Written Answers Nos. 241-251
241. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding salmon farms here; if there are any plans for the future regulation of the industry and the current position of sea lice control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7482/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraApplications for aquaculture licences for the cultivation of salmon are considered by my Department in accordance with the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and related national and EU legislation. My Department’s regulatory regime for salmon farms is also governed by this legislation.
The control of sea lice is managed by the Marine Institute on behalf of the State. The sea lice monitoring and control programme in place in Ireland is comprehensive and transparent with all farms inspected 14 times per annum by independent inspectors from the Marine Institute. The results are circulated to all interested parties monthly and published annually. The Irish monitoring and control programme is unique in that it is completely independent of industry and the full results are published. It is comprehensive in that all farms and all sites are inspected.
These protocols are considered to be more advanced than those operated in other jurisdictions for the following reasons: the inspection regime is totally independent of the industry; data obtained as a result of inspections is published and made widely available; and treatment trigger levels are set at a low level.
The monitoring and control programme in Ireland has been acknowledged by the Environment Directorate (DG Environment) of the EU Commission as representing international best practice.
242. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) with regard to selling products overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7524/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is free movement of plants and plant products within the EU, apart from a number of plants from specific genera, which require a valid plant passport to be moved throughout the Member states indicating their freedom from certain regulated Harmful Organisms.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/planthealthtrade/transferringofplantstoirelandfromtheeu/
With regard to the product mentioned, turf related products, this can move freely within the EU, however any exporter to a Third Country would need to clarify the import requirements with the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of the Importing Country.
The FAO International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) establishes the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures, (ISPM 12) on Phytosanitary Certificates. This allows my Departments as the Irish NPPO, following inspection, to issue a Phytosanitary Certificate for the plant products or other regulated articles to attest that the consignment meets the specified the Phytosanitary import requirements, and are in conformity with the requirements of the requirements of the NPPO of the importing country.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/farmingsectors/planthealthandtrade/QuickGuidePhytocerts141015.pdf
My Department works closely with exporters to facilitate such trade movements.
243. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a dhéanfar íocaíocht faoi Scéim na Roghanna Agra-Chomhshaoil (AEOS2) le feirmeoir i gContae na Gaillimhe (sonraí leis seo); cén fáth a bhfuil moill leis an íocaíocht seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [7461/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraChuir an duine ainmnithe tús lena chonradh AEOS 2 an 1 Meán Fómhair 2016. Íocaíochtaí a eisíodh do bhlianta na Scéime, 2011-2015. Tar éis imscrúdú a dhéanamh ar an láthair an 27 Iúil 2016, tháinig fadhbanna chun solais i ndáil leis an ngníomh Cothabhála i dtaobh Ballaí Cloiche Traidisiúnta. D'eisigh an Roinn litir dar dáta an 12 Deireadh Fómhair 2016 inar sonraíodh an pionós a forchuireadh agus inar tugadh an ceart don duine atá ainmnithe achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh chinneadh an Imscrúdaitheora Réigiúnaigh. Ní bhfuarthas aon achomharc.
Faoi na Rialacháin AE lena rialaítear an Scéim agus scéimeanna eile limistéarbhunaithe, ní mór seiceáil chuimsitheach riaracháin a dhéanamh, lena n-áirítear cros-seiceálacha leis an gCóras Aitheantais Dáileachtaí Talmhaíochta. De bhrí go mbeidh iarratasóirí uile AEOS 2 ag fáil a gcuid íocaíochtaí deiridh faoin scéim, ní mór athsheiceálacha ar íocaíochtaí i leith bhlianta uile na scéime a chríochnú sular féidir an íocaíocht deiridh a phróiseáil.
Tá oifigigh ag obair ar na comhaid seo agus déanfar íocaíocht, lúide pionóis agus laghduithe, i ngach cás a luaithe is féidir.
The person named commenced their AEOS 2 contract on 1st September 2016. Payments issued for the 2011-2015 Scheme years. Following an on the spot inspection on 27th July 2016 issues arose in respect of the Traditional Stone Wall Maintenance action. A letter dated 12th October 2016 issued from the Department detailing the penalty imposed and giving the person named the right to appeal the decision to the Regional Inspector. No appeal was received.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System must take place. As all AEOS 2 participants will be receiving their final payments under the scheme, re-checks on payments made for all scheme years must be completed before final payment can be processed.
Officials are working through these files and payment, minus penalties and reductions, will be made in all cases as soon as possible.
244. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) did not receive payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7466/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named commenced their AEOS 1 contract on 17 May 2010. Payments issued in respect of the 2010-2014 Scheme years. Following an Inspection on 30 June 2015 issues arose in relation to the Coppicing of Hedgerows, Species Rich Grassland, Wild Bird Cover and the Planting of Tree Whips actions. These issues lead to a reduction in the amount of €1,456.16 for the 2015 AEOS payment plus follow on reductions for previous scheme years amounting to €4,877.63, as detailed in a letter from the Department dated 25 April 2016.
A total of €6,675.88 was recovered which includes the amount of €6,333.79 detailed above, a further debt of €292.10 relating to the Beef Data and Genomics Programme, plus associated interest due on all debts.
The person named appealed the inspection decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office and was partially successful. An Amount of €2,259.40 was reimbursed in two parts: €1,807.52 on 3 November 2016 and €451.88 on 7 November 2016.
245. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive the 2016 GLAS payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7472/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received an 85% first instalment payment in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
During the 2015 balancing prepayment checks issues were identified in relation to the Low Input Permanent Pasture action. Department officials have resolved these issues and the application will now be further processed for the balancing payment.
Following the issue of payment in respect of 2015, the prepayment checks will get under way in respect of 2016.
246. 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. [7474/17]
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.
247. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action being taken to deal with the backlog of 3,600 young farmers who are seeking places in agricultural colleges to obtain green certificate qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7478/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is working closely with Teagasc to address staffing issues in relation to delivering the adult Green Cert. In conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Teagasc was approved to appoint 70 temporary education officers in the period 2014 and 2016 in order to rapidly expand the number of places. 7 temporary administrators were also approved to address the huge volume of course administration that arose from the unprecedented Green cert demand. The staffing arrangements implemented to date helped Teagasc enrol 4,500 learners since 2014.
As Teagasc continue to experience strong demand for the Green Cert, I understand that they are actively considering a range of resource options to address projected demand on a phased basis from 2017 to 2019. I am pleased to confirm that Teagasc’s request for 15 new temporary posts to meet acute demand pressure points in some geographical locations was recently approved. Assignment of those posts to particular locations is an operational matter for Teagasc.
248. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action that will be taken to assist the young farming community in view of the fact that no young farmer received an entitlement from the national reserve in 2016 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7480/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2015 the National Reserve fund was based on a 3% cut to the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling and provided some €24 million in funding which was the maximum financing rate available under the relevant EU Regulations. Some 6,300 farmers received an allocation of entitlements under the 2015 National Reserve. There was no National Reserve in 2016 as all available funding had been utilised under the 2015 scheme. In order to provide for a National Reserve in 2017 funding is required to replenish the Reserve. EU Regulations governing the scheme provide that funding for the replenishment of the National Reserve may be obtained by means of surrender of entitlements that remain unused by farmers for two consecutive years and by claw-back derived following the sale of entitlements without land. It is envisaged that funding derived from these two sources in 2017 will be very limited. The Regulations also provide for the application of a linear cut to the value of all farmers’ entitlements to replenish the National Reserve. Under the National Reserve priority access for an allocation of entitlements is given to the two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’.
Consultation between Department officials and the Direct Payments Advisory Committee, comprising members of the main farming organisations and advisory bodies, takes place annually as part of the decision making process for the National Reserve. Decisions relating to the availability of a 2017 National Reserve can only be made following determination of available funding and the consultation process involving the Direct Payments Advisory Committee. The consultation process in relation to the National Reserve in 2017 has commenced and decisions relating to the availability of a 2017 National Reserve will made following the conclusion of the consultation process and the determination of available funding.
249. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the claimed separation of duties in his Department between regulation and development was breached in the case of his decision not to revoke the aquaculture licence held by a company (details supplied) for its Lough Altan site, in view of the reasons for the decision set out on his Department's website. [7488/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe case referred to by the Deputy was considered by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and related national and EU legislation.
I am satisfied that the decision in this case is appropriate having regard to all the issues involved.
250. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine ,further to Parliamentary Question No. 221 of 18 January 2017, the division of his Department which has responsibility for governance of the Marine Institute and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. [7489/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sea-fisheries Policy and Management Division of the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine has responsibility for oversight of Corporate Governance of the Marine Institute and The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.
251. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether overstocking of salmon farms negates the organic status of the fish produced. [7490/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe maximum stocking density for organic salmon production is laid down under EU regulation. Any breach of that would be regarded as a serious infringement and would be fully investigated on a case by case basis. Depending on what emerged from any such investigation, the consequences could include removal of the organic status for the affected product or indeed the suspension of the operator's organic licence altogether. However, the action taken would be proportionate and would have to take account of the particular circumstances applying in each case.
