Written Answers Nos. 1214-1233
1214. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if cattle underpasses can be grant aided in the interest of road safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36434/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe TAMS scheme provides support for a large number of investments for farmers in different sectors including tillage, pigs, poultry, beef and dairy. This latter category of dairy farmers are the largest beneficiaries as a group under the schemes and there is an onus on the Department to ensure that the available funds are disbursed proportionately. Cattle underpasses can be expensive, relative to other capital investments under the scheme, and any request for new investments can only be considered in light of the overall scheme budget.
1215. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36486/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of the 1 October 2015 and has been paid the First Instalment Payment for 2015.
The holding of the person named was selected for on farm inspection resulting in the imposition of a penalty. The development of the necessary IT functionality is nearing completion and Department officials are actively working on the issue with a view to further processing the payment.
1216. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a grant application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36488/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe applicant in question applied for Dairy Equipment under TAMS II. The claim for payment has been approved in this case with effect from the 20th July 2017.
1217. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36494/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under Tranche 1 of GLAS was received in my Department on the 22 May 2015 and the person named was approved into GLAS 1 with effect from 1 October 2015.
Payment has issued in respect of 2015 and the 85% basic payment and GLAS+ has issued in respect of the 2016 scheme year.
Following the required checks one parcel in the application of the person named was disallowed for payment under the Hen Harrier action. The decision to disallow the 2.56 hectares of Hen Harrier is currently under review and once this is complete the 2016 basic and GLAS+ balancing payments will be processed.
1218. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the ongoing review of ANCs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36511/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Rural Development Regulation each Member State must designate areas eligible for payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme. The ANC scheme replaces the previous Disadvantaged Areas Scheme/Less Favoured Areas Scheme. The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based on a range of socio-economic factors. From 2018 eligible areas must instead be designated using a set list of bio-physical criteria. In cases where a Member State does not introduce this new system for payment, the old scheme remains in place but payments must phase out on a digressive basis.
The biophysical criteria set out in the legislation to underpin the new system of designation are:
- Low temperature
- Dryness
- Excess soil moisture
- Limited soil drainage
- Unfavourable texture and stoniness
- Shallow rooting depth
- Poor chemical properties
- Steep slope.
My Department has commenced work on this project, and relevant technical experts are currently working on sourcing and analysing the data in relation to the new criteria. Department officials have also been in contact with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and DG Agri in the EU Commission in relation to technical issues arising. This analysis will identify areas deemed to be facing natural constraints, which will in parallel be subjected to a refinement process. It is envisaged that stakeholders will be consulted as this process develops.
1219. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the latest profiles in value and outruns forecasted in his Department for the end of December 2017 and any variances that may arise based on his Department’s performance against profile in gross voted expenditure at the end of June 2017. [36560/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLooking at the projected outturn for the year it is difficult to assess the full year expenditure for the Department at this stage as we are only just over half way through the year.
My Department keeps expenditure trends under review and provides details on monthly Exchequer Issues to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that are reported in the Expenditure Reports published with the monthly Exchequer Statement.
As the year progresses my Department will continue to manage expenditure within the allocation agreed by the Dáil in the 2017 Estimates in order to deliver my Department’s agreed objectives.
1220. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons in receipt of GLAS 1 and GLAS 2 who have received the 15% of their total 2016 payment, by county, in tabular form; the number of persons who have passed all payment approval checks and are awaiting the 15% portion of the 2016 payment; the number of GLAS recipients who have yet to receive this portion of payment, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36680/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of participants who have received their 15% balancing payment and who have been cleared for payment is set out in the following table.
All GLAS participants must submit a nutrient management plan before their balancing payment can be released and to date 20,337 have complied with this requirement and some 16,338 are still awaited.
Balancing payments continue to be made on an on-going basis as files are cleared.
|
County |
No. of applicants paid to date |
No. of applicants cleared for payment |
|
Carlow |
214 |
9 |
|
Cavan |
807 |
44 |
|
Clare |
1325 |
73 |
|
Cork |
1795 |
101 |
|
Donegal |
1631 |
79 |
|
Dublin |
39 |
3 |
|
Galway |
2291 |
109 |
|
Kerry |
1000 |
53 |
|
Kildare |
183 |
12 |
|
Kilkenny |
275 |
15 |
|
Laois |
331 |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
691 |
37 |
|
Limerick |
537 |
12 |
|
Longford |
392 |
21 |
|
Louth |
106 |
3 |
|
Mayo |
2022 |
88 |
|
Meath |
289 |
10 |
|
Monaghan |
418 |
10 |
|
Offaly |
265 |
17 |
|
Roscommon |
961 |
72 |
|
Sligo |
546 |
30 |
|
Tipperary |
566 |
14 |
|
Waterford |
190 |
4 |
|
Westmeath |
369 |
10 |
|
Wexford |
426 |
26 |
|
Wicklow |
185 |
18 |
|
Total |
17854 |
875 |
1221. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the tillage compensation fund agreed. [36681/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that this week my Department launched a targeted crop loss support measure to assist growers most affected by the wet weather harvest conditions of September 2016.
As I have said before, while many farmers experienced difficult challenges last year, this was particularly the case for a number of cereal farmers who experienced an exceptionally difficult harvest and resulting yield losses for certain spring crops. This is a very important sector to the agricultural economy, making a vital contribution to both the food and feedstuffs sector. While I am keenly aware that the very difficult harvest conditions of September 2016 posed additional problems for many growers, it was important that any measure put in place was focused and targeted at those most impacted whilst also ensuring prudent expenditure of public finances. I am satisfied that the measure I have introduced addresses both of these requirements.
This measure will provide a financial contribution of up to €200 per hectare up to a maximum of 35 hectares per eligible applicant towards the cost of uninsured spring cereals crop losses in excess of 30% by yield. Particularly hard hit growers who experienced cereal crop losses in excess of 50% will benefit from an additional €100 per hectare. Application forms including details on eligibility for the Crop Loss Support Measure are now available on my Department’s website and from the Department’s local office network. Closing date for submission of applications will be Friday 25 August.
This new support measure, together with the Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme I introduced last autumn, the current Tillage investment scheme under TAMS II that I introduced earlier this year and provisions supportive of the tillage sector under the GLAS scheme will, when taken together, provide significant support for this essential sector and further underline my ongoing support to securing its future.
1222. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme 2 by county, in tabular form; the number of approved applications by county; the number of payment claims logged by county; the number of payment claims that have been approved for payment by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36682/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested on the TAMS II Scheme is shown in the following table. Approvals and payment claims continue to be processed on an ongoing basis.
|
County |
Total Received Applications |
Approved applications |
Payment Claims Lodged |
Approved For Payment |
|
Carlow |
197 |
117 |
15 |
14 |
|
Cavan |
509 |
354 |
58 |
32 |
|
Clare |
401 |
323 |
79 |
63 |
|
Cork |
2020 |
1533 |
318 |
183 |
|
Donegal |
708 |
459 |
39 |
31 |
|
Dublin |
76 |
27 |
4 |
2 |
|
Galway |
955 |
698 |
135 |
101 |
|
Kerry |
950 |
679 |
138 |
91 |
|
Kildare |
246 |
126 |
24 |
13 |
|
Kilkenny |
682 |
494 |
120 |
95 |
|
Laois |
387 |
271 |
61 |
43 |
|
Leitrim |
201 |
147 |
27 |
17 |
|
Limerick |
657 |
506 |
105 |
74 |
|
Longford |
189 |
133 |
20 |
15 |
|
Louth |
163 |
101 |
12 |
5 |
|
Mayo |
522 |
365 |
59 |
41 |
|
Meath |
468 |
282 |
44 |
30 |
|
Monaghan |
445 |
316 |
46 |
29 |
|
Offaly |
309 |
223 |
34 |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
515 |
381 |
54 |
37 |
|
Sligo |
190 |
134 |
25 |
17 |
|
Tipperary |
1107 |
813 |
222 |
188 |
|
Waterford |
441 |
335 |
68 |
42 |
|
Westmeath |
321 |
251 |
44 |
31 |
|
Wexford |
676 |
421 |
77 |
49 |
|
Wicklow |
227 |
139 |
17 |
12 |
|
Grand Total |
13562 |
9628 |
1845 |
1279 |
1223. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 29 June 2017, when a reply will issue. [36683/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe collation of the information requested by the Deputy is almost complete. The response will be issued to the Deputy in the next two weeks.
1224. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the animal identification and movement, AIM, system should not penalise farmers, should not be open to third parties and should not be restricted by his Department; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that other EU countries prohibit third parties from accessing all prior movement data; and his further views on AIM data being used by factories and retailers to penalise farmers based on the number of movements of their livestock. [36684/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe animal identification and movement system (AIM) is not used to penalise farmers.
The AIM data provided to the factories includes registration and movement history data for an animal which is already recorded on the animal passport that accompanies the animal to the factory. AIM provides the data in electronic format to assist factories in marketing Irish beef and beef products and to provide reassurance to consumers of Irish beef and beef products.
The Quality Payment Scheme (QPS) is an agreement between Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and the IFA on the payment arrangements for cattle that meet certain carcase confirmation and fat score criteria. The aim of the scheme is to encourage production of cattle with better conformation and fat scores through the rewarding of bonus payments to farmers.
In addition to the QPS, a Quality Assured bonus, operated by meat processors, is paid on certain animals that fulfil a number of criteria, one of which is the total number of farm residencies in the animals lifetime. It is important to note all qualifying criteria, including the number of farm residencies of an animal, are entirely matters outside the remit of my Department.
During the discussions with the farming organisations and MII it was agreed that the AIM system would provide the number of farm residences for each bovine entering the factory in order to assist identifying if the animal qualifies for the additional premium payment.
1225. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the state aid rules in operation under the Common Fisheries Policy. [36685/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn considering whether proposed aid to the fisheries and aquaculture sector is compliant with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, my Department has regard to a number of EU legal instruments that are particular to the sector.
Regulation 508/2014 on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) provides the legal basis for most State interventions in the seafood sector through my Department's €240 millon EMFF Operational Programme 2014-20. Under Article 8 of the EMFF Regulation, aid provided through the Operational Programme and in compliance with the rules and conditions of the EMFF is exempt from State Aid notification requirements, with two exceptions. Aid provided by Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) under the Programme for activities not covered by the EMFF, i.e. not for seafood activities, are not covered by the exemption. Also, aid for measures under the Integrated Maritime Policy are not covered.
The Fisheries Deminimis Regulation (717/2014) exempts from State Aid notification aid provided to seafood enterprises, provided that all aid provided to those beneficiaries under the Fisheries Deminimis Regulation does not exceed €30,000 over a 3 fiscal year period. A national cap on fisheries deminimis aid applies and this is €20.82 million for Ireland over a 3 fiscal year period. There are some exclusions from the Fisheries Deminimis Regulation and these are listed in article 1 of the Regulation.
The Fisheries Block Exemption Regulation (FIBER) (1388/2014) exempts from State Aid notification requirements aid to certain activities in the seafood sector. Aid per beneficiary must not exceed €1 million per year and the eligible costs of any project aided may not exceed €2 million. FIBER includes almost all measures eligible under the EMFF Regulation. Notable exceptions are aid for temporary and permanent cessation of fishing activities and aid for measures under the Integrated Maritime Policy. Importantly, FIBER aid to these measures must be implemented in full compliance with the rules and conditions specified in the EMFF for such measures. In addition to measures from the EMFF, FIBER also allows aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters.
Where the various State Aid instruments do not provide a clear legal basis for an intervention, a Member State may submit a State Aid notification to the Commission seeking State Aid approval. The Commission Guidelines for Examination of State Aid in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector (2015/C 217/01) describes the factors that will be considered by the Commission in assessing a State Aid notification concerning aid to the seafood sector.
1226. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of discussions he has had with the Minister for Health regarding the completion of the fair deal nursing home support scheme; and his views on providing a discount on chargeable farm assets similar to the agricultural tax relief applied. [36686/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the Fair Deal nursing home support scheme rests with my colleague the Minister for Health.
1227. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he raised the subject of a Brexit financial package for farmers at the most recent EU agriculture ministers meeting; and if so, if the proposal was accepted. [36687/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA specific Brexit financial package for farmers was not on the agenda at the most recent Agri-Fish Council meeting of EU Ministers on 17 and 18 July 2017. However a major item on the agenda was a discussion on the results of the public consultation on modernising and simplifying the CAP which was undertaken by the EU Commission in the first half of 2017. In my intervention on this item, I stated that while bearing in mind Brexit, the CAP should not be viewed as an "old" policy but rather as a policy that can deliver for all EU citizens and accordingly it must have a strong and well financed CAP budget post 2020.
1228. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he made the case for a revision of State aid de minimis rules to provide support to farmers. [36688/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter of a revision of State Aid rules, and more particularly that of a possible increase to the current State Aid thresholds, was raised at a number of Agri-Fish Council meetings in 2016, in the context of the ongoing difficulties being experienced on EU agricultural markets. Some Member States, including Ireland, raised the possibility of increasing individual de minimis thresholds from their current level of €15,000.
In March 2016, at the Council of Agriculture Ministers, I put forward a 10 point plan, setting out proposed measures, that I believed were practical, easily implemented and responded to the pressures on farmers and primary producers in an appropriate and proportionate way. Among the measures proposed, was greater flexibility in the State Aid rules, with a modest increase in the de minimis limit from €15,000 per farmer over three years, up to €20,000 per farmer over three years. To date the Commission has resisted an increase.
Under the Agriculture De Minimis Regulation (1408/2013), my Department is currently preparing for the launch of the 2017 Weather Related Crop Loss Support Measure, which aims to provide financial aid to farmers, where genuine crop losses have been incurred on foot of the wet weather in September 2016.
1229. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual cost to the State of maintaining each regional veterinary laboratory for the period 2014 to 2016; and the amount allocated for the regional veterinary laboratory network in 2017. [36689/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe operational costs of Regional Veterinary Laboratories 2014 -2016 and projected costs for 2017 are as follows:
|
Projected |
||||
|
RVLs |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017^ |
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
|
Spend on consumables* |
0.990 |
1.001 |
1.237 |
1.159 |
|
Energy costs |
0.158 |
0.138 |
0.142 |
0.148 |
|
Landscaping |
0.00979 |
0.01007 |
0.00987 |
0.00913 |
|
Payroll costs** |
3.215 |
3.275 |
3.484 |
3.490 |
|
Total |
4.372 |
4.424 |
4.872 |
4.8062 |
* spend on consumables for RVLs is estimated for 2014, as a full breakdown was not available until 2015.
** This figure includes ancillary costs of employment such as employers' PRSI and overtime payments.
^ No specific budget allocation is made for RVLs as they are funded from the general DAFM Laboratories budgets. Therefore all 2017 figures are estimated based on previous years' spend.
1230. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the exact criteria that exist for funding under TAMS 2 for purchase of trailing shoe equipment. [36690/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTrailing shoe equipment is available in TAMS II under the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme and the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme. To qualify under the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme an applicant must have a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine identifier and have a minimum of 5 hectares declared under the basic Payment Scheme or be engaged in the breeding, rearing and fattening of pigs. To qualify under the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme an applicant must also be not more than 40 years of age and farming for less than five years at the time of submitting the application. An applicant applying under the Young Farmer Scheme must also fulfil the requirement regarding occupational skill and competence on the date the application is submitted or within three years of the date the approval letter to commence the works is issued.
1231. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department examined, and if he has a view on, requiring meat processors to report wholesale prices and stocks twice daily across all beef cuts sold, as is the regime in the USA. [36691/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the price reporting in the USA referred to by the Deputy. However, I believe that the most effective and appropriate method to increase supply chain transparency is through a co-ordinated European wide basis. In late 2016 the EU Council, when agreeing conclusions on strengthening farmers’ position in the food supply chain and tackling unfair trading practices, noted the option of a regulatory approach at EU level. The Council called on the Commission to undertake an impact assessment with a view to the option of an EU legislative framework. I understand this assessment is to be published shortly.
A number of steps have been taken at national level to strengthen the position of the farmer in the food supply chain, including the recognition of Producer Organisations and the introduction of a scheme to assist members of Producer Organisations to engage facilitators to assist them in their establishment and effective functioning.
Another step in giving farmers more information in relation to the market place and assisting farmers’ bargaining powers has been the development of a Beef PriceWatch app by my Department. This app allows farmers to compare reported prices across a range of grades and factories to assist them in selling their cattle. With the introduction of the price watch app Ireland is now one of the most transparent countries in the EU. My Department also publishes data on slaughter and price on its website on a weekly basis.
1232. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the recent beef round table forum regarding processor requirements around carcass weights with the 30 month age limit. [36692/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI noted comments made in relation to market specifications generally including those in relation to carcase weights and age limit, by stakeholders at the most recent beef roundtable held on the 12th of July.
However it should be noted that carcase specification requirements are a function of market demand. Any requirements in relation to such specifications laid down by the retail market reflected by processors in the procurement of cattle for slaughter are matters which I cannot interfere with.
Teagasc, with the help of the ICBF and Bord Bia undertook previously at the Beef Roundtable to produce a number of blueprints for sustainable production of beef across a range of finishing enterprises and ages to assist producers in targeting the system of production most suitable for their enterprise. These blueprints which have been since published are an invaluable aid to all producers in finishing cattle in accordance with market specifications.
1233. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of suckler beef farmers per county, in tabular form; the number of suckler farmers enrolled in the BDGP per county; the average payment per animal; the maximum payment per animal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36695/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought is currently being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
