Written Answers Nos. 320-333
320. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the status of his plans for financial assistance for fertility treatment; the criteria attached in this regard; the proposed timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19118/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government approved the drafting of a Bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research in October last year. In order to support the commencement of the legislation, officials in my Department will work during 2018 with the HSE to develop a model of care for infertility to ensure the provision of safe, effective and accessible services through the public health system as part of the full range of services available in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Part of this work includes identifying policy options for a potential public funding model for AHR treatment. Once I have had the opportunity to consider these policy options I will bring a Memorandum to Government for a model of public funding for AHR treatment for the Government's consideration and decision.
It should be noted that any funding model that may ultimately be introduced would need to operate within the broader regulatory framework set out in the AHR Bill and a model of care for infertility.
While IVF treatment is not currently provided by the Irish public health service, there is some support available in that patients who access IVF treatment privately may claim tax relief on the costs involved under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme. In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Scheme administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Scheme must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and approved by the HSE ‘High Tech Liaison Officers’. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme. In addition to these schemes, there is a limited specialist AHR service available through the HSE, which provides funding for fertility preservation for cancer patients whose treatment is likely to impact on their future fertility.
321. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the condition for a person (details supplied) to replant forestry after felling can be removed in view of the fact that no premium was paid in respect of the plantation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18579/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraForestry in Ireland operates within a legal and regulatory framework. This is necessary in order to protect forests and also to ensure that forestry operations and activities are carried out in compliance with the principles of sustainable forest management. The obligation to replant felled trees is required under the Forestry Act, 2014 and the Forestry Regulations, SI 191/2017.
Due to the extent of deforestation by the early 20th century, legislation was introduced to regulate tree felling. This has facilitated, in part, sustainable forest management. There is a need to avoid deforestation in relation to economic and social considerations and particularly in an environmental context such as carbon, landscape and amenity considerations. Reforestation after felling is essential to prevent deforestation, which would otherwise counteract the benefits of the initial afforestation, regardless of whether that was grant aided.
Every application for a tree felling licence is carefully assessed to ensure that the tree felling and the required replanting is carried out to the highest standards. All applications are desk assessed by Forestry Inspectors of my Department and where required a field assessment will be carried out. This assessment will include an examination of the proposed replanting and will include certain conditions in this regard, for example, any necessary setbacks from water courses, roads or dwellings.
I understand, the application for a tree felling licence for the person named, is currently being examined by a Forestry Inspector and a decision is awaited.
322. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the remaining 15% of the 2017 GLAS payment will be expedited in view of the fodder crisis and the associated financial pressure affecting farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18584/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraBalancing Payments for the GLAS scheme can only commence when the Member State has verified that all eligibility conditions have been met. This is a requirement in the relevant EU Payment Regulations and is a long-standing EU audit requirement. It is currently anticipated that this requirement will be met and GLAS balancing payments will commence later this month.
I would encourage any GLAS applicant with outstanding obligations, such as the submission of a Nutrient Management Plan or a Commonage Management Plan to speak to their adviser and ensure that this work is completed as a priority. Without the submission of all the required information applicants will be ineligible for their balancing payment.
323. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a sheep welfare payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18591/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application was received under the Sheep Welfare Scheme from the person named on 3 February 2017. Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, applicants to the scheme are required to choose two actions from various categories appropriate to their flock type.
In the case of this application, only one action was chosen on the application form. Therefore the application was deemed to be incomplete. An official from the Department contacted the person named in order to have this application corrected on the 7 June 2017.
The applicant subsequently contacted the Department on 11 January 2018 to correct the query. The Sheep Welfare application has now been amended and will be processed for payment accordingly.
324. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an anomaly in the agriculture mapping system (details supplied) whereby maps submitted to the system do not always correlate when inputted electronically will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18592/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe same mapping system is used for both BPS and GLAS to ensure compatibility.
The Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) stores the land parcel details for all Department area-based schemes. The information stored is used for BPS, ANC, GLAS, Organics and Forestry Schemes. GLAS payments are made based on the Land Parcels that are claimed by the GLAS applicant in the annual BPS application.
It is an EU requirement that all changes to land are recorded on the LPIS database and any ineligible land identified is recorded. As changes are recorded on the LPIS database, this may have a knock-on effect for any area-based schemes.
325. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional resources have been provided to assist farmers whose herds are restricted and suffering from the fodder crisis. [18613/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a Hardship Grant scheme as part of the TB Eradication Programme. The scheme operates from 1 November to 30 April 2018 and is aimed at assisting eligible herdowners who retain and feed animals during prolonged periods of restriction as a result of a TB breakdown. Herdowners meeting the eligibility criteria can apply through their local RVO.
Separately, the Department operates an Early Warning/Intervention System (EWS). Under the EWS arrangements, Department officials are in a position to assist farmers who are seeking the provision/purchase of emergency feed supplies and these requests have been dealt with appropriately. Sufficient resources are available to facilitate the EWS arrangements. The dedicated e-mail address animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie and help-line Call Save: 0761 064408 are available to provide assistance and support
326. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal in respect of a GLAS payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18642/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016 and has received full payments in respect of the 2016 scheme year including GLAS plus payments.
Administrative checks involving a number of sections within the Department take place on all GLAS claims. All cases must clear validation checks before payment can issue. Department officials are working proactively to complete the checks in this case and once this case clears validations the 2017 advance payment will be made. GLAS payments are being made on a weekly basis.
327. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to persons (details supplied) in respect of attendance at a group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18645/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraKnowledge Transfer (KT) is one of a suite of measures included under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and involves the formation of knowledge transfer groups across the beef, dairy, equine, sheep, tillage and poultry sectors.
Farmer participants attend group meetings and produce a Farm Improvement Plan in consultation with their KT Facilitator. For each year of the three year programme participants receive a reimbursement in the amount of €750 for a primary sector and €375 for a secondary sector where all requirements of the programme have been met.
Work is ongoing to clear outstanding cases on the Knowledge Transfer Programme. Each participant's application is processed separately and paid independently of other members of the KT Group.
The person named did not meet the minimum attendance requirement at meetings, and a penalty will thus be applied to her payment. It is expected that payment will issue to the person named shortly.
328. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he plans to take on foot of a decision on an appeal lodged by a farmer (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18743/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department notes the decision of the Agriculture Appeals Office in this case and is working now to give full effect to the appeal outcome.
329. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when all outstanding moneys will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18761/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016 and has received payments in respect of 2016.
The Department is aware of an issue with this case that resulted in the 2017 advance payment not being made. A solution has been identified and work is at an advanced stage to resolve the case. Once implemented the 2017 advance payment will issue. GLAS payments continue to issue on a weekly basis.
330. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18775/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review by the Director of Agriculture Appeals Office of the decision of the Appeals Officer has been requested in this case in accordance with the provisions of the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001. The Agriculture Appeals Office have indicated that requests for reviews are generally dealt with in order of receipt and that both the Department and the person named will be advised of the outcome when the review has been completed.
331. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a TAMS review for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18778/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted an application for grant aid under the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme on 8 January 2018.
The application was rejected on 23 February 2018 as the applicant did not meet the requirements of set-up for the first time in farming within five years of the date of receipt of an application under this scheme. The Department records indicate that the applicant was set up on 17 April 2012 which means that they were outside the 5 year period to qualify as a Young farmer under the Terms and Conditions of the TAMS II scheme.
In addition documentary evidence of a grant of full planning permission was not submitted at the time of application.
A review of this decision was requested on 21 March 2018 and a reply to this review issued on 10 April 2018 upholding the original decision to reject the application.
It is open to the applicant to apply for grant aid under the other schemes of TAMS II where the grant rate applicable is 40%.
It is also open to the applicant to submit an appeal of the decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office within 3 months of the date of the decision letter.
332. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received from aquaculture and seafood processing enterprises in County Waterford and research institutions under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund operational programme's recent tranche of funding; and when the next round of funding will open for applications. [18827/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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 17 schemes.
On 23 April 2018, I announced the first tranche of EMFF grant awards in 2018 to seafood processing enterprises, aquaculture enterprises and research institutions under four EMFF schemes. The details are published on my Department's website at the following link
www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2018/april/title,116482,en.html.
There were no applications from County Waterford submitted for consideration under the recent tranche of awards. The four EMFF schemes concerned are open for applications on an open call basis, so any relevant Waterford seafood enterprises may apply to Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
In relation to research institutions, three grants were awarded to University College Cork, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology and the Marine Institute. These projects were awarded €1.3 million in EMFF grants and they concern a feasibility study of upscaling Irish mussel production, development of an autonomous finfish vaccine and technology Development in the finfish sector respectively.
Full details of each of the schemes are available on BIM's website at the following link - http://www.bim.ie/schemes/.
333. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the engagement between his Department and Enterprise Ireland since the beginning of December 2017 to explore the possibility of making suitable fishery harbour centre properties available for appropriate Enterprise Ireland projects in view of the recommendations by the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts in 2016; and if specific potential has been identified at Dunmore East, County Waterford for this purpose. [18828/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre is one of six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres managed and operated by my Department under statute.
Following publication of the Public Accounts Committee Report on the Fishery Harbour Centres in June 2015 my Department began an ongoing engagement with Enterprise Ireland to consider the possibilities of suitable Fishery Harbour Centre properties for potential clients of the agency to facilitate the delivery of appropriate Enterprise Ireland projects.
Since the beginning of December 2017 Enterprise Ireland has been involved with my Department in relation to a specific case in one of the Fishery Harbour Centres. At present, no properties in Dunmore East have been identified as possible locations for a collaboration between my Department and an Enterprise Ireland sponsored project.
