Wednesday, 9 May 2018

Written Answers Nos. 219-226

Basic Payment Scheme Appeals

Ceisteanna (219)

Kevin O'Keeffe

Ceist:

219. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appeal submitted to his Department by a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be reconsidered. [20260/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named was allocated 28.63 entitlements under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme.  For the 2016 Scheme Year, the person named submitted two Transfer of Entitlements applications to my Department to transfer 21.98 entitlements by way of gift to a third party and to lease 6.25 entitlements to a third party for a seven year period.

As the person named did not submit a 2016 or 2017 Basic Payment application to utilise the remaining 0.40 entitlements, these entitlements remained unused during this two year usage period and have been permanently moved to the National Reserve.

My Department received an appeal for the person named in relation to the removal of these 0.40 unused entitlements to the National Reserve. 

Following a thorough re- examination of the circumstances of the case, my Department issued the person named with a letter on  27 April 2018 notifying the person named that their appeal was unsuccessful. This letter provided the option to further appeal their case to the Independent Agriculture Appeals Office if dissatisfied with my Department’s decision.

Young Farmers Scheme

Ceisteanna (220)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

220. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20265/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The application submitted under the Young Farmers Scheme by the person named was selected for an on-the-spot check in line with the EU Regulatory requirements for managing and monitoring schemes administered by my Department under the Common Agricultural Policy.  The on-the-spot check has been completed and the required checks to determine eligibility under the scheme are being finalised.  It is expected that this process will be completed very shortly.

Departmental Contracts Data

Ceisteanna (221)

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

221. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the contracts awarded by his Department or an agency under his remit to a company (details supplied) since March 2011, by year in tabular form; the cost per contract; the basis for each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20309/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Since March 2011 Capita (formerly Southwestern Services) have held a number of contracts with this Department that were awarded following public procurement competitions.

The services supplied by the company in relation to bovine animals relate to the registration of bovine births, issue of bovine passports, and processing of farm to farm movements and death notifications. These services were previously the subject of two separate contracts but were combined in the tender of 10 July 2013.

Capita secured contracts also for the provision of a service for the handling, processing, verification and recording of pig movement notifications during the period in question.

The information in the Table below provides details of the contracts with my Department since March 2011.

As regards the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.

Contracts awarded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to Capita since March 2011:

Contract Basis	Start date	End date	Payments per contract-€
Bovine:
Service for the processing of bovine farm to farm movements and death notifications	05/07/2010	31/08/14	3,339,388
Service for the provision of a bovine animal birth registration and passport issue system	01/01/2011	31/08/14	18,066,929
Service for the registration of bovine births, the issuing of bovine passports and the handling & processing of notifications in relation to farm-to-farm bovine movements and on-farm bovine deaths	01/09/2014	31/08/2018	16,982,780(to date)
Porcine:
Service for the handling, processing, verification and recording of pig movement notifications during the period in question.	01/03/2011	29/02/2012	81,225
Service for the handling, processing, verification and recording of pig movement notifications during the period in question.	01/03/2012	28/02/2104	308,392
Service for the handling, processing, verification and recording of pig movement notifications during the period in question.	01/03/2014	29/02/2016	305,908
Service for the handling, processing, verification and recording of pig movement notifications during the period in question.	01/03/2016	28/02/2018	342,892
Service for the handling, processing, verification and recording of pig movement notifications during the period in question.	01/03/2018	Initial period of 2 years with possible extensions up to 29/02/2022	24,514 (to date)

Harbours and Piers Development

Ceisteanna (222)

Martin Kenny

Ceist:

222. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the commitment to develop Greencastle Harbour, County Donegal, as outlined in Project Ireland 2040; if this commitment involves the completion of the breakwater beside the harbour; when all of these development works will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20351/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Greencastle Harbour is owned by Donegal County Council and responsibility for its maintenance and development rests with that Local Authority in the first instance and its parent Department, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government thereafter.

My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, my Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear, as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons throughout Ireland, in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board piers, lights and Beacons Act.

As indicated, my legislative remit does not extend to Greencastle Harbour, and given that the ownership of, and overall responsibility for Greencastle Harbour rests with the County Council, it is the Council who will decide if it wishes to carry out any further development, repair or maintenance of the Greencastle Harbour.

When Donegal County Council decide on the exact programme of works they wish to carry out and the costing and timescale for those works and notify their full intentions in this respect, the matter can be considered further in the context of Government priorities.

My Department does provide limited funding to assist coastal Local Authorities in carrying out small scale projects for the development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.

Donegal County Council successfully secured the maximum funding allocation allowable of €112,500 under the 2017 Programme for development works at Greencastle Harbour however no application for funding was made to my Department under the 2018 Programme. Any applications submitted by Donegal County Council in relation to Greencastle Harbour in the future will be given due consideration in the context of the criteria set out, available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.

Pigmeat Sector

Ceisteanna (223)

Martin Kenny

Ceist:

223. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to hardship amongst pig farmers with small to medium sized piggeries due to low prices; and the measures he plans to introduce to assist them through this crisis. [20352/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Price volatility has been a significant challenge for the pig meat sector and developments over the last few years emphasising the cyclical nature of prices in the sector. Current prices stand at €139.54/100 kg which is 15% below prices at the same time in 2017 (an exceptional year for pig prices) but remain above the price at the same stage in 2016.

My Department and I have made a substantial effort to encourage market diversification. The importance of this is illustrated by the significant expansion in Ireland’s pig meat exports to East Asia and to China in particular. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit lends an even greater importance to expansion of access to international markets.

In June of 2017 I visited Mexico, the fourth largest importer of chilled and frozen pork in the world. With Mexican demand continuing to grow I have made access to that market a top priority.  I also travelled to Japan and the Republic of Korea last autumn to promote the development of further opportunities for Irish producers in these markets as I want to continue the diversification of markets to which Ireland has access. Exports to Japan more than doubled to €22m in 2017, putting it in second place in international markets. We can also expect that the new free trade agreement with Japan (JEEPA) will further enhance trade opportunities. Growth in the Philippines was also strong, up 54%, making it the third-largest international market for Irish pigmeat exports. China is now the largest third country market with exports of €102m last year. I will lead a trade mission to China this month visiting Beijing and Shanghai.  This visit will include events, in association with Bord Bia, to promote Irish pork to further develop export opportunities.

With Irish production up 1.2% in 2017 and export value increasing by 8% to €790 million, I will continue to work closely with the sector and, by focusing on insight-led growth strategies, take advantage of opportunities for Irish pig meat exporters on international markets.

Capital Expenditure Programme

Ceisteanna (224)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

224. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital allocation across his Department in each of the years 2018 to 2022. [20442/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table:

Capital Allocation Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2018 – 2022.

2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
€272 million	€255 million	€258 million	€265 million	€275 million

The 2018 amount includes €23.8 million carried over from 2017.

Capital Expenditure Programme

Ceisteanna (225, 226)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

225. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's capital allocation for projects under way and projects already tendered or committed to spending contractually. [20459/18]

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

226. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's capital allocation in each of the years 2018 to 2022 disaggregated according to capital allocated to projects underway, projects contractually committed to and projects yet to be initiated. [20476/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together.

It is my intention to provide a composite reply in relation to PQ 20459/18 and 20476/18.

Due to the volume of the information requested by the Deputy, it was not possible to provide a comprehensive response in the required time. I will forward reply to the Deputy as soon as the information requested is available.