Written Answers Nos. 213-224
213. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recommendations from the Citizens' Assembly regarding greenhouse gas, GHG, emissions in the agriculture sector. [47541/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been following the proceedings of the Citizens’ Assembly with interest and in particular the topic of last weekend's session on Climate Change. I look forward to reading the report of the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly when it is received by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
I am pleased to see the level of interest among citizens in what is a very serious global issue, evidenced in the huge number of submissions made to the Assembly on the topic of climate change. Officials in my Department have been engaged in reviewing the agriculture and forest sector elements which have been raised in those submissions.
Many of the sentiments behind the recommendations put forward by the members of the Assembly at the weekend are consistent with our approach to agri-policy. For example, the recommendations include rewarding farmers for good environmental practices, this is consistent with our Rural Development Programme which is strongly targeted towards environmental benefits. The Agri-Environmental Scheme, ‘GLAS’ has over 50,000 farmers participating, addressing climate and other environmental threats such as biodiversity and water quality. The knowledge transfer programmes aim to bring the latest innovative sustainability research and practices direct to farmers. Other schemes such as TAMS provide supports for low emission slurry spreading equipment, farm nutrient storage and renewable energy efficiency. The Assembly also recommended supporting organic farming which is another of our RDP measures.
My Department is also actively supporting the planting of trees and has set an ambitious target to increase forest cover in Ireland from the current 11% to 18% by mid century. We have supported the establishment of over 300,000 ha of forestry since 1990 and over 9,000 km of forest roads.
Food waste, while not directly within the remit of my Department, is part of the Origin Green Sustainability charter which requires companies to draw up independently certified plans which must include specific targets relating to waste management. The 2016 Sustainability Report identified 4,600 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill and 24,000 tonnes of waste recycled or recovered.
The suggestion of tax on greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture should be considered against the context of a range of actions being undertaken in fulfilment of the Government's policy of an approach to carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land use sector, which does not compromise sustainable food production. I am also cognisant of the requirement in the Paris Agreement which places an obligation on Parties to foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development in a manner that does not threaten food production.
The sector is committed to playing its part and to ensuring that growth continues on the basis of sustainability, however, when considering policy options we must consider the multiple objectives of the agriculture and land use sector and their lower mitigation potential, something that has been recognised in the October 2014 European Council Conclusions.
214. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the latest Exchequer returns for October 2017 showing that his Department’s spend to this point is €65 million behind profile in gross voted expenditure; and if all moneys projected to be spent by year end will be met. [47542/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA profile of projected expenditure on a monthly basis is drawn up at the beginning of each year in order to anticipate the Department’s funding requirements and financial management over the course of the year. The profile which is the best estimate of expenditure available at the time is difficult to forecast and may vary significantly during the year for a variety of reasons, such as the level of payments under demand led multi-year schemes, a different level of participation in some schemes than anticipated, the pattern of drawdown of Grants by State bodies, the levels of disease incident and payment of compensation, etc. A monthly comparison is then reported showing actual expenditure against the profile.
The recent Exchequer returns for my Department show that there are a number of budget lines, which are, for a variety of reasons, below profile. The Department’s expenditure at the end of October was behind profile by €75m, of which €38.6m is current and €36.4 is capital.
The profiled current expenditure for the January to October period represents just over two thirds of the voted funds so activity in the next seven weeks is also important, most particularly in relation to Programme B (farmer payments). In this area almost half of the total annual spend is scheduled to take place in the last 2 months of the year. Expenditure is being monitored and managed carefully with a view to minimising expenditure savings on this year’s Vote, in order to avoid spending pressures in subsequent years for multi-year schemes. The department’s staff are fully focussed on ensuring that scheme payments are made to eligible recipients. In this regard the submission of Nutrient Management Plans for GLAS, and Carbon Navigator updates for BDGP, will determine the maximum amount of payments that can be made.
The final outcome is, to an extent, driven by factors outside the Department’s control but in the context of the Department’s overall Vote every effort will be made to maximise the levels of expenditure.
215. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget allocation for TAMS II in 2017; and the expenditure realised to date. [47543/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe budget allocation for TAMS II in 2017 is €50m.
To date the expenditure in 2017 amounts to €23.8m. Of the 11,619 approvals that have issued payment claims have been received from 23% of the farmers concerned. This equates to 2,591 payment claims of which 1,922 applicants have been paid to date. Payments and approvals are continuing on an ongoing basis.
A further 775 applicants have advised the Department through the submission of a special notification known as a Card A that they have commenced major building works, in these cases a claim for payment has not yet been submitted. The TAMS II Scheme has in excess of 350 individual investment opportunities and applicants can also avail of investments that do not require the pre notification Card A. For example, in the case of equipment.
All farmers are being actively encouraged to act on their approvals. There is a budget in place of €395m for the duration of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
216. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the new hen harrier scheme; when details of the new scheme will be published and open for applications; when the first payments will issue; the budget allocated under the rural development programme 2014 to 2020 to this scheme; and the amount of funding expended to date under the relevant rural development programme measure. [47544/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset, I should stress that this is a locally-led programme, which is not directly administered by my Department. The design and management of the programme are primarily matters for the local project team, who will work closely with my Department, as this is rolled-out.
The design work for the new Hen Harrier programme has already commenced following the appointment of a locally-led Project Team earlier this year. The Project Team has now completed a series of consultation meetings with farmers in the six designated Hen Harrier Special Protected Areas (SPAs), at which more than 500 farmers attended. A seminar for advisors took place in September, and comprehensive training courses are planned for January 2018 and May 2018. The scientific officers in the team have carried out Hen Harrier monitoring in all SACs and preliminary results from this campaign will be available within weeks. Work is also progressing on detailed Terms & Conditions for the new programme.
I understand that the first expressions of interest from farmers in taking part in the new programme will be invited before the end of 2017. Unlike other schemes, the new hen harrier programme will not be tied to calendar years and this provides for greater flexibility in both recruitment and payment. At this point in time I have no firm projections for payments in relation to 2017 or 2018 – this is something the Project Team is examining and will advise my Department in due course.
A budget of some €25 million has been allocated for the hen harrier programme. It is worth noting that a significant framework of support for farmers with hen-harrier designated land is already in place through my Department's agri-environment scheme GLAS. Under GLAS, farmers with hen harrier habitat qualify for a payment of €370 per hectare and can earn up to €7,000 per annum through a combination of GLAS and GLAS Plus payments. The GLAS Hen Harrier action has proved hugely successful, with some 2,678 farmers now signed up. This accounts for almost 70% of all farmers with hen harrier habitat and represents a major step forward in the conservation of the bird and in securing important additional income for the farmers concerned.
217. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the current demarcation between a waste licence and a waste permit of 100,000 tonnes is due to be updated; if so, the timeframe for change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47351/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations 2007, S.I. 821 of 2007 set out waste activities which may be authorised under a waste facility permit or certificate of registration as opposed to being authorised under a waste licence. Different thresholds (above which a licence is required) apply to different waste activities, depending on the nature of the waste activity concerned.
The Regional Waste Management Offices published a report on construction and demolition waste (soil and stone) recovery and disposal capacity in December last year. The report made a number of recommendations, including that consideration should be given to increasing the maximum tonnage of soil and stone which could be recovered at a facility authorised under a waste facility permit (currently set at 100,000 tonnes over the lifetime of the facility for that particular waste activity).
My Department intends to publish a consultation paper shortly to seek the views of stakeholders on the thresholds set in the Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations 2007, S.I. 821 of 2007 for the recovery of soil and stone. A decision on whether the existing limit should be amended will be made after the submissions on the issue have been considered.
218. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount expended to date on the energy refurbishment scheme for persons on fuel allowance that have respiratory conditions; the budget for 2017; the anticipated budget for 2018; the number of homes that have been dealt with under this scheme to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47358/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Warmth and Wellbeing scheme is a pilot initiative being delivered under the Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty and the Healthy Ireland Framework. The main aim of the scheme, which began in 2016, is to demonstrate the positive effects that making homes warmer and more energy efficient can have on the health and wellbeing of people in energy poverty who are living with a chronic respiratory condition. An independent research project will assess the impact the scheme is having. At the conclusion of the scheme, and with independent evidence on its effectiveness, the potential for a wider rollout will be considered.
In total, 312 homes have been upgraded so far under the scheme, with another 184 homes currently having work done. A further 118 homes are at survey stage. There is an additional list of of applicants who have been referred to the scheme as applications are coming in every week. This list will expand over the winter months and those people will have their upgrades carried out as early as possible in 2018. This type of work cannot always take place during the winter months.
I expect to allocate at least €20m in funding in total to this three year (2016-2018) pilot to provide for the upgrade of at least 1,500 homes. This is the minimum size needed to develop the evidence base on the impact on the health outcomes of participants of making their homes more energy efficient and warmer, and make the business case for a wider rollout of the scheme.
The Deputy may also be aware that the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is available on a nationwide basis to low income households who are at risk of energy poverty. More information on this scheme is available on SEAI’s website at: http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Warmer_Homes_Scheme/About_the_BEWH.html or Freephone: 1800 250 204
219. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when e-fibre broadband will be extended to an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47457/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) will ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector so that to date approximately 1.5m or 65% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband and this footprint is expanding. By 2020, 90% of premises In Ireland will have access high speed broadband.
In April I published an updated High Speed Broadband Map, available at www.broadband.gov.ie, which outlines how premises around the country will be able to access a high speed broadband service. Premises are separated by colour into 3 categories.
- The AMBER areas on the High Speed Broadband Map represent the areas that will require State Intervention.
- The BLUE areas represent those areas where commercial telecommunications providers are either currently delivering or have indicated plans to deliver high speed broadband services.
- LIGHT BLUE areas are part of eir’s planned rural deployment of high speed broadband to 300,000 premises.
The map shows that of the 56 premises in the townland of Ballyhide, 46% fall within the AMBER area, 13% are in BLUE areas and 41% are in LIGHT BLUE.
Individuals can themselves check whether their premises are in an AMBER, BLUE or LIGHT BLUE area by accessing the High Speed Broadband Map and entering their Eircode at www.broadband.gov.ie. The premises at the Eircode detailed by the Deputy is in the LIGHT BLUE area and is part of eir's planned rural deployment of high speed broadband.
My Department is engaged in an on-going procurement process to select a company or companies who will roll-out a new high speed broadband network for the State led intervention. A significant milestone in that process was reached in September with the submission of "Detailed Solutions" by two bidders. This is the last stage of the procurement process before receipt of final tenders and ultimate progression to the appointment of a preferred bidder(s).
To improve both mobile and broadband services in rural Ireland in advance of the roll-out of the high speed broadband network to be built in the State intervention area I established, in July 2016, a Task force to identify solutions which can be implemented in the short, medium and long term to alleviate mobile phone and broadband coverage deficits, to identify priority areas for roll-out and investigate how better services could be provided to consumers. These solutions will enhance the existing services prior to the full build and roll-out of the network planned under the NBP State-led intervention.
Under this Task force, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen. These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities. The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements with operators and clearing obstacles to developing infrastructure. There is a link to a list of these local Broadband Officers on my Department's website.
220. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has satisfied himself that a company (details supplied) has complied with the agreement signed with his Department in the roll-out of rural broadband; if there has been adjustment made to the target dates for this roll-out to the end of 2018; if he has satisfied himself that it will complete this programme as promised in connecting 300,000 houses and premises by the end of 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47458/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra221. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises which have access to high speed broadband to date under a contract signed by his Department with a company (details supplied); if this is in line with the target agreed with the company; if not, the steps he will take to deal with the failure to comply with the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47459/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together.
The Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP) will ensure high speed broadband access (minimum 30 megabits per second) to all premises in Ireland via a combination of commercial investment and State Intervention. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecommunications sector so that to date approximately 1.5m or 65% of the 2.3m premises in Ireland can get high speed broadband. By 2020 it is expected that 90% of premises in Ireland will have access to high speed broadband.
In April 2017, I signed a Commitment Agreement with eir in relation to its plans to provide High speed broadband to 300,000 premises in rural areas on a commercial basis. eir has committed to completing the rollout by the end of 2018. Information on eir's planned rural deployment is available at http://fibrerollout.ie/eircode-lookup/. A copy of the Commitment Agreement is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie.
Quarterly updates are published on this website. Q1 and Q2 quarterly targets to date have been achieved by eir and published on the website.
Evaluation by my Department of the Q3 update for eir's rural deployment is at an advanced stage and indicates that eir has met its Q3 target of 101,000 premises passed. County by county statistics are available on my Departments website for Q2 and can be viewed at http://www.dccae.gov.ie/documents/County%20Statistics.pdf. The statistics for Q3 will be published on my Department's website in the coming weeks.
222. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that Fáilte Ireland and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, adhere to an agreement reached with representatives of the golf course industry to erect motorway signposting for those courses that receive the quality and standards certification. [47340/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and operation of individual roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
TII has, therefore, overall responsibility for signposting on the national road network and TII's 'Policy on the Provision of Tourist and Leisure Signage on National Roads' publication provides detailed guidance in relation to tourist-leisure and advertising-commercial signage.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
223. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for a sports capital grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47341/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme closed for applications on 24 February. By the closing date, a record number of 2,320 applications seeking €155 million in grants were received. I can confirm that an application has been submitted by the organisation referred to.
The assessment of all the 2,320 applications is now nearing completion and I expect to be in a position to announce full details of the allocations in the coming weeks.
224. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the names of the clubs and organisations in Dublin 24 that applied for sports capital funding in 2017. [47387/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme closed for applications on 24 February. By the closing date, a record number of 2,320 applications seeking €155 million in grants were received. A list of all applications received is available on the Department’s website at http://www.dttas.ie/sport/english/sports-capital-programme-applications-received.
The assessment of all applications is now nearing completion and I expect to be in a position to announce full details of the allocations in the coming weeks.
