can cover from its permanent station. [32987/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
370. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if there is a process whereby an ambulance is called to a location and there is only one ambulance at a station, regardless of the distance from the location, if the ambulance will be dispatched to fit the 90 second dispatch time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32988/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
371. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the maintenance and fuel bills for the fleet of ambulances for the two years previous to the new system being implemented and the two years since its implementation. [32989/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
372. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for public psychiatric and psychological services in Arklow; the staffing levels for same; the variety of services offered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33047/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
373. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of dog passports that are acquired each year for the transporting of dogs to other jurisdictions. [32679/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder EU Regulation 576/2013, pet dogs, cats and ferrets must be accompanied by an identification document (mainly in the form of an EU pet passport) issued by a registered private veterinary practitioner (PVP) when moving from one EU Member State to another.
The number of EU pet passports issued in Ireland each year since 2004 is as follows:
|
Year |
EU pet passports |
|
2004 |
689 |
|
2005 |
3,063 |
|
2006 |
4,540 |
|
2007 |
4,692 |
|
2008 |
4,965 |
|
2009 |
4,734 |
|
2010 |
5,009 |
|
2011 |
5,105 |
|
2012 |
6,075 |
|
2013 |
9,979 |
|
2014 |
14,886 |
|
2015 |
26,685 |
|
2016 |
18,202 (to 28th October). |
374. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the latest information from his Department on the average cost of production, euro per kg of beef, for primary producers of beef; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32513/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine does not record the average cost of production incurred by primary producers of beef. There are many types and systems of beef production in Ireland currently including but not limited to suckler to steer/heifer systems, suckler to bull beef systems, dairy calf to beef systems, all of which have various different systems within each system. Furthermore there are a number of production systems which do not involve bringing animals forward for slaughter such as suckler to weanling systems and farmers who market store cattle across a range of ages for other producers to finish.
As an example of the range of diversity of the amount of finishing systems in Ireland, Teagasc when updating their Beef Systems Blueprints as part of the Beef Roundtable talks in 2015, produced Blueprints for 13 different finishing beef systems. In that context it is very difficult to calculate an average cost of production that is applicable across beef production in Ireland. There are many factors which impact on the costs incurred by producers depending on their system of production e.g. the price of concentrates will impact much more heavily on those systems of production which depend more on concentrates in the diets of finishing cattle as opposed to those finishing cattle off grass.
Similarly in terms of fixed costs, these can be impacted in many instances by the stage of development of a farm with those farms investing heavily in physical infrastructure in the last number of years likely to have higher fixed costs than those farms who did not require such investment in their facilities.
Teagasc when developing these Blueprints formulated a very useful cost of production template which producers themselves can use to calculate their own costs of production and use to determine the profitability of each system of production. In addition Teagasc also publish an Annual Review and Outlook for each sector in December with a mid-year update in July. The July 2016 update stated the following in relation to 2016 production costs:
- The direct costs of beef production are dominated by purchased feed and pasture costs.
- In 2016 due to normal levels of grass availability, purchased feed volumes are not expected to increase.
- For the year to date energy and fertiliser prices in particular have been lower than in 2015.
- Feed prices have been largely unchanged compared to 2015, but are forecast to weaken somewhat over the remainder of the year due to cereal and oilseed market developments and the strength of the dollar.
A full link to the Teagasc report can be found at https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2016/situation-and-outlook-july-2016.php
I am very conscious of the difficulties facing primary producers in the beef sector and my Department is taking all the steps it can to secure new market access opportunities for both live animals and processed beef. In addition I have also provided increased funding to Teagasc in Budget 2017 for its research, education and advisory functions and funding for my Department's Beef Knowledge Transfer programme which is designed to enable farmers to focus on best practices and efficiencies within the farm gate. In addition beef farmers also enjoy a range of supports through the Department's various schemes such as BPS, TAMS, GLAS, ANC and of course the BDGP.
375. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the replanting of forestry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32518/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a complaint, a Department official has visited the site. The applicant has been notified of the required setback distances that must be observed for dwelling houses and has been advised that all trees within this specified setback zones should be removed without delay.
376. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for a farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32578/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2016 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme's application on 15 May 2016. 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.
The application of the person named was selected for a remote sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection has been processed and the person named was notified of the findings on 25 October 2016. The notification issued outlines the options available at this stage, namely to accept the findings or to submit comments to my Department for consideration. On completion of this process, any payments due will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named as soon as possible.
377. Deputy Michael D'Arcy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be paid a 2016 single farm payment; if the application is in order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32560/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2016 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 11 April 2016. 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.
The application of the person named was selected for a remote sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection has been completed and the results have been finalised.
Payment due under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme issued on 20th October 2016. Payment due under the Basic Payment Scheme is due to issue this week to the nominated bank account of the person named.
378. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is a requirement that a cattle slatted house has to have external slurry agitation points should a person wish to apply under the TAMS scheme to provide a calving gate for use in the same slatted shed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32549/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraApplications submitted under all of the measures under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) must fully comply with the Terms and Conditions of the relevant Measure. The relevant condition states that no grant aid will be paid on any investment that shares a common airspace with a structure that contains an internal agitation/extraction point. All internal agitation/extraction points must be removed prior to the submission of a payment claim.
379. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider making a grant available to persons on marginal land for a drainage scheme to improve grass production and management which would help prevent a fodder crisis in the future. [32582/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe possibility of including a measure on clearing drains in the farm safety scheme under TAMS II is included in the Programme for Partnership Government. Any such measure would require full compliance with environmental requirements including the need for a full national Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessments for any potentially affected Natura Areas. European Commission approval would therefore be a significant challenge. A number of key challenges therefore arise and consideration of these issues is ongoing. A scheme for land drainage is not included in the current Rural Development Programme.
380. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grant aid currently available to persons for the purpose of conservation of traditional farm outbuildings, including roof, walls, structural repairs, windows and doors but who currently do not have a GLAS contract with his EDepartment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32641/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraGLAS is a voluntary Scheme which is open to all farmers. One of the associated benefits of having an approved GLAS contract is that farmers may apply for the GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme. This Scheme builds upon the success of the Heritage Buildings Scheme which operated under REPS 4, a predecessor of GLAS, and seeks to ensure that small traditional farm buildings and structures are restored and conserved for renewed practical agricultural use as part of the normal working life of the farm.
The conservation and restoration of these buildings and structures also deliver a range of other benefits with a strong environmental component. These include contributions to the preservation of rural landscapes, to enhancement of biodiversity and to climate change. Linking these contributions directly to a wider GLAS commitment was crucial to the successful negotiation of this measure as part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme.
While my Department has no similar scheme in respect of traditional farm buildings on non-GLAS farms, I am aware that The Heritage Council operate a broadly-based ‘Heritage Management Grant Scheme’ that is open to all, and which may provide some opportunities for non-GLAS farmers. In addition, the Revenue Commissioners, in conjunction with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, allow tax relief for expenditure on works of repair, maintenance or restoration to approved historic properties and gardens, which can be a very significant assistance to qualifying farms.
The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, through the local authorities, also provide assistance for appropriate conservation work to eligible structures in respect of buildings contained on the Record of Protected Structures and in Architectural Conservation Areas.
Information on all these supports are freely available through the usual channels, including the various Government and local authority websites.
381. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will be paid under the beef data genomics programme 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32627/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted an application under the Beef Data Programme on 24 March 2014.
Payment under the Programme required applicants to submit data for animals born on their holding in 2014. As sufficient data were not recorded the person named was deemed ineligible for payment.
Following a successful appeal and further processing, payment will issue to the person named shortly.
382. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) has not received payment for 2014 under the beef data genomics programme 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32626/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted an application under the Beef Data Programme on 24 March 2014.
Payment under the Programme required applicants to submit data for animals born on their holding in 2014. As sufficient data were not recorded the person named was deemed ineligible for payment.
Following a successful appeal and further processing, payment in respect of 2014 is now due to issue to the person named in the near future.
Payment under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme for 2015 issued to the person named on 18 April 2016
383. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) with regard to a farm inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32649/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was the subject of an inspection carried out by Kerry County Council in January 2016, the results of which were cross-reported to my Department as required under EU Regulations.
The inspection identified non-compliances with the cross compliance requirements under the Nitrates Regulations relating to the inadequate collection and management of soiled water. This resulted in an overall penalty of 20% being applied against the 2016 Direct Schemes payments. The person named was notified of this decision on 18 April 2016.
The person named requested a review of this decision to the District Inspector. This review has been completed and the person named was notified of the outcome, which was to uphold the original decision, on 24 October 2016.
In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
384. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to utilise existing state aid rules and the temporary concessions allowed to provide lower cost financial support to assist farmers through the income crisis of 2016 and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32665/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra386. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Ireland’s €11.1million share of the July 2016 EU aid package for dairy and other livestock farmers will be matched with national funding, as the EU allows; the way he plans to utilise the potential €22.2million to support farmers’ cash flow, under pressure from low produce prices and accumulating merchant credit, utility, superlevy and tax bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32663/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 386 together.
In view of the sustained period of lower commodity prices and the cash flow difficulties this has caused for farmers in several sectors, I have committed to working with all the stakeholders at National and EU level to address the issues involved and to ensure that we continue to have a sustainable and resilient sector. One of my priorities is to support the provision of lower-cost flexible finance . Therefore I was pleased to announce on Budget Day, plans for a €150 million fund for 'Agri Cash Flow Support'.
The provision of €11.1 million in EU funding for milk and other livestock farmers under the exceptional adjustment aid package will be supplemented by €14 million in National funding from my Department. The €25 million total will enable the SBCI to leverage a fund of €150 million, thereby maximising the support for farmers from the available public funding; and will provide for loans to be made available to non-livestock sectors, including tillage and horticulture, under de minimis State Aid provisions.
This fund will support highly flexible loans for up to six years, for amounts up to €150,000, at an interest rate of 2.95%, which will represent a significant saving to farmers when compared with other forms of finance currently available. The loan fund is part of a “three pillar strategy” in response to income volatility that I announced in the recent Budget, along with additional tax measures and farm payments.
Further details of the loan fund will be provided shortly but it is expected that it will be operational as soon as possible in 2017. The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) will make an open call for lending institutions to participate and I have spoken to the main banks to encourage them to make this facility available to their customers. Normal lending assessment criteria will apply although the loans will be ‘unsecured’ in nature, thereby facilitating a more straightforward application process.
385. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details, including the application reference number, the site address and name of applicant, of all live applications for aquaculture licences currently being considered in County Donegal, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32658/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe specific information sought by the Deputy is put in the public domain by my Department as part of the Public Notice stage of the licensing process.
The release of this specific information other than in accordance with the legislation governing aquaculture licensing is currently under examination by my Department to ensure compliance with data protection legislation.
A substantive response to the Deputy’s question will issue as soon as possible.
387. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the basic farm payment is being deliberately withheld from farmers that have been randomly selected for satellite inspections; when these inspections are due to take place; when the decision to withhold payments on this basis was determined; the number of farmers affected by this decision; if he will ensure such inspections are carried out in advance of the date of disbursement of the basic farm payment in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32716/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU regulations governing the administration of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and other area-based schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including remote sensing (satellite) inspections, are fully completed before any payments are issued. This is to ensure that payments do not issue on ineligible areas/features, that only eligible applicants are paid, and to avoid an applicant receving an undue payment that would have to be recovered by my Department.
In the case of remote sensing inspections, a comprehensive review of the range of satellite imagery received at various stages during the year must be undertaken to ensure that the actual claimed area in the application form corresponds to the area farmed by the applicant, that the different crop types are as claimed, and that ineligible land or features are not included for payment purposes. The governing regulations further prescribe that where it is not possible to make an accurate determination on the eligibility of a parcel or parcels of land by means of an assessment of the available imagery, a field visit must be undertaken to verify the position on the ground.
Of the 6,500 cases selected for a remote sensing (satellite) inspection across the various area-based schemes, payment of the first instalment of the BPS has issued to 3,789 applicants to date. Payments under Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC) have issued to 2,932 such applicants to date.
Priority is being given to the processing of all outstanding cases subject to a remote sensing inspection and cases continue to be finalised to payment stage on a daily basis. Regular payment runs are being made for both the BPS and ANC Schemes to ensure prompt payment of fully processed cases.
388. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the basic farm payment for a person (details supplied) is being withheld until a satellite inspection is carried out; the timeframe for the inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32717/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2016 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme's application on 5 May 2016. 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.
The application of the person named was selected for a remote sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being processed with the intention of issuing any payments due as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise, officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
389. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that have been chosen for satellite inspection over each of the past five years, including 2016 to date, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32718/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU regulations governing the administration of the Basic Payment Scheme and other area-based schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including ground or remote sensing (satellite) inspections, are fully completed before any payments are issued. This is to ensure that payments do not issue on ineligible areas/features, that only eligible applicants are paid, and to avoid an applicant receiving an undue payment that would have to be recovered by my Department.
The regulations prescribe that a minimum of 5% of beneficiaries must be subject to a land eligibility inspection and these inspections can be undertaken by means of field visits on the ground or by means of remote sensing using up-to-date satellite imagery. My Department inspects in the region of 90% of land eligibility cases by means of remote sensing.
The following table details the number of cases subject to remote sensing inspections for each of the years 2012 to 2016 by county:
|
County |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Carlow |
42 |
143 |
10 |
110 |
219 |
|
Cavan |
241 |
447 |
88 |
232 |
299 |
|
Clare |
176 |
83 |
356 |
148 |
185 |
|
Cork |
596 |
542 |
587 |
553 |
340 |
|
Donegal |
440 |
278 |
484 |
395 |
205 |
|
Dublin |
1 |
1 |
54 |
35 |
6 |
|
Galway |
683 |
379 |
795 |
650 |
496 |
|
Kerry |
168 |
498 |
266 |
384 |
244 |
|
Kildare |
124 |
161 |
180 |
146 |
67 |
|
Kilkenny |
227 |
65 |
281 |
193 |
187 |
|
Laois |
96 |
80 |
182 |
293 |
110 |
|
Leitrim |
399 |
14 |
449 |
329 |
98 |
|
Limerick |
193 |
206 |
98 |
277 |
189 |
|
Longford |
189 |
1 |
222 |
132 |
119 |
|
Louth |
1 |
39 |
1 |
128 |
118 |
|
Mayo |
547 |
620 |
433 |
483 |
878 |
|
Meath |
138 |
159 |
105 |
50 |
307 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
85 |
429 |
477 |
239 |
|
Offaly |
161 |
219 |
219 |
189 |
199 |
|
Roscommon |
359 |
388 |
196 |
538 |
504 |
|
Sligo |
26 |
364 |
402 |
139 |
13 |
|
Tipperary |
316 |
359 |
266 |
296 |
444 |
|
Waterford |
67 |
114 |
31 |
145 |
52 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
299 |
200 |
153 |
254 |
|
Wexford |
137 |
113 |
246 |
305 |
215 |
|
Wicklow |
173 |
71 |
124 |
31 |
234 |
