Tuesday, 12 Dec 2017

Written Answers Nos. 370-389

Basic Payment Scheme Payments

Ceisteanna (370)

Kevin O'Keeffe

Ceist:

370. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under a specific scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [52659/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

An application in respect of the 2017 Basic Payment Scheme was received on 7 May 2017. Processing of this application is now complete and payment has issued to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Questions Nos. 371 to 374, inclusive, answered with Question No. 367.

Beef Data and Genomics Programme

Ceisteanna (375)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

375. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the approximate additional annual increase in Exchequer funding needed for the beef data and genomics programme if compensation were to be fixed at rates (details supplied), in tabular form. [52695/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The information sought is currently being compiled and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Equine Data

Ceisteanna (376)

John Brady

Ceist:

376. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of horses impounded, euthanised and re-homed in each year since 2010; and the costs involved, by county, in tabular form. [52699/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Details of horse seizures and associated statistics by county are in the tables.

Overall figures for 2017 are not yet fully collated but the indications are that they will continue to reduce in line with the trend over recent years.

2016 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2016	Horses Seized 2016	Total Rehomed 2016	No of Horses Euthanised 2016
Carlow Co. Council	€32,725	76	0	76
Cavan Co. Council	€1,425	4	0	4
Clare Co. Council	€6,375	11	0	10
Cork Co. Council	€29,375	91	20	58
Cork City Council	€16,152	47	7	36
Donegal Co. Council	€5,100	19	9	10
Dublin City Council	€59,825	193	12	176
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€103,625	266	12	250
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€10,350	29	3	26
Fingal Co. Council	€47,375	161	13	146
Galway City Council	€0	64	0	64
Galway Co. Council	€10,410	40	25	15
Kerry Co. Council	€9,375	28	0	28
Kildare Co. Council	€78,801	155	8	141
Kilkenny Co. Council	€17,575	52	2	46
Laois Co. Council	€30,675	66	2	61
Leitrim Co. Council	€3,430	16	10	6
Limerick City & County	€83,465	209	16	179
Longford Co. Council	€5,300	19	17	2
Louth Co. Council	€5,450	23	11	10
Mayo Co. Council	€5,569	0	0	0
Meath Co. Council	€20,625	80	3	59
Monaghan Co. Council	€5,850	29	22	2
Offaly Co. Council	€24,000	66	0	63
Roscommon Co. Council	€0	0	0	0
Sligo Co. Council	€1,875	19	19	0
Tipperary County	€47,775	129	4	122
Waterford City & County Council	€8,325	32	3	28
Westmeath Co. Council	€10,644	50	12	26
Wexford Co. Council	€24,800	89	39	45
Wicklow Co. Council	€18,900	65	8	55
Totals	€725,171	2128	277	1744

2015 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2015	No. Of Horses seized 2015	No. of Horses rehomed 2015	No. of Horses Euthanised 2015
Carlow Co. Council	€18,600.00	69	4	61
Cavan Co. Council	€2,920.00	25	0	25
Clare Co. Council	€22,437.00	47	0	45
Cork Co. Council	€43,700.00	155	14	118
Cork City Council	€13,209.43	54	4	44
Donegal Co. Council	€2,440.00	10	8	2
Dublin City Council	€58,900.00	145	19	119
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€90,200.00	231	24	198
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€10,425.00	25	0	25
Fingal Co. Council	€45,400.00	145	15	121
Galway City Council	€0.00	81	0	81
Galway Co. Council	€35,400.00	94	56	37
Kerry Co. Council	€5,325.00	24	6	17
Kildare Co. Council	€79,875.00	273	17	236
Kilkenny Co. Council	€33,750.00	75	5	68
Laois Co. Council	€31,800.00	111	0	105
Leitrim Co. Council	€4,575.00	26	18	8
Limerick City & County	€141,003.11	343	15	318
Longford Co. Council	€7,175.00	41	27	14
Louth Co. Council	€11,900.00	43	2	29
Mayo Co. Council	€0.00	0	0	0
Meath Co. Council	€33,465.00	40	11	27
Monaghan Co. Council	€18,762.42	35	11	23
Offaly Co. Council	€35,700.00	101	0	96
Roscommon Co. Council	€0.00	0	0	0
Sligo Co. Council	€1,050.00	14	13	1
Tipperary (North Riding) Co. Council	€51,200.00	54	1	53
Tipperary (South Riding) Co. Council	€23,425.00	43	2	40
Tipperary County		55	0	53
Waterford City Council	€450.00	19	0	18
Waterford Co. Council	€1,740.38	13	0	11
Waterford City & County Council	€10,087.50	7	0	4
Westmeath Co. Council	€18,785.85	61	6	33
Wexford Co. Council	€29,075.00	86	28	57
Wicklow Co. Council	€70,084.18	138	30	104
Totals	€952,859.87	2683	336	2191

2014 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2014	No. Of Horses seized 2014	No. of Horses rehomed 2014	No. of Horses Euthanised 2014
Carlow Co. Council	€ 44,011	95	9	81
Cavan Co. Council	€ 100	3	0	3
Clare Co. Council	€ 12,243	35	0	35
Cork Co. Council	€ 90,988	176	0	159
Cork City Council	€ 43,271	87	0	69
Donegal Co. Council	€ 12,600	13	0	13
Dublin City Council	€ 158,135	328	21	300
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€ 196,683	469	12	435
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€ 10,600	19	0	19
Fingal Co. Council	€ 101,725	206	10	192
Galway City Council	€ 92,346	28	0	28
Galway Co. Council	€ -	239	37	196
Kerry Co. Council	€ 13,334	19	3	15
Kildare Co. Council	€ 189,945	465	45	392
Kilkenny Co. Council	€ 39,659	89	2	81
Laois Co. Council	€ 106,861	213	9	174
Leitrim Co. Council	€ 27,700	76	32	44
Limerick City & County	€ 202,192	413	1	395
Longford Co. Council	€ 9,400	56	37	10
Louth Co. Council	€ 31,051	91	9	70
Mayo Co. Council	€ 152,253	339	78	261
Meath Co. Council	€ 48,425	107	15	88
Monaghan Co. Council	€ 20,972	66	2	61
Offaly Co. Council	€ 66,848	162	0	159
Roscommon Co. Council	€ 66,888	64	5	59
Sligo Co. Council	€ 28,500	160	44	111
Tipperary (North Riding) Co. Council	€ 68,625	193	0	192
Tipperary (South Riding) Co. Council	€ 64,500	131	3	128
Waterford City Council	€ 19,985	26	0	16
Waterford Co. Council	€ 10,251	34	7	14
Westmeath Co. Council	€ 45,502	81	11	51
Wexford Co. Council	€ 104,244	187	9	164
Wicklow Co. Council	€ 168,402	253	15	216
Totals	€ 2,248,237	4923	416	4231

2013 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2013	No. Of Horses seized	No. of Horses rehomed 2013	No. of Horses Euthanised 2013
Carlow Co. Council	€79,076.51	82	10	68
Cavan Co. Council		0	0	0
Clare Co. Council	€68,436.95	47	0	37
Cork Co. Council	€113,992.80	227	2	147
Cork City Council	€75,014.47	173	6	120
Donegal Co. Council	€29,070.27	40	2	29
Dublin City Council	€239,471.43	332	10	320
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€220,582.86	322	16	283
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€41,467.86	61	5	49
Fingal Co. Council	€65,888.74	117	3	99
Galway City Council
Galway Co. Council	€282,081.88	327	38	283
Kerry Co. Council	€41,240.50	37	4	32
Kildare Co. Council	€160,256.23	322	1	308
Kilkenny Co. Council	€81,906.92	99	9	87
Laois Co. Council	€184,868.07	215	18	173
Leitrim Co. Council	€8,142.24	20	2	18
Limerick Co. Council	€115,936.57	130	1	125
Limerick City Council	€208,499.56	222	0	208
Longford Co. Council	€8,479.66	25	12	6
Louth Co. Council	€63,216.53	145	12	107
Mayo Co. Council	€92,479.00	202	100	101
Meath Co. Council	€90,448.48	175	6	167
Monaghan Co. Council	€27,946.80	96	3	86
Offaly Co. Council	€35,100.71	60	15	45
Roscommon Co. Council	€106,549.32	235	28	197
Sligo Co. Council	€39,732.50	89	15	70
Tipperary (North Riding) Co. Council	€60,384.58	92	0	83
Tipperary (South Riding) Co. Council	€73,597.63	123	13	103
Waterford City Council	€47,284.16	60	0	45
Waterford Co. Council	€23,315.22	18	0	16
Westmeath Co. Council	€77,723.03	115	37	67
Wexford Co. Council	€76,992.15	162	16	136
Wicklow Co. Council	€186,415.58	357	23	317
Totals	€3,025,599.21	4,727	407	3932

2012 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2012	No. Horses Seized 2012	No. Of Horses Re-homed 2012	No. of Horses Euthanised 2012
Carlow Co. Council	€4,922.40	27	2	22
Cavan Co. Council	€0.00	9	7	0
Clare Co. Council	€110,056.30	66	0	60
Cork Co. Council	€149,952.30	161	19	58
Cork City Council	€88,207.04	51	4	20
Donegal Co. Council	€0.00	20	5	15
Dublin City Council	€237,663.45	254	5	239
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€0.00	379	28	287
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€25,052.22	7	0	7
Fingal Co. Council	€110,648.79	145	13	102
Galway City Council		50	0	50
Galway Co. Council	€11,503.25	84	9	59
Kerry Co. Council	€88,968.22	21	4	12
Kildare Co. Council	€91,100.92	130	13	92
Kilkenny Co. Council	€79,014.17	80	9	58
Laois Co. Council	€132,446.36	243	2	222
Leitrim Co. Council	€20,014.06	18	0	18
Limerick Co. Council	€171,593.85	123	3	108
Limerick City Council	€307,979.69	215	5	193
Longford Co. Council	€250.00	4	2	2
Louth Co. Council	€18,656.22	39	8	25
Mayo Co. Council	€157,617.37	200	163	30
Meath Co. Council	€51,519.61	84	8	53
Monaghan Co. Council	€369.88	7	0	7
Offaly Co. Council		0	0	0
Roscommon Co. Council	€8,442.80	8	0	6
Sligo Co. Council	€30,574.61	34	15	15
Tipperary (North Riding) Co. Council	€68,707.83	91	0	91
Tipperary (South Riding) Co. Council	€67,209.48	51	14	27
Waterford Co. Council	€16,152.34	5	0	4
Waterford City Council		40	1	19
Westmeath Co. Council	€76,689.85	109	18	81
Wexford Co. Council	€37,287.50	63	5	43
Wicklow Co. Council	€36,518.11	151	22	100
Totals	€2,199,118.62	2969	384	2125

2011 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2011	No. Horses Seized 2011	No. Of Horses Re-homed 2011	No. of Horses Euthanised 2011
Carlow Co. Council	€12,445.90	18	0	0
Cavan Co. Council	€0.00	10	7	0
Clare Co. Council	€70,637.36	50	1	41
Cork Co. Council	€108,389.58	144	12	45
Cork City Council	€144,427.22	123	17	70
Donegal Co. Council	€0.00	0	0	0
Dublin City Council	€391,616.39	342	71	249
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€187,872.00	304	50	229
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€61,856.88	38	29	0
Fingal Co. Council	€187,902.70	161	23	105
Galway City Council		0	0	0
Galway Co. Council	€26,479.06	52	0	46
Kerry Co. Council	€99,771.07	28	0	16
Kildare Co. Council	€63,160.95	103	41	32
Kilkenny Co. Council	€92,790.93	91	32	28
Laois Co. Council	€96,582.67	185	95	52
Leitrim Co. Council	€14,706.07	40	3	37
Limerick Co. Council	€152,294.85	113	3	59
Limerick City Council	€361,802.48	259	10	217
Longford Co. Council	€624.25	5	4	1
Louth Co. Council	€27,876.85	8	2	6
Mayo Co. Council	€79,932.08	193	86	95
Meath Co. Council	€35,703.65	83	14	36
Monaghan Co. Council	€109.31	0	0	0
Offaly Co. Council	€48,067.55	59	31	0
Roscommon Co. Council	€6,022.94	8	0	8
Sligo Co. Council	€44,879.96	81	22	56
Tipperary (North Riding) Co. Council	€65,123.86	125	78	37
Tipperary (South Riding) Co. Council	€78,675.41	28	0	21
Waterford Co. Council	€37,790.11	14	1	13
Waterford City Council		7	0	5
Westmeath Co. Council	€53,129.00	96	23	54
Wexford Co. Council	€38,136.00	30	21	0
Wicklow Co. Council	€115,823.80	138	66	34
Totals	€2,704,630.88	2936	742	1592

2010 Statistics

City/County Co's	DAFM Funding to Support LA 2010	No. Horses Seized 2010	No. Of Horses Re-homed 2010	No. of Horses Euthanised 2010
Carlow Co. Council		18	0	6
Cavan Co. Council		11	7	0
Clare Co. Council	€90,350.15	24	20	4
Cork Co. Council	€104,569.90	134	37	17
Cork City Council	€95,838.34	152	60	28
Donegal Co. Council		0	0	0
Dublin City Council	€537,563.89	446	228	208
Sth Dublin Co. Council	€221,522.20	133	78	53
Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	€71,705.11	23	5	2
Fingal Co. Council	€314,964.82	341	197	70
Galway City Council		0	0	0
Galway Co. Council		45	31	2
Kerry Co. Council	€116,499.14	20	8	3
Kildare Co. Council	€62,405.69	66	0	51
Kilkenny Co. Council	€62,815.84	92	27	14
Laois Co. Council	€59,865.86	61	53	1
Leitrim Co. Council	€13,623.08	26	25	1
Limerick Co. Council	€207,131.65	144	46	19
Limerick City Council	€264,556.90	179	91	73
Longford Co. Council		4	0	2
Louth Co. Council	€21,633.31	16	12	1
Mayo Co. Council	€11,342.07	20	20	0
Meath Co. Council		6	3	3
Monaghan Co. Council	€683.94	1	0	1
Offaly Co. Council		14	0	10
Roscommon Co. Council	€10,189.70	19	18	1
Sligo Co. Council	€2,350.22	22	4	3
Tipperary (North Riding) Co. Council	€25,364.53	103	52	7
Tipperary (South Riding) Co. Council	€81,870.87	45	2	22
Waterford Co. Council	€30,195.89	4	3	0
Waterford City Council		38	1	19
Westmeath Co. Council	€20,636.41	25	4	17
Wexford Co. Council		74	32	10
Wicklow Co. Council	€38,866.66	112	41	11
Totals	€2,466,546.17	2418	1105	659

GLAS Payments

Ceisteanna (377)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

377. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 356 of 14 November 2017, if farmers and planners will be paid before Christmas 2017 for the GLAS training courses as previously advised (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52753/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

It is expected that payments in respect of course participants will begin to issue to approved GLAS trainers before the end of this month.

The payment to facilitators will then follow starting the following month subject to them satisfactorily confirming that their course participants have been paid in full.

Common Agricultural Policy Review

Ceisteanna (378, 379, 380, 381)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

378. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming on degressive payments; and his understanding of this proposal and the principle of degressive payments. [52769/17]

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

379. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming of a compulsory capping of direct payments taking into account labour to avoid negative effects on jobs. [52770/17]

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

380. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming of an enhanced focus on a redistributive payment in order to be able to provide support in a targeted manner to small and to medium-sized farms. [52771/17]

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

381. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming of ensuring support is targeted to genuine farmers, focusing on persons who are actively farming in order to earn their living. [52772/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 to 381, inclusive, together.

I welcome the publication by the European Commission on 29 November of the CAP Communication titled “The Future of Food and Farming”.

The document comes against the backdrop of the Commission White Paper on the Future of Europe published on 1 March 2017, and the public consultation on the future of the CAP carried out in the first half of 2017. The Communication proposes a simpler CAP, with a sharper focus on objectives and results, particularly in the environmental area. I welcome the commitment that Direct Payments should remain an essential part of CAP, as they provide an important safety net for family farms and ensure there is agricultural activity in all parts of the EU.

The Communication outlines a number of possibilities that should be explored to improve the targeting of direct payments, including compulsory capping of payments, degressive payments and redistributive payments to small or medium size farms. It also suggests that support is targeted to genuine farmers, focussing on those who are actively farming in order to earn their living.

My Department is currently reviewing the Communication but of course detailed proposals will only emerge in the context of legislative provisions to be presented by Summer 2018.

Degressivity involves the reduction of payments above a certain threshold. Under the current CAP, degressivity was possible for payments exceeding €150,000. Ireland has effectively decided to limit the maximum amount payable to an applicant under the Basic Payment Scheme (excluding the Greening Payment) to €150,000 per annum by applying 100% degressivity after that amount, as provided for under Article 11 of Regulation 1307/2013.

The Deputy will be aware that the 2016 Programme for Government, proposed a lowering of the cap on basic payments from €150,000 to €100,000. An opportunity to address this issue may arise in the context of the proposed CAP Reform.

Common Agricultural Policy Reform

Ceisteanna (382)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

382. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the new measure agreed following the recent agreement at EU level of omnibus CAP regulations regarding simplification; when the changes will take effect here; and the impact the changes will have on ANC payments in 2018. [52773/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In September 2016, under its mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014 - 2020, the Commission submitted its so-called Omnibus Proposal,  which revised the general financial rules concerning multiannual programmes across 15 sectoral acts,  including the CAP regulations.

The Omnibus Regulation has not yet been signed into law, but the agriculture elements are expected to enter into force early in the New Year.  While there are many elements within the proposal, the most substantial include a deferral to 2019 of the requirement to review ANC areas, a facility allowing member states to cease applying the administrative checks to determine if applicants for schemes meet the definition of active farmer, a facility to provide Young Farmers Scheme payments to applicants for five years from the date of application, regardless of their establishment date, and a facility to apply a linear cut to BPS payments to fund categories "specific disadvantage. 

The proposal also modifies the conditions attaching to rural development schemes supporting insurance contracts and income stabilisation tools, although Ireland's Rural Development Programme does not include such provisions.   

In addition, if the regulation enters into force in early 2018, it allows 2018 ANC payments to be made before 16 October 2018, subject to the requisite checks and controls being undertaken.

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (383)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

383. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the fact that the November 2017 Exchequer returns show that his Department was running €129 million behind profile in gross voted expenditure for the first 11 months of 2017. [52774/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A profile of projected expenditure on a monthly basis is drawn up at the beginning of each year to anticipate the Department’s funding requirements and facilitate financial management over the course of the year. The timing of expenditure 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 incidences and payment of compensation, etc.

As mentioned by the Deputy, the Department’s expenditure at the end of November was behind profile by €128.5m, of which €87.6m is current and €40.9 is capital. Some of this amount arises in budget lines such as pay, research and the sheep welfare scheme where we are now certain the full allocation will not be required this year. In other cases some of the expenditure profiled for earlier months, though delayed, may arise before the year end.

Earlier this month I sought and received permission from the Dail via the supplementary estimates process to reallocate funds from some areas where savings were certain to provide funding  for existing schemes such as GLAS and ANCs and new initiatives particularly in relation to Brexit and  the World Food Programme. Most of this extra expenditure has not yet taken place so it is not reflected in the end of November figures.  

The Department’s staff are fully focussed on ensuring that scheme payments are made to eligible recipients in all schemes and in this regard the submission of Nutrient Management Plans will be an important factor in maximising payments for GLAS in 2018, which is the scheme with the most significant amount of funding yet to be paid.

Tillage Sector

Ceisteanna (384)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

384. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recommendations of the report on the tillage sector by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine; the timeframe for the implementation of the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52775/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Firstly I want to welcome the Report recently published by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and will be writing directly to the Committee on foot of their report in due course. The Tillage Sector is a very important sector to the agricultural economy, making a vital contribution to both the food and feedstuffs sector and in this connection I want to highlight the actions my Department has undertaken this year to assist this vital sector.

I introduced the Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme in January of this year and extended it to cover the tillage and horticulture sectors. The banks have advised that all of the €150m available under the scheme has been committed and is in the process of being drawn down. There has been a very positive reaction by farmers, including tillage farmers, to the Scheme, which has proved that significant demand exists for low cost flexible finance. I met with the Chief Executives of the participating banks to discuss this and other access to finance issues relating to the agri-food sector. I have asked the banks to respond positively to the demand that has been demonstrated by reducing interest rates and providing more flexible terms for cash flow loans in the future. The “Agriculture Cashflow Loan Scheme” has provided a template for access to finance schemes, including the recently announced “Brexit Loan Scheme” for SMEs. I announced in the Budget that I have secured funding of €25 million for my Department to facilitate the development of new Brexit response loan schemes during 2018 for farmers, fishermen and food businesses.

As a further support to tillage farmers the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme under TAMS II opened for online applications on the 8 March 2017. The specific areas of investment include Minimum Disturbance Tillage Equipment, Sprayers, Rain Water Harvesting, Grain Storage and Grain dryers.  All applications must be made on-line, either by the farmer or by an adviser authorised to act on his or her behalf.  The second tranche of support under this scheme closed on Friday the 6 October 2017.  There has been a significant level of interest in investments by the tillage sector with a total number of 687 applications now received (including most recent tranche) and 457 approvals have now issued with payments and approvals continuing on an ongoing basis. This Tillage Scheme is the latest of the Targeted Modernisation Schemes (TAMS II) to be launched under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The Scheme is co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

In addition to these measures on the 26 July 2017 in response to the exceptionally challenging harvest conditions of September 2016 I introduced a Weather Related Crop Loss Support measure to assist farmers who experienced significant yield losses in spring cereal crops. This measure provides for 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, on the same area.

Fishing Communities

Ceisteanna (385)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

385. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the recommendations of the 2014 report on promoting sustainable rural coastal and island communities by the Joint Sub-Committee on Fisheries that have been implemented to date; the recommendations of the report that have yet to be implemented; the reason for the delay in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52776/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Sub-Committee report to which the Deputy refers made a number of recommendations which concerned a range of Government policies including natural resources, marine safety and social protection.  I intend to address progress on aspects relevant to my remit as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. 

A number of the recommendations have been superseded by initiatives which have taken place. 

In relation to representation structures for the industry for instance, the National Inshore Fisheries Forum (NIFF) and Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums (RIFFs) provide arenas for inshore fishermen to develop proposals on inshore fisheries management, including compliance and data gathering. The NIFF is representative of the fishing boats of less than 12 m overall length in the fishing fleet.  The focus on the NIFF work programme is on fisheries management in the coastal waters within 6 nautical miles.  The NIFF is taking the lead in setting priorities for policy development including ongoing work in developing a dedicated strategy for the inshore sector. 

To date, the twelve NIFF meetings have led to very constructive two-way conversations on issues of mutual concern, industry priorities, emerging policies & initiatives.  NIFF members are now included on a number of fisheries consultative structures including the Quota Management Advisory Committee, the Industry Science Fisheries Partnership, the SFPA Consultative Committee, the EMFF Operational Programme Monitoring Committee and BIM/Bord Bia Market Advisory Group.  This gives the inshore sector a role in making recommendations on range of fisheries policy matters including on allocation of Ireland’s quotas, on data collection and scientific research.  Perhaps most important of these is that the NIFF now has a say on how funding is utilised including through the Inshore Fisheries Conservation Scheme.

The Sub-Committee’s report refers to managing the lobster and shrimp fisheries.  Changes came into effect in 2014 regarding the management of these fisheries, following on from an extensive consultation process.  In more recent times lobster in particular has been a feature of the agenda of the meetings which I have had with the NIFF and I look forward to a discussion with NIFF on the review of the effectiveness of the current conservation measures in 2018. 

With regard to the mackerel quota, there has been a change to the way this is allocated.  For 2017 and future years, the 87% to 13% share out of the quota between the Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) pelagic fleet and polyvalent segment of the fleet will remain unchanged.  Where Ireland’s quota exceeds 90,000 tonnes, the quota shall be shared on a 80% to 20% basis between the pelagic and polyvalent fleet.  A minimum of 2% of the mackerel quota, or 1,000 tonnes, whichever is the greater will be deducted annually for demersal swaps before any share out between segments is undertaken.

There is an open mackerel fishery for vessels under 18 metres in length.  An amount of 2.5% of the overall polyvalent Mackerel Quota has been set aside for this fishery and a monthly catch limit is used.  This catch limit is recommended each month by the Whitefish Quota Management Advisory Committee which consists of fishing industry representatives. For 2017, under 18 m Boats may fish 5 tonnes per month.  In the last number of years much of this quota has remained under-utilised.

The sub-committee made a recommendation with regard to “minor fishing infractions”.  In November 2014, my Department published a public consultation document in the form of a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of a proposal for a Bill to amend the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 to provide for, inter alia, a system of fixed penalty notices (“on the spot” fines) for minor fisheries offences. This provided the possibility of creating a subset of minor offences which are legally suitable to be dealt with by way of fixed penalty notices. 

In summary, the process suggested in the RIA involved giving a person who was alleged to have committed a minor offence an option to pay a fixed payment which would mean that a prosecution would not be taken in the Courts.  If the payment was not received within 28 days, the prosecution would be initiated in the courts and on conviction it was expected that a higher fine would be applied.

A number of industry submissions received under the RIA on the implementation of fixed penalty notices raised concerns that these would be used in place of verbal or written warnings.  Other comments raised concerns regarding potential inequalities in the application of the system between different Sea Fisheries Protection Authority Port Officers and Naval Service personnel.  There were also comments regarding the constitutionality of applying sanctions in the absence of a Court decision and others seeking a fully administrative system.  In light of the comments submitted in respect of the above proposal on a fixed penalty system, it was decided not to proceed with the introduction such a system.

With regard to fishing infrastructure, it is important to say that my Department owns, maintains and directly manages six Fishery Harbour Centres.  The network of Harbours, located at Killybegs, Ros an Mhíl, An Daingean, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth, are a valuable and vital resource to the Irish fishing fleet. The Fishery Harbour Centres provide state of the art facilities and infrastructure for the increasingly mobile and large scale Irish and EU fishing industries.

In 2017, I allocated a total of €3.8 million to the Local Authority Programme.  This vital funding targeted 67 approved Local Authority projects with a wide geographical spread, 55 of which are harbour development requiring funding of €2.94 million and 12 relate to marine leisure requiring funding of €879,750.  The infrastructure supported will be of great benefit to many rural coastal and island communities.

With regard to progress on aquaculture, in May 2017 I published the report of the Independent Review Group on aquaculture licensing which contained 30 key recommendations across a full range of activities.  Additional staff have been assigned to the Aquaculture licensing division of the Department so as to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations.

My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme is the vehicle for financial supports to the seafood sector up to 2021.  The Programme delivers a wide range of supports for aquaculture, fisheries and seafood processing through a suite of 15 schemes including specifically in relation to Fisheries Local Action Groups.  Individual schemes are administered by BIM and I will ask BIM to update the Deputy on recommendations relevant to its remit. 

In summary, there are a number of recommendations not relevant to the remit of my Department and I have endeavoured to give the Deputy an update on relevant matters, including policy developments, which have occurred since the report was published. I would like to assure the Deputy that this Government is fully committed to the seafood sector and the coastal communities who are dependent on fisheries and aquaculture.

Beef Exports

Ceisteanna (386)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

386. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the State has applied for beef export access to Iran following the recent EU agrifood trade mission to that country; and the other EU countries that have such access. [52777/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A bilateral agreement was concluded on a health certificate for the export of beef from Ireland to Iran in March 2013. Ireland now has access to export fresh chilled and frozen boneless beef, derived from animals under 30 months at slaughter, although no exports have taken place as yet.

A Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine/Bord Bia official-led trade mission to Iran took place in April 2016; this mission was an important step in gaining sheepmeat access to Iran, which was agreed later in 2016.

Commissioner Hogan met last month with the Iranian Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Health as part of his Trade Mission there.  The Iranian authorities have announced that Iran will adopt a single health certification system for exports from all EU Member States.  This single certification system will be issued at first to those Member States which are currently authorized to export, such as Ireland, and will then be extended to include all EU Member States.  The changes are expected to be introduced in the first half of 2018.

I understand that Denmark, Germany and Poland also have beef access to Iran, although like Ireland they would have had this access prior to the Commissioner's visit.

Trade Agreements

Ceisteanna (387)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

387. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will be supporting a final agreement with Mercosur countries in which beef is a component of such a deal. [52779/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I and my officials have been very active in highlighting the potentially very damaging impact of a Mercosur deal on the European agriculture sector, and on the beef sector in particular. We continue to monitor the situation closely and respond as appropriate to developments in order to defend the interests of Irish farmers, working in close co-operation with my Government colleagues, particularly the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, and the Taoiseach.  Indeed, the Taoiseach raised the matter in the course of recent meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

It must be noted that no agreement on a Mercosur deal has been finalised at this point, although the Commission did make an offer to Mercosur during the October round of negotiations which included a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for beef.  I was deeply disappointed that the Commission decided to submit this beef TRQ offer, as I believe that this could not be coming at a worse time for the EU beef sector. At political level, I have continuously raised the issue with my Member State colleagues and with Commissioners Hogan and Malmström, both within the Council of Agriculture Ministers and in written form. These efforts have been reinforced at official level through similar contacts with Member States and the Commission, particularly through the Special Committee on Agriculture and the Trade Policy Committee.

Most recently, Ireland made the latest in a series of very strong interventions on this matter at the Trade Policy Committee in Brussels on 24 November and 1 December, and I have raised the matter at the Council of Agriculture Ministers in Luxembourg in October and again in Brussels on 6 November. I have also worked very closely with a number of other Member States, most notably France, including in the production of a joint paper that was submitted to the European Commission on 26 September outlining our shared concerns.  I also wrote to Commissioner Malmström in early October, reiterating my concerns in relation to the tabling of the beef TRQ offer.  

I believe there is a need for continued vigilance in relation to the conduct of these trade negotiations; I will continue to insist that they are handled appropriately, and in a manner that safeguards the interests of the Irish and European beef sector. In this regard I believe full account must be taken of the findings of the Commission’s own assessment of the cumulative impact of trade deals on the agri food sector, and the potentially very damaging impact of Brexit on an already delicately balanced EU beef market. Against this background I will continue to build alliances with other Member states and to defend the interests of the Irish and EU beef sectors.

Pesticide Use

Ceisteanna (388)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

388. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recent reauthorisation of glyphosate; and his further views on the way in which countries that traditionally aligned with Ireland on farm issues did not support reauthorisation in this instance. [52781/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department supported the renewal of the approval of glyphosate as the latest information available from assessments completed by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Chemicals Agency concluded that glyphosate can be used safely without putting consumers or users at risk.

I believe it is important that decisions such as this are made on the basis of the best scientific information available and confidence in the rigours of the EU science based regulatory system. 

While some Member States were unable to support the approval of glyphosate, it is not anticipated that it will affect our relationships with these same Member States on issues in which we share a common interest in the future.

Departmental Operations

Ceisteanna (389)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

389. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full-time and part-time staff working directly on the environmental sustainability committee in his Department; the yearly running costs including staffing costs; the number of committee meetings held since it was established; and the current committee membership. [52782/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department provides the secretariat to the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) as part of the work of the Climate Change and Bioenergy Policy Division.

The ESC is chaired by an official from my Department at senior management level. In total, eight Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) staff are represented on the Committee, drawing together expertise from across Department divisional work areas. Additionally, representatives of DAFM agencies ( Bord Bia and Teagasc) and from other Government Departments ( DPHLG/EPA, DCCAE) participate in the Committee alongside an external expert. The committee meets on an ongoing basis and not through a permanent cohort of staffing.

There have been seven meetings since the inception of the ESC. There were also two workshops held under the aegis of the ESC: a grassland workshop entitled The Role of Sustainable Grassland in Food Wise 2025, which was held in September 2017, and a workshop entitled Adaptation to Climate Change in the Agriculture and Forest Sector, which was held in November 2016.