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Thursday, 1 Feb 2018

Written Answers Nos. 354-356

EU Directives

Ceisteanna (354)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

354. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on proposals by an organisation (details supplied) regarding the implementation of the EU birds and habitats directive. [5169/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has commenced engagement and dialogue with representative of the sectorial organisations on their request for a review of the earlier agreement on the implementation of the Nature Directives. The proposals raised by the sectorial organisations will form part of the dialogue in relation to the review of this agreement.

National Parks and Wildlife Service

Ceisteanna (355)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

355. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of restoring the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, farm plan scheme to the scale that operated in funding and participation levels before adjustments were made to its operation in 2010; the number of persons who participated in the NPWS farm plan scheme in each of the years 2010 to 2017; the funding allocated and expended on the programme in each of the years 2010 to 2017, in tabular form [5170/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has operated a farm plan scheme since 2006. Over 650 farm plans were approved under this voluntary scheme. Farmers have been incentivised to go above and beyond their statutory requirements in designated lands for particular habitats or species. One of the primary aims of the scheme is to trial bespoke measures for enhanced management of biodiversity at farm level, with a view to informing current and future measures under the Rural Development Programme.

The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme was entirely exchequer-funded. At its peak, the costs of the scheme were circa €5 million per annum. The scheme was scaled back in 2010 due to budgetary constraints arising from the financial crisis. Some of the measures previously supported in the NPWS farm plan scheme are now provided for under GLAS, the national agri-environmental scheme. It is appropriate and sensible in my view to use EU funding, via the RDP, insofar as possible, to fund measures required under the EU Nature Directives.

The number of farmers that participated in the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme and the funding allocated and expended on the programme in each of the years 2010 to 2017 are outlined in the following table. Some payments relating to actions undertaken in 2017 will be made in 2018 for administrative reasons.

Year

Number of contracts

Budgetary allocation

Actual expenditure

2010

546

€5.10m

€3.75

2011

667

€5.38m

€4.4m

2012

616

€5.14m

€3.96m

2013

415

€4.44m

€3.45m

2014

361

€3.14m

€2.67m

2015

176

€1.74m

€1.3m

2016

53

€1.00m

€0.44m

2017

45

€0.56m

€0.41m

Apprenticeship Data

Ceisteanna (356)

Niall Collins

Ceist:

356. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of persons enrolled in apprenticeships in her Department and State agencies under her remit, by gender, in tabular form; and if she will list each such apprenticeship. [5253/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The information sought by the Deputy is as provided in the following table:

State Agency

Apprenticeship Scheme (Y/N)

Total No. Participating

No. Male Apprentices

No. Female Apprentices

Details

Irish Museum of Modern Art

Y

1

-

1

Accounts Technicians Apprenticeship

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