Written Answers Nos. 472-493
472. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of the 500 home care packages for persons suffering with dementia that have been allocated, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36255/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
473. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when he expects that funding will be released for a recommended new prosthetic limb for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [36256/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
474. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of beds that are specifically available to persons suffering from dementia in community hospitals by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36258/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
475. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason for the removal of the specialised Down's syndrome clinic from a hospital (details supplied); if the unit will be reinstated; if so, when it is anticipated that the facility will be re-established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36267/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's question relates to an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
476. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health his plans to establish a dedicated feeding clinic to serve County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36268/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
477. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the HSE maintains or supports a national patient registry of adult neuromuscular diseases, acquired and inherited, that captures epidemiological data in a standardised form and profiles a true picture of the burden of neuromuscular diseases in a population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36286/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department does not have a policy of creating databases or registers in respect of individual conditions.
With regard to services for people with disabilities, the Health Service Executive's two current Service Planning Databases in the disability sector are the National Intellectual Disability Database and the National Physical and Sensory Disability Database. The Health Research Board manages both of these databases on behalf of the Department of Health. The databases record current and future service needs, rather than being a registry of those with specific conditions. Health funded services for people with disabilities are provided on the basis of identified service needs, rather than linked to a specific diagnosis.
478. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reason assessments of needs for children with disabilities are only provided to children who were born after 2002; his views on whether this cut off point is discriminatory; if he will consider extending the provision of assessments to all children under the age of 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36331/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
479. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the case of persons (details supplied) outlined in correspondence; if he will make the necessary arrangements for the drug to be made available as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36344/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In line with the 2013 Act, if a Company would like a medicine to be reimbursed by the HSE pursuant to the Community Drug Schemes or as a hospital medicine, the Company must first submit an application to the HSE to have the new medicine added to the Reimbursement List or to be priced as a hospital medicine.
Within 180 days of receiving the application (or such longer period which may arise if further information is sought from the Company), the HSE will decide to either:
- add the medicine to the Reimbursement List / agree to reimburse it as a hospital medicine,
or,
- will refuse to reimburse the medicine.
In reaching its decision, the HSE examines all the evidence which may be relevant in its view for the decision (including the information/dossier submitted by the Company) and will take into account such expert opinions and recommendations which may have been sought by the HSE at its sole discretion (for example, from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics).
In considering an application, the HSE will also have regard to Part 1 and Part 3 of Schedule 3 of the 2013 Act. Part 3 requires the HSE to have regard to the following criteria:
1. the health needs of the public;
2. the cost-effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services;
3. the availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement;
4. the proposed costs, benefits and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks;
5. the potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item;
6. the clinical need for the item or listed item;
7. the appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety;
8. the efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies); and
9. the resources available to the HSE.
I am informed that the HSE received a request and economic dossier from the manufacturer of Ivacaftor, brand name Kalydeco, for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients aged 2 years and older weighing less than 25kg. In March of this year the HSE asked the NCPE to carry out a health technology assessment of the applicant’s economic dossier on the cost effectiveness of this treatment.
The NCPE completed its assessment and made a recommendation in October 2016. The NCPE determined that the manufacturer failed to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of the drug for its intended cohort of patients and did not recommend that it should be reimbursed for this indication at the submitted price.
A summary of the health technology assessment has been published on the NCPE website and is available at: http://www.ncpe.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Ivacaftor-2-5-years-web-summary.pdf.
The HSE will enter into negotiations with the manufacturer in an effort to secure significant price reductions for Kalydeco.
The HSE will consider the outcome of these engagements together with the NCPE recommendation, in making a final decision on reimbursement. This decision will be made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE in line with the 2013 Act.
As you will appreciate, I cannot comment on the case of any individual, or intervene in individual patient cases.
480. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36351/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
481. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36352/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
482. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 577 of 18 October 2016, when a reply will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35722/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs clarified by the Deputy the information requested was to provide in tabular form on a county basis, the total number of farmers that were given land eligibility penalties under the basic payment scheme and single farm payments in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; the total monetary amount of such penalties. In that regard please see the following table outlining the information requested.
As can be seen from the table the number of farmers penalised has fallen considerably year on year. New measures were announced in 2016 by way of a Preliminary Check and Revised Penalty Regime which are intended to further assist in the reduction of penalties for farmers.
The preliminary check, which is exclusive to applicants who submit their application using the department's online system, notifies applicants of an overclaim/dual claim or overlap error on their application and allows them a window of up to 35 days in which to rectify this error without penalty. In 2016 over 5,000 notifications issued under the Preliminary check system.
A revised penalty regime was also introduced in 2016 which reduced the penalty imposed where an overclaim of between 3 and 20% occurred from twice the difference of the area overclaimed to 1.5 times the difference now where the overclaim exceeds 3% or 2 hectares. Furthermore where the area overdeclared is over 3% and not greater than 10% the penalty is further reduced to .75 times the difference where it's the first time the herdowner has been penalised under the new rule. These measures it is expected, will contribute to the reduction of errors and the penalties applied.
|
2014 |
2015 |
To date in 2016 |
||||||
|
County |
No. With Overclaim Penalties |
Total Monetary Reductions as a result of overclaim penalties applied |
County |
No. With Overclaim Penalties |
Total Monetary Reductions as a result of overclaim penalties applied |
County |
No. With Overclaim Penalties |
Total Monetary Reductions as a result of overclaim penalties applied2014 |
|
CARLOW |
90 |
-€26,527.43 |
CARLOW |
15 |
-5856.13 |
CARLOW |
30 |
-5232.71 |
|
CAVAN |
198 |
-€64,694.29 |
CAVAN |
52 |
-33478.94 |
CAVAN |
39 |
-6456.96 |
|
CLARE |
448 |
-€212,714.44 |
CLARE |
77 |
-63780.72 |
CLARE |
95 |
-43473.27 |
|
CORK |
1,018 |
-€334,041.96 |
CORK |
169 |
-133633.16 |
CORK |
165 |
-42645.87 |
|
DONEGAL |
533 |
-€163,210.83 |
DONEGAL |
124 |
-77023.96 |
DONEGAL |
68 |
-29310.3 |
|
DUBLIN |
29 |
-€16,817.41 |
DUBLIN |
9 |
-17410.88 |
DUBLIN |
7 |
-829.23 |
|
GALWAY |
721 |
-€194,876.85 |
GALWAY |
211 |
-134739.78 |
GALWAY |
130 |
-38288.15 |
|
KERRY |
516 |
-€128,243.21 |
KERRY |
140 |
-133281.52 |
KERRY |
74 |
-14229.77 |
|
KILDARE |
146 |
-€34,756.39 |
KILDARE |
22 |
-24163.2 |
KILDARE |
22 |
-4396.63 |
|
KILKENNY |
261 |
-€72,724.50 |
KILKENNY |
33 |
-37356.74 |
KILKENNY |
46 |
-20914.42 |
|
LAOIS |
200 |
-€63,309.63 |
LAOIS |
30 |
-19662.5 |
LAOIS |
24 |
-3885.22 |
|
LEITRIM |
245 |
-€34,904.16 |
LEITRIM |
47 |
-26624.44 |
LEITRIM |
31 |
-3619.82 |
|
LIMERICK |
201 |
-€74,163.87 |
LIMERICK |
72 |
-51638.99 |
LIMERICK |
54 |
-7681.05 |
|
LONGFORD |
126 |
-€37,764.61 |
LONGFORD |
34 |
-13090.31 |
LONGFORD |
39 |
-8162.67 |
|
LOUTH |
59 |
-€44,622.69 |
LOUTH |
18 |
-33605.94 |
LOUTH |
18 |
-10114.55 |
|
MAYO |
714 |
-€184,325.74 |
MAYO |
176 |
-117817.58 |
MAYO |
148 |
-34116.48 |
|
MEATH |
140 |
-€40,737.46 |
MEATH |
49 |
-40058.88 |
MEATH |
53 |
-8176.06 |
|
MONAGHAN |
195 |
-€57,421.60 |
MONAGHAN |
48 |
-35706.23 |
MONAGHAN |
43 |
-7225.04 |
|
OFFALY |
192 |
-€50,503.58 |
OFFALY |
38 |
-31042.12 |
OFFALY |
48 |
-9660.47 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
227 |
-€88,792.21 |
ROSCOMMON |
71 |
-48610.49 |
ROSCOMMON |
90 |
-23152.01 |
|
SLIGO |
235 |
-€76,386.74 |
SLIGO |
66 |
-42924.74 |
SLIGO |
26 |
-6590.48 |
|
TIPPERARY |
386 |
-€129,869.80 |
TIPPERARY |
66 |
-40762.88 |
TIPPERARY |
94 |
-22786.22 |
|
WATERFORD |
103 |
-€53,380.22 |
WATERFORD |
33 |
-38027.26 |
WATERFORD |
24 |
-8597.96 |
|
WESTMEATH |
174 |
-€65,910.19 |
WESTMEATH |
36 |
-30664.74 |
WESTMEATH |
41 |
-3828.43 |
|
WEXFORD |
231 |
-€50,222.39 |
WEXFORD |
47 |
-46679.58 |
WEXFORD |
53 |
-7725.86 |
|
WICKLOW |
177 |
-€69,513.00 |
WICKLOW |
24 |
-14888.22 |
WICKLOW |
41 |
-10650.08 |
|
7,565 |
-€2,370,435.20 |
1,707 |
-1,292,529.93 |
1,503 |
-381,749.71 |
483. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35740/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 and subsequently withdrew part of his commitment which resulted in his exclusion of the scheme. The Agriculture Appeals Office have indicated that an appeal has been submitted in relation to this case and a decision will issue in due course.
Tranche 3 of GLAS is currently open until 15 December and, without prejudice to the outcome of the appeal, it is open to the person named to submit an application to GLAS 3 at this time, which can be withdrawn in the event that the appeal is successful.
484. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will grant a single farm payment to a person (details supplied) without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35746/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 11 November 2016, thus incurring a 100% late penalty. The case has been reviewed on Force Majeure grounds, following which, the late penalty has been waived. The application has now been fully processed and any payments due will issue as soon as possible to the nominated bank account.
485. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will allow for permanent observers on board super trawlers operating within the whale and dolphin sanctuary off the west coast. [35747/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 1991 the Irish Government declared all Irish Waters a whale and dolphin sanctuary. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) section of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is the responsible authority for the State’s nature conservation responsibilities.
In terms of fishing, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the EU. It is a set of rules for managing EU fishing fleets and for conserving stocks.
Under the Common Fisheries Policy, Council Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 of 26/4/2004 sets down measures concerning incidental catches of cetaceans in fisheries. The Regulation requires that, inter-alia, Member States design and implement monitoring schemes for incidental catches of cetaceans using observers on board the vessels flying their flag and with an overall length of 15m or more, for defined fisheries. The fisheries subject to this requirement includes pelagic fisheries.
National reports required under Council Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 are published on the website of the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas http://www.ascobans.org/en/documents/national-reports.
The Regulation does not require that every vessel carries an observer and the Regulation puts the obligation on the Flag Member State to design and implement the scheme rather than the vessel or the coastal state in whose waters the fishing takes place. It is a matter of competence for the Flag Member State of the vessel concerned to ensure that observers are onboard where required under their national scheme.
486. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 503 of 4 October 2016, when payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35783/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2016 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint scheme application on 11 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 completed and the results have been finalised. Payments due under the Basic Payment and Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes will issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
487. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of convictions in respect of animal health or abuse since the 2013 Animal Health and Welfare Act was enacted, by county, in tabular form; and the comparison incline and decline in convictions for 2011 to 2013 prior to the enactment of the Act. [35784/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 was only commenced on 6th March 2014, prosecutions and convictions for animal cruelty in the period between 2011 to 2013 would have been taken under the Protection Of Animals Act (1911) or S.I. 311/2010 - European Communities (Welfare of farmed animals) Regulations 2010.
Figures for the period of 2011- 2013 were not collected on a centralised basis and are not available.
Since its commencement in 2014, there have been 60 cases brought by the Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine and animal welfare bodies authorised under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. Most of these cases are still before the courts. Prosecutions under the 2013 Act may also be taken by An Garda Síochána who maintain their own records.
Following is the information sought by the Deputy on the number of convictions secured since the commencement of the Act:
|
County |
Number |
|
Carlow |
1 |
|
Cavan |
1 |
|
Clare |
1 |
|
Cork |
4 |
|
Donegal |
2 |
|
Dublin |
1 |
|
Galway |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
|
Louth |
1 |
|
Meath |
4 |
|
Roscommon |
2 |
|
Waterford |
1 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
|
Total |
23 |
488. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the criteria involved when buying entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35787/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraClaw-back on the sale of Basic Payment Scheme entitlements without land was introduced in 2016 as provided for under the EU Regulation governing the establishment of rules for direct payments to farmers. This claw-back was introduced as a measure to discourage the sale of entitlements without land that had been allocated from the 2015 National Reserve at the national average value per entitlement. As the relevant EU regulation did not provide for claw-back to be applied exclusively in respect of entitlements allocated from the National Reserve, it was applied to the sale of all entitlements without land in 2016. There is no provision in the Regulations to apply claw-back to the sale of entitlements with land.
The level of claw-back to be applied to the sale of entitlements without land may be reviewed on an annual basis taking into account the relevant issues involved. Decisions in relation to the level of claw-back to be applied under the 2017 Basic Payment Scheme year will be made in due course.
489. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the deadline for herring fishing and allow greater flexibility to fishermen in respect of same in order to facilitate smaller vessels to fish the remainder of quotas yet to be caught; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35791/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Celtic Sea Herring Management Committee (CSHMAC) comprise representatives of industry, processors, Co-Ops and the National Inshore Fisheries Forum and is chaired by the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation (IS&WFPO). The Department is not represented on the Committee nor is any other State agency. However, the Marine Institute advises the Committee from time to time on scientific issues relating to the stock whose remit covers all herring fisheries in the Celtic Sea. The role of Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee is to advise the Minister on the management arrangements for the stock.
The management arrangements which I put in place for the Celtic Sea main fishery, were recommended by the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee. The Committee recommended that the first management period should run from 18 September to 25 November. It recommended the arrangement in place whereby, if landing figures support, I re-allocate uncaught quota for vessels that have landed at least 50% of their quota allocation in the period 18 September to 25 November and participated for a minimum of six weeks during this period. The second period will commence on 04 December.
The available quota for this fishery (the main fishery) is 13,857 tonnes. Landing data received from the SFPA on 14 November indicated that vessels had landed 10,617 tonnes (77%) with two weeks remaining in the current period.
I have not received any request from the CSHMAC to vary the arrangements put in place at the start of the season. I suggest that requests for amendments to the arrangements be addressed to the representative of the CSHMAC. I accept, as far as possible, the recommendations of the Committee.
490. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when new partnership farmers will receive single farm payments; the reason there has been a substantial delay with all payments made to those who have recently entered into farm partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35803/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAdvance payments under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) commenced in Ireland on 17 October 2016 in respect of applicants whose applications are fully processed and who have no outstanding errors. This is the earliest that payments can commence under the governing EU Regulations.
The Basic Payment Scheme is fully funded by the European Union and the relevant Competent Authorities in each Member State are obliged to ensure that the requirements of the governing EU Regulations are observed and that only valid applications that fully comply with the requirements are paid.
There are currently 1,398 Registered Farm Partnerships (RFPs) applications on the BPS system, of which 1,310, representing 94% of all applications have been paid an advance.
565 RFPs have been registered since 29th May 2015. 486 of these have received an advance to date (86%).
The processing of applications under the Basic Payment Scheme is a complex administrative task and one that remains a top priority for my Department. This is particularly the case in relation to RFPs involving multiple herd numbers and corresponding sets of entitlements.
Processing of the remaining cases is ongoing with payment runs on a regular basis to ensure cases are picked up for payment once they have cleared the administrative check process.
491. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) has received no basic payment or areas of natural constraint payment to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35804/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe closing date for applications to place farm partnerships on the Department's Register was 31 March 2016. The persons named lodged their application for partnership on 23 June 2016. In April 2016, they were jointly named on both their herdnumbers and applied to amalgamate their Basic Payment entitlements under one of these herdnumbers. However, separate applications under the 2016 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme were received in my Department from both persons named on 7 May 2016. In these circumstances payment cannot currently issue under the Basic Payment Scheme
An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the persons named with a view to resolving the issue at hand.
492. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the waiting list of more than 600 students awaiting certification at a college (details supplied); the steps he is taking to ensure that Teagasc is enabled to deal with this backlog and is in a position to provide a comprehensive syllabus in 2017 and thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35807/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current exceptional demand for the Teagasc Distance Education Green Cert is linked to the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and the National Reserve, which required applicants to have a prescribed Level 6 agricultural qualification – a Green Cert or equivalent in order to qualify for payment. This was to ensure that payments were targeted at “trained young farmers” who have a genuine interest in farming. Approximately, 2,000 young farmers required places arising from the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and the National Reserve.
My Department in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, approved the appointment of 70 education officers and 7 administrative staff on two year contracts to enable Teagasc dramatically increase enrolments for the Green Cert Programme. The scheduling of courses and allocation of teaching staff within the Teagasc network of agricultural colleges is an operational matter Teagasc and not the Department of Agriculture. I understand that most of the teachers have been recruited and are helping to deliver record numbers of Green Cert enrolments.
In addition to the above measure, the agreed delegated sanction arrangements for Teagasc provide them with greater flexibility over permanent staff appointments. The arrangements enable Teagasc to replace staff when they retire and to make 75 new appointments subject to compliance with multi-annual pay ceilings. While Teagasc must remain within its overall pay budget, the flexibility provided by the new arrangements will allow them to fill critical vacancies and to react faster when such vacancies arise in the future. I understand a number of education appointments have been made to help meet the current demand for places.
As can be expected, the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve has stimulated added interest in the adult Green Cert among other farmers who have “registered an interest” with Teagasc in completing the course. My Department has asked Teagasc to explore other staffing measures, beyond further temporary recruitment, to ensure that any residual demand for the Green Cert can be accommodated within a realistic time-frame. My Department will continue to monitor the Green Cert situation in Teagasc closely.
493. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35811/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a 2016 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 30 March 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 finalised. The outcome of the inspection identified a minor over-declaration on the lands declared. A letter outlining the outcome of the inspection issued to the person named on 17 November, which includes details on how a review of the inspection outcome can be requested.
Payments due under the Basic Payment and Areas of Natural Constraints Schemes are now being finalised and will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.
