Written Answers Nos. 567-591
567. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the export refunds that are in operation currently for beef exports; if he has discussed this at EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6902/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no export refunds in operation for beef products from the EU, nor are there any discussions on this at EU level. Export Refunds for most products were effectively abolished by a WTO agreement in 2015.
568. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the way in which some GLAS payments are being delayed for persons that had their land severely damaged from previous heavy flooding; if there is any force majeure provision in operation under current regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6903/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraGLAS regulations allow for the application of force majeure or exceptional circumstances in instances of non-compliance where events have occurred that are beyond the farmer’s control. These provisions are set out in the Scheme terms and conditions. Each application received is considered on its own individual merits.
569. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost to the Exchequer to have payment rates (details supplied) for farmers in mountain and more severely handicapped areas based on current participation levels under the areas of natural constraints scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6904/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded at an early date.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
570. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost to the Exchequer to have payment rates and payable areas (details supplied) based on current participation levels under the areas of natural constraints scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6905/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded at an early date.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
571. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of applicants per country to the new sheep welfare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6907/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraApproximately 22,000 applications were received under the new Sheep Welfare Scheme at the extended closing date of 3 February. Officials in my Department are currently processing these applications. The information requested will not be available until after all applications have been processed. Once the information is available, it will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
572. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of participants in the areas of natural constraint scheme according to each area designation, that is mountain type land, more severely handicapped lowland, less severely handicapped lowland and areas of specific constraints (island) by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6937/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded at an early date.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
573. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of land currently designated as eligible under the areas of natural constraint scheme as a percentage of total land, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6938/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded at an early date.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
574. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of land under each area designation, that is, mountain type land, more severely handicapped lowland and less severely handicapped lowland as a percentage of total eligible ANC land, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6939/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded at an early date.
575. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [6945/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full entitlements in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
Department records show that following a Cross Compliance inspection under the Basic Payment Scheme a penalty was applied on the holding of the person named. Under the regulations the same level of penalty must now be applied to the GLAS payment. Officials in my Department are finalising the payment calculations to take account of the Cross Compliance penalty with a view to issuing payment.
576. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review an application for the 2015 single farm payment in the name of a person (details supplied); if the application submitted by them in February 2016 following confirmation from his Department that the original application submitted in December 2015 was not received by his Department or was misplaced will be accepted; the reason letters of appeal to his Department were not acknowledged in writing but by phone call from Portlaoise; the status of the person's 2016 entitlements; the status of their appeal; the reason his Department has not engaged with the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7003/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe deadline for the receipt of applications under the 2015 Basic payment Scheme (BPS) was 29th May 2015. An application in respect of the 2015 BPS was received from the person named on 13 April 2016, thus incurring a 100% late penalty as it was outside of the deadline.
The BPS Terms and Conditions booklet circulated to all applicants in March of 2015 sets out that, in the event that the Department does not receive a completed 2015 BPS form, an applicant must produce either the express post receipt from the envelope provided as proof of postage or a registered post receipt. The person named did not provide either of these documents.
An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to discuss the status of this case and possible options for resolution. It has been agreed that further documentation will be submitted at this stage in order to resolve the issue at hand.
577. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a young farmer top-up payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7110/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted an application under the 2016 Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. His name was added to the herd number shown for the 2016 scheme year. However, the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme Application was submitted under the herd number shown while it was still held in the sole name of the previous herd owner. As a result my Department needed to align the applications submitted under the Basic Payment Scheme and the Young Farmers Scheme in order to process the Young Farmers Scheme application.
The Young Farmers application has now been processed and letters issued notifying the person named on 4th February 2017. Payment will issue to the person named in the coming days.
578. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 24 of 2 February 2017, if chlorpyrifos is still approved for use here in a form (details supplied); the details of the acceptable exposure levels for chlorpyrifos-methyl; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7154/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to my response to your previous parliamentary question of 2nd February last, I would like to confirm again that there are no plant protection products on the Irish market containing “chlorpyrifos”. The US EPA review which was referred to in the previous question considered “chlorpyrifos” only.
“Chlorpyrifos-methyl” is a distinctly different and less toxic molecule than “chlorpyrifos”. In addition, the use pattern differs significantly in so far as the product registered in Ireland, “Reldan 22”, is approved for use on grain store structures and on cereal grain only, whereas chlorpyrifos in the form of various products, most notably “Dursban 4”, was traditionally used in a large array of crops by broadcast application.
Chlorpyrifos-methyl is significantly less harmful than chlorpyrifos. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and Acceptable Operator Exposure level (AOEL) of chlorpyrifos-methyl is 10 times greater than chlorpyrifos while the Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) is 20 times greater than the corresponding values for chlorpyrifos. This means that while question marks were raised by the US EPA with regard to chlorpyrifos, the corresponding toxicological limits for chlorpyrifos-methyl, which are multiples higher, did not trigger the same concerns, and therefore regulatory action was not deemed necessary at this time. The use of chlorpyrifos-methyl will be kept under review in light of any further scientific developments.
579. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 300 of 1 February 2017, if he will place a temporary ban on pair trawler fishing within Irish coastal waters until the report by the Marine Institute publishes its conclusions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7158/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra580. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 300 of 1 February 2017, his plans to commission a report to investigate the impact of pair trawler fishing on fish species, birds and mammals in inshore coastal waters and bays (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7159/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together.
Further to my answer to parliamentary question number 300 of 1 February 2017, there are currently no plans in place to implement a ban on pair trawler fishing within Irish coastal waters. I am advised that this practice in inshore waters and estuaries around Ireland is confined to fishing for sprat, which is not subject to fishing quotas or Total Allowable Catches established under EU regulation.
Officials in my Department are in close contact with the Marine Institute in relation to the matters you have raised and they have advised me that no additional information, to that already furnished, is available on the work being undertaken by the Marine Institute on sprat stocks. The three-year collaborative project between the Marine Institute and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology to develop a detailed understanding of the stock structure of sprat around Ireland is ongoing.
Through the Birds and Habitats Directive, among other instruments, Ireland is committed to ensuring the conservation of biodiversity of the sea birds and mammals around our coast. Regarding fish by-catch, I am advised that there is some herring by-catch and possibly some other species in sprat fisheries but then by-catch is a feature of a number of the fisheries around our coast. All catches of quota species are logged and landed and taken in to account by ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) when providing stock advice.
As mentioned in my previous reply, the Marine Institute are working on adding sprat to the species covered under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Marine Biodiversity Scheme in 2017. This would allow for more intensive data collection to enhance scientific knowledge and underpin any future management actions for the stock. In this regard, I have asked the Marine Institute to work in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to consider how we can improve our knowledge, through observer programmes, of the possible impacts of these fisheries on by-catch of other fish, sea birds and mammals.
581. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the effect Brexit will have on the fishing industry if Britain regains full control of its waters after exiting the EU; if Ireland will in that event be calling for a full review of the Common Fisheries Policy and making a demand that it would have access to fish stock in proportion to fish resources in its territorial seas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7170/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt this stage it is impossible to say with certainty what effect Brexit will have on the Irish fishing industry. We do not know yet what changes the UK may seek to the current arrangements.
What we do know is that there is a strong desire and expectation from parts of the UK fishing industry for a hard Brexit on fish – a ‘pulling up the drawbridge’, to ensure that non-UK fishermen will no longer have access to the UK Zone and that all fish in that zone – currently shared with EU partners will be theirs and only theirs for the taking.
In theory, the UK could indeed restrict access to their waters and or seek to gain larger quota shares at the expense of others. However, that could only happen if the UK were content to ignore the potential repercussions that would certainly arise from the EU side.
In a worst case scenario, an extreme 'hard Brexit' outcome would be a fundamental threat to the wellbeing of the seafood sector. On average, 36% of the Irish landings are currently taken from UK waters. However, for some of our most important stocks the figures are even higher.
Limitations on access and, more worryingly, any attempt by the UK to increase its current quota share at the expense of Ireland and others must, and will be, be resisted strenuously. These twin threats, on access and quota, could also lead to increased activity by other EU vessels in the waters around Ireland threatening the long term sustainability of our stocks.
Once Article 50 is invoked next month, as seems likely, then the UK will cease to be a Member State of the EU from March 2019, unless an extension is sought and granted. The EU itself will continue, as will the Common Fisheries Policy. The process for reviewing and revising the CFP in preparation for a new Policy will commence around the same time and will be due for completion in 2022. Ireland will again be a central player in that renegotiation.
I am firmly of the view that now is not the time to commence our internal consideration of the review of the CFP. We must instead concentrate all our efforts on the Brexit negotiations at this time to safeguard our interests. The discussion on the post Brexit CFP will undoubtedly occur in earnest once the Brexit arrangements are clear and I do not intend to pre-empt the outcome of negotiations that will not even begin for at least another two years.
This month (1 February), I hosted a dedicated Civic Dialogue on the potential impacts of Brexit for the seafood sector as whole. This was very well attended by stakeholders from across the industry and gave a clear insight into the real dangers that a 'hard' Brexit presents for our fishing communities.
I will remain in close contact with fisheries stakeholders as the issues develop and work with them and my fellow fisheries Ministers in the EU to ensure that we are all fully prepared for what are likely to be extremely complex negotiations.
In conclusion, I would like to assure the Deputy that I will be unequivocal in opposing any dilution of our existing EU quota shares, including protecting the benefit to Ireland of the Hague Preferences, and any limitations on our existing rights of access.
582. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an appeal in respect of persons (details supplied). [7177/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe persons named submitted an application under the 2015 Scottish Derogation Scheme. Under EU Regulations governing the Scottish Derogation measure of the Basic Payment scheme, processing of applications involves administrative checks to verify that the applicant had been actively farming in the Beef, Dairying, Sheep or Arable sectors on 15 May 2013. The persons named in this case applied on the grounds of Beef production. However upon review of the evidence held by my Department, the persons named were found to have no production of Beef on 15 May 2013, and were advised in writing that the application was unsuccessful.
The persons named subsequently appealed this decision and the application was fully reviewed. However there was no evidence provided to alter the Department's decision. Following this review the persons named were advised that their appeal was unsuccessful and were provided with the option to further appeal to the Independent Appeals Committee, which they duly submitted.
The Agricultural Appeals Office has recently finalised arrangements to manage such appeals and in this regard the Agricultural Appeals Office were notified of this appeal on 6th February 2017. The Agricultural Appeals Office will be in direct contact with the person named with regard to the appeal.
583. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private investigation firms hired by Coillte in 2015 and 2016; the names of the firms; the amount they were paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7191/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCoillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the engagement and payment of service providers, are the responsibility of the company. The company has, however, advised that it hired one private investigation firm in 2016
584. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of wind turbines that have been erected, received planning permission but have yet to be erected in the planning process or are in the pre planning process since 2007 in hen harrier SPA designated areas, which were designated in late 2007/2008, by year; the number of the erected wind turbines, planning permission approved wind turbines or those still either in the planning or preplanning process that have been awarded or proposed for Coillte State owned lands as opposed to private owned lands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7192/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal authorities are responsible for planning so I am not in a position to advise on the first part of the Deputy’s question.
Coillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as planning applications and the erection of wind turbines, are the responsibility of the company.
The company has, however, advised that the company has had an active role in the construction and/or the planning application process in relation to 10 wind farm projects involving a total of 211 turbines, of which 118 have been constructed, 59 are under construction with the balance (34) at planning stages. Coillte also advise that there are circa. 79 third party projects on Coillte property that the company has facilitated with varying levels of involvement - from a right of way/wayleave agreement to the lease and sale of land for the construction of wind turbines.
585. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the nature of the work carried out by private investigation firms for Coillte; the way in which contracts are awarded to these firms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7193/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCoillte CGA was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the engagement of service providers, are the responsibility of the company. The company has, however, advised that it may, on occasion, engage the services of private investigators, under guidance from their insurers and legal advisors, in relation to certain issues, for example, the theft of timber from the company’s forests. The company also advise that, as the cost of such engagements are significantly below the threshold at which a tender process is required, contracts may be awarded on the basis of experience, the type of work involved, recommendation, or location – or a combination of these criteria.
586. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if equine will be included in the low-cost agricultural loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7263/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was pleased to announce the launch of the “Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme” on 31st January. One of my priorities has been to address the impact of the change in the sterling exchange rate and lower commodity prices in some sectors, which have caused cash flow difficulties for farmers. The Scheme, which was developed in co-operation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), makes €150 million available to farmers throughout Ireland at interest rates of 2.95%. Distributed through AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank, it provides farmers with a low cost, flexible source of working capital and will allow them to pay down more expensive forms of short-term debt, ensuring the ongoing financial sustainability of viable farming enterprises.
The loans will be available to all livestock farmers, tillage farmers, horticulture producers and others involved in primary agricultural production. The Department is contributing €25million in total, which includes €11 million from the EU and €14 million in national funding.
The specific legislation which provides for the EU support (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1613 of 8 September 2016 providing for exceptional adjustment aid to milk producers and farmers in other livestock sectors) defines “other livestock sectors” as “beef and veal, pigmeat and sheepmeat and goatmeat sectors”. Equine is not included. However it should be noted that where equine is part of a mixed enterprise, an applicant may apply for a loan to support its non-equine activities.
587. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the situation with regard to the impact of emergency regulations put in place to tackle avian influenza to free range status poultry farmers in counties Cavan and Monaghan; if he will ensure free range producers do not lose their status simply due to the fact they complied with a compulsory directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7269/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU Regulations on the marketing standards for eggs and poultrymeat set down minimum requirements that must be met in order to use the term “Free Range”, including rules around access to the range. The EU Regulations also provide for situations where veterinary restrictions are imposed to protect public and animal health, as is the case currently in Ireland, whereby eggs and poultrymeat may continue to be marketed as “Free Range” for the duration of the restriction but not for more than 12 weeks. In Ireland, the 12 week period expires on the 17th of March 2017.
The situation in respect of free range poultry producers is being kept under careful review in consultation with the European Commission and Member States.
On 23rd January, the Commission was asked by Member States to consider extending the “12 week derogation” during which time birds or more over their products, subject to a confinement/housing order, can continue to be marketed as free range. However, the Commission did not agree to table a proposal to extend the derogation.
In view of the foregoing, officials in my Department are considering all options available to ensure that the needs of producers and consumers are met in light of the housing restrictions currently in force in Ireland. The requirement to confine birds itself is also being kept under constant review. Currently, the risk of introduction of HPAI H5N8 by wild birds into poultry flocks remains high and this requirement remains in place.
588. 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 the GLAS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7289/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full entitlements in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
The 85% advance payment for 2016 has been processed and payment has issued to the person named. The balancing 15% payment for 2016 will be processed in due course in accordance with the regulatory requirements.
589. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is a plan in place to monitor the presence of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food; if his Department actively sought the involvement of food business operators including manufacturers, processors and distributors of food contact materials to assist in the monitoring of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food; if not, when such a plan will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7372/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy colleague Simon Harris TD, Minister for Health has primary responsibility for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the enforcement of food laws. It co-ordinates the work of official agencies which includes inspections of food businesses, food contact material manufacturers and distributors and the delivery of food and food contact materials sampling and testing programmes.
On 16th January 2017, the European Commission issued Recommendation (EU) 2017/84 on the monitoring of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in food and in materials and articles intended to come into contact with food was adopted. The recommendation covers the years 2017-2018 and asks EU Member States to monitor MOH in food and food contact materials. The recommendation is that upon detection of mineral oils, further investigations should be carried out seek to determine the contamination source.
In accordance with this recommendation, the FSAI arranged for initial monitoring for the presence of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food and food packaging material to be incorporated in the 2017 National Chemical Monitoring Programme plan. The analysis will be carried out by the HSE’s Public Analyst Laboratory in Dublin. Currently, a generally accepted analytical method for determining the presence of MOH both in foods and packaging is not available. The Commission is working on a technical guidance to accompany the recommendation, which will be designed to assist Member States in sampling and determination of MOH and allow the uniform and consistent application of the recommendation. Therefore a more extensive programme will be implemented in 2018. Any detection of mineral oils will trigger an investigation to determine the contamination source.
The EC recommendation does not include awareness rising amongst the food sector. I am advised that the FSAI will examine the need for this when analytical methods are better developed.
590. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to whether any Irish food and drink brands were among those that tested positive for excessive pesticide residue in the recent European Food Safety Authority survey which included over 83,000 samples; if Irish brands did test positive for excessive pesticide residue, if he will release the names of those brands; the measures he has in place to ensure that such excessive pesticide residue will not occur in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7373/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra591. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has made representations to the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, regarding Irish brands in the EFSA's pesticide residue survey; if he requested that the EFSA not disclose information on the brands that tested positive for excessive pesticide residue; his views on such non-disclosure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7374/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 591 together.
The 2014 European Union Report on Pesticide Residues in Food, which was published in October 2016, indicates that 0.4% of samples from Ireland that were analysed as part of the pesticide residue monitoring programmes of all Member States exceeded the Maximum Residue Level (MRL). The MRL exceedance rate for produce from all EU countries was 1.6% and the equivalent figure for produce from third countries was 6.5%. The Irish food commodities that exceeded the MRL limit were cabbage, kale and mushrooms.
MRL’s are set by EU scientific authorities on the basis of residue trials results following the use of a pesticide in accordance with Good Agricultural Practice (GAP). MRLs always include wide safety margins and are well below levels that could have any adverse effect on the health of consumers. When a residue is found above the MRL, the result does not automatically mean the levels of residue found are a risk to people’s health. Therefore, where an MRL is exceeded, a consumer risk assessment is conducted. The results of the assessment is provided to and independently verified by the FSAI. The risk assessments indicated that there were no consumer intake concerns in respect of Irish produce.
In the case of Irish produce, investigations to establish the cause of the MRL exceedance are carried out by my Department. The investigations are geared to eliminate abuses in the use of pesticides and to ensure that they are not repeated. Offenders may be prosecuted or subjected to a fine. In addition, produce from the origin concerned is targeted for further sampling and analysis. Producers who were targeted as a result of 2014 exceedances were compliant in 2015.
The recently introduced Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive also aims to reduce risks to human health and the environment through establishing:
- Increased educational/training requirements for pesticide users, advisors and distributors.
- Increased level of record keeping for all sectors in the pesticide use and retail trade.
- Requirement to have pesticide application equipment tested periodically.
- Increased storage requirements at farm and distribution level.
- Promotion of the use of Integrated Pest Management.
My Department made no representations to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regarding data relating to Irish produce or brands published in the 2014 European Union Report on Pesticide Residues in Food. Brand details are not a required field in the data submitted to EFSA. My Department indicated to EFSA that all Irish pesticides residue data submitted to EFSA could be made available to the public.
