Written Answers Nos. 471-488
471. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the farmers' charter between his Department and farming organisations agreed on payment dates for RDP schemes in 2017 and 2018; if so, the dates agreed upon; and the payment dates for each scheme that have and have not been met. [5496/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Farmers' Charter of Rights is effectively an agreement between farm representative organisations and my Department. It sets down, inter alia, agreed target timelines for delivery of payments in respect of the schemes, including RDP schemes, operated by my Department.
The operation of a number of schemes covered by this Charter is governed by EU/National legislation while others are governed by national law only. The very ambitious targets that my Department strives to achieve under the Charter - targets which compare extremely favourably with the payment timeframes of our EU counterparts - cannot legally supersede national or EU law. The Charter cannot grant rights which would affect or change the operation of those laws in so far as they apply to the Schemes in question.
The Farmers' Charter of Rights, and the agreed targets contained therein, is available in the customer service area of my Department's website. The target payment timeframes are set out in the Charter.
A Scheme Payments Update is provided on the home page of my Department’s website. The payment data is updated by my Department every Friday.
472. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is an ongoing investigation into a company (details supplied) regarding the fraudulent processing of AEOS paperwork and applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5507/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department carried out an investigation into the submission of support documentation in relation to certain claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. The Department's Investigations Division were involved and the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigations was consulted. These investigations have been concluded.
All applications under the scheme that were held for payment pending the above investigation have been reviewed and decisions have been made in all cases. I understand that some of these cases were subsequently appealed to the Agriculture Appeals Office which upheld the original Department decisions on these cases.
474. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the land area in County Leitrim available for afforestation or agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5642/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department compiles a number of different afforestation statistics annually, which are made available on my Department's website. The National Forest Inventory (NFI) is an invaluable source of statistical information on Ireland’s forest estate.
The NFI details the forest and non-forest land for each county and 16.7% of the land in Leitrim is afforested. It is not possible to provide the percentage of agricultural land in a particular county as there is no accurate information available on the total agricultural area in each county.
475. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of new planting in County Leitrim in each of the years 2013 to 2017; the percentage of planting for each year that is broadleaf planting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5643/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department compiles a number of different afforestation statistics annually, which are made available on my Department’s website. The number of hectares of broadleaves and conifers of new planting in County Leitrim for 2013 to 2016 is indicated in the table. The figures for 2017 are currently being compiled.
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
||||
|
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
|
71.21 |
284.81 |
40.91 |
231.00 |
70.77 |
442.13 |
72.68 |
361.10 |
|
20% |
80% |
15% |
85% |
14% |
86% |
17% |
83% |
476. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of hectares of new planting in County Wicklow in each of the years 2013 to 2017; the percentage of planting for each year that is broadleaf planting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5644/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department compiles a number of different afforestation statistics annually, which are made available on my Department’s website. The number of hectares of broadleaves and conifers of new planting in County Wicklow for 2013 to 2016 is indicated in the table. The figures for 2017 are currently being compiled.
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
||||
|
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
|
53.76 |
110.59 |
52.89 |
165.68 |
17.03 |
121.78 |
37.18 |
213.44 |
|
33% |
67% |
24% |
76% |
12% |
88% |
15% |
85% |
477. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the national percentage of new broadleaf planting in each of the years 2014 to 2017, with regard to the forestry programme 2014 to 2020 and the EU state aid requirement that 30% of all planting is broadleaf planting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5645/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department compiles a number of different afforestation statistics annually, which are made available on my Department’s website. The number of hectares of broadleaves and conifers of new planting nationally for 2014 to 2016 is indicated in the table. The figures for 2017 are currently being compiled.
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|||
|
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
|
1,348.06 |
4,808.35 |
1,263.04 |
5,029.77 |
1,270.30 |
5,229.50 |
|
21.90% |
78.10% |
20.07% |
79.93% |
19.54% |
80.46% |
My Department is currently finalising a mid-term review of the implementation of the Afforestation Programme 2014-2020. This will include an assessment of the progress to date in achieving 30% planting target for broadleaf trees.
478. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for licences for forestry nationally in each of the years 2010 to 2016; the percentage of these applications that required an EIA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5646/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of applications for licences for afforestation nationally in each of the years 2010 to 2016 is set out in the table. Information on the percentage of these applications that required an EIA is currently being gathered and will be provided to the Deputy separately.
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
2367 |
1603 |
2150 |
2311 |
2170 |
1988 |
1700 |
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
479. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to change the rate of premium payments for afforestation to ensure that full-time farmers receive a higher rate payment than persons that are not dependent on farming for an income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5655/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe single premium rate for farmers, both full and part-time, and non-farmers was introduced under the Forestry Progamme 2014-2020. I do not have any plans to reinstate a farmer/non-farmer differential or to introduce higher rates solely for full time farmers.
480. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) has not received a GLAS payment; the date on which the application was received; if further information is required in order to proceed with the payment; the dates connected with same; when the payment will be processed and issued to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5718/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2017.
An issue arose regarding a Natura action on the application. This issue has now been resolved. The case will now clear the first stage of the validation checks and will move to the final set of checks this week. Once the case clears all validations the 2017 advance payment will be made. GLAS payments are issuing on a weekly basis.
481. 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. [5740/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe above named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has been paid in full for scheme years 2015 and 2016.
A CMP has recently been received for this case but must now be verified. Once this is completed the case will move to the payment stage and the 2017 advance will issue. GLAS payments are being made on a weekly basis.
482. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of loans that have been approved for the purchase of land; the county in which the land is to be purchased under the low cost loan scheme from the European Investment Bank and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund that is being managed by a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5783/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe subject to which the Deputy refers is an operational matter outside the remit of my Department. I understand that the company in question, in partnership with the EIB (European Investment Bank) and ISIF (the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund), is heading up a forestry fund in Ireland and that a private forestry group is the national manager on behalf of the company, with responsibility for assessment, acquisition and management of the relevant properties. My Department has no information in this regard.
483. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of secondees from companies (details supplied) that are working in his Department. [5827/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has no secondees from the companies outlined in the Deputy's question.
484. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of GLAS payments outstanding for persons in County Cork. [5867/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when it is available.
485. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the EU regulation that requires that a person must have an agricultural qualification to qualify for entitlements under the national reserve; his plans to have this regulation amended to facilitate returning emigrants applying to the national reserve for entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5877/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU Regulation 1307/2013 provides for the establishment of a National Reserve to provide an allocation of entitlements at the national average level or a top-up on existing entitlements that are below the national average to two priority mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’. The definition applying to both categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’ are set down in Regulation 1307/2013. The National Reserve is designed to provide financial support to young farmers and new entrants to farming during the crucial early years immediately following the setting up of a farming enterprise.
In accordance with EU Regulation 1307/2013 Member States may define additional eligibility criteria as regards appropriate skills, experience or education. Decisions in relation to the inclusion of additional educational criteria for the Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve were taken in consultation with the Direct Payment Advisory Committee, which comprises members of the main farming bodies, education and advisory services. Since the introduction of the Single Payment Scheme in 2005, Ireland has applied a requirement that successful applicants under the National Reserve must have an appropriate agricultural educational qualification. This requirement is in place to ensure that National Reserve funding is targeted at bona fide young farmers. Since the introduction of the Basic Payment Scheme National Reserve in 2015 there have been a number of successful applicants who have acquired their eligible agricultural educational qualification outside Ireland.
486. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons that benefitted from the lost at sea scheme; his plans to allow these persons to sell or transfer to third parties their licences in view of the fact they are near retirement age and may not have family members interested in taking up fishing as a career; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5882/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Lost at Sea Scheme was a limited scheme introduced in 2001. Its objective was to enable qualifying applicants, who had experienced the accidental loss of a vessel under certain specified circumstances and who were otherwise unable to do so for financial or related reasons, to continue a family tradition of sea-fishing.
The objective of the scheme was to assist families in introducing a replacement for a lost vessel which would be owned and skippered by the applicant or by an immediate relation of the applicant.
Essentially the scheme provided replacement capacity (not direct financial compensation) which the applicant would otherwise have had to purchase on the tonnage market, for the purpose of introducing a replacement vessel for a fishing boat lost at sea between 1980 and the establishment of the fishing boat register in 1990. There were six successful applicants under the scheme.
Under the terms of the scheme, replacement capacity in the form of gross tonnage and kilowatt engine power was provided free of charge to qualifying applicants equivalent to the capacity of the lost vessel and the capacity awarded to the successful applicants could not be traded, sold on or otherwise disposed of for financial gain. The terms of the scheme were introduced as a balance taking into account that capacity was granted free of charge at a time when other entrants into the fleet were required to purchase replacement capacity at a high cost.
I have no plans to consider a change to this licensing policy which would involve the privatisation of such capacity.
487. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) lost two thirds of their entitlements awarded under the lost at sea scheme when they changed vessel approximately five years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5883/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Registrar General of Fishing Boats is charged with maintaining a Register of Fishing Boats and with the proper management of the capacity of the Irish fleet.
The Registrar General advises me that the individual in question was awarded capacity of 85 gross tonnes and 298.44 kilowatts under the Lost at Sea Scheme.
A replacement boat was registered and licensed by the individual in 2004 using 84 gross tonnes and 238 kilowatts of the awarded capacity. The balance of 1 gross tonne and 60.44 kilowatts of off-register capacity expired under the requirements of the two year rule introduced by Part E of Ministerial Policy Directive 2 of 2003, which state that “in future, capacity taken off the Fishing Boat Register must be re-introduced onto the Sea Fishing Boat Register within 2 years of its removal from the fleet register, otherwise the entitlement will be lost to its owner."
The individual subsequently applied to de-register the replacement boat and to register and license another boat in 2015. As the capacity of this other boat is 81 gross tonnes and 230 kilowatts, the individual is currently credited with that amount of on-register capacity. He is also credited with the balance of 3 gross tonnes and 8 kilowatts of off-register capacity which will expire on 3 October 2019 (i.e. removed from register on 3 October 2017) unless it is brought back onto the register by that date.
488. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry road grants and felling licences that were applied for and granted to companies and persons in County Leitrim in each of the years 2013 to 2017. [5890/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Forest Road Scheme made available by my Department, provides opportunities for forest owners to improve access to forests to facilitate forest management and the harvesting of timber.
As forests mature, it is important that forest owners can realise the full income potential from their forest crop by properly managing thinning and clear fell operations. Tree Felling Licences are a legal requirement and must be obtained before any landowner considers felling trees. This requirement is for trees within a forest and in certain circumstances, those outside a forest.
Following the commencement of the Forestry Act 2014 in May 2017, felling licences may be obtained for a period of up to 10 years. This simplifies the process for landowners, who wish to carry out a programme of forest management, which includes thinning operations followed in later years by clear felling.
My Department processed applications for Forest Road Grants for the years 2013-2017 indicated in the following table:
|
Leitrim |
Number Forest Road Grants Paid |
|
2013 |
14 |
|
2014 |
29 |
|
2015 |
12 |
|
2016 |
10 |
|
2017 |
8 |
The number of tree felling licences issued to private land owners is given in the following table:
|
Leitrim |
Tree Felling Licences |
|
2013 |
90 |
|
2014 |
64 |
|
2015 |
49 |
|
2016 |
74 |
|
2017 |
150 |
The number of felling licences issued to Coillte is as follows:
|
Leitrim |
Tree Felling Licences |
|
2013 |
16 |
|
2014 |
17 |
|
2015 |
44 |
|
2016 |
384 |
|
2017 |
53 |
