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Gnáthamharc

Tuesday, 14 Jul 2020

Written Answers Nos. 801-825

Charitable and Voluntary Organisations

Ceisteanna (801)

Alan Kelly

Ceist:

801. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to address the drop of funding and consequent service delivery by critical charities due to Covid-19. [14911/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Charities, community organisations and social enterprises, along with the volunteers who assist them, have been an integral part of our country’s response to this pandemic. A cessation in income generating activities and fundraising, as a consequence of COVID-19 restrictions, has severely impacted many of these same organisations.

My Department has responded to the urgent needs of charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises experiencing such financial difficulties. There has been no reduction in the funding awarded to charities from my Department, with some additional financial supports being introduced with this critical need in mind.

In conjunction, new flexibilities have also been implemented in existing support schemes and programmes, supporting these organisations to find new and innovative ways of adapting and delivering essential services in a changing economic and societal landscape.

In April 2020, my Department launched a €2.5 million COVID-19 Emergency Fund for those groups taking part in the ‘Community Call’. Administered through the Local Authorities, this initiative was an immediate response to support the emergency efforts by community and voluntary groups in assisting people at a local level.

Separately, my Department introduced a €40 million package of supports for community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises. The €35 million COVID-19 Stability Fund delivers a once-off cash injection to those organisations providing critical front-line services to the most at need in our society and are in danger of imminent closure due to lost fund-raised or traded income as a direct result of restrictions to counter the spread of COVID-19. The first tranche of this fund, totalling €10.5 million, was allocated in late June 2020 to 179 qualifying organisations.

€5 million has also been committed to The Innovate Together Fund, which is also accepting philanthropic donations. The focus of this Fund is on responses to the COVID-19 crisis that will deliver innovative and adaptive solutions to existing and emerging social challenges. These innovations will support the most vulnerable in our society, those most affected by the crisis and will ultimately help to make our society more inclusive, equal and sustainable.

The Government recognises that significant challenges remain for community and voluntary groups and charities during this time. Collaboration and partnership between the sector and the State are key to co-ordinating and responding to the needs of our communities. My Department will continue to work closely with the sector in managing through these challenges over the coming months.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Ceisteanna (802)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

802. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the delegated functions assigned to the Minister of State with responsibility for community development and charities; and the date those delegated functions come into effect. [15049/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am currently in discussions regarding the delegation of functions and am looking forward to making a formal assignment of responsibilities to the Minister of State, in my Department, in the coming weeks.

Question No. 803 answered with Question No. 797.

Local Improvement Scheme

Ceisteanna (804)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

804. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when further funding will be released to local authorities to complete local improvement scheme roads; the amount made available to each local authority in respect of each of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15147/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the Local Authorities. 

Over €58 million has been allocated to the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) since it was reintroduced in 2017, resulting in the approval of over 2,000 roads projects.

€17.4 million was allocated to Local Authorities in 2017, while €20.8 million was allocated in 2018 and €10 million was allocated in 2019.

In March of this year, a further €10 million was allocated to Local Authorities under the 2020 Local Improvement Scheme, and each Local Authority was provided with the same financial allocation as 2019.

All of the Local Authorities have already determined the roads to be funded under the scheme this year. Funding in respect of these roads can be drawn down by the Local Authorities when the required works are completed

The table below outlines the amount of funding allocated under LIS in each of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020, as requested.

Table: LIS allocations 2018-2020

County

2018 Allocation

2019 Allocation

2020 Allocation

Carlow

€528,279

€250,000

€250,000

Cavan

€636,680

€269,254

€269,254

Clare

€1,038,844

€480,811

€480,811

Cork

€1,700,000

€900,000

€900,000

Donegal

€1,792,516

€677,456

€677,456

Galway

€1,942,000

€856,959

€856,959

Kerry

€1,209,990

€669,930

€669,930

Kildare

€329,591

€250,000

€250,000

Kilkenny

€679,683

€288,905

€288,905

Laois

€568,255

€250,000

€250,000

Leitrim

€550,120

€250,000

€250,000

Limerick

€684,349

€384,092

€384,090

Longford

€472,217

€250,000

€250,000

Louth

€250,000

€250,000

€250,000

Mayo

€1,843,235

€778,496

€778,496

Meath

€773,404

€326,394

€326,394

Monaghan

€540,841

€250,000

€250,000

Offaly

€644,654

€278,871

€278,871

Roscommon

€820,968

€355,104

€355,104

Sligo

€606,870

€256,154

€256,154

Tipperary

€794,400

€599,969

€599,969

Waterford

€607,047

€258,802

€258,802

Westmeath

€607,224

€256,433

€256,433

Wexford

€511,410

€329,878

€329,878

Wicklow

€668,135

€282,494

€282,494

TOTAL

€20,800,712

€10,000,002

€10,000,000

Departmental Schemes

Ceisteanna (805)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

805. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the schemes available to community groups, agencies or local authorities from her Department to assist in the development of walking and cycling infrastructure; the maximum amounts available under such schemes including matching contribution amounts required; the timelines and anticipated closing dates for applications for such schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15168/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The main scheme operated by my Department for the specific development of outdoor recreation infrastructure is the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).

ORIS provides funding for the development and/or enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as cycleways, walking trails, blueways and mountain access routes in rural areas.

The 2020 scheme was launched on the 29th May last and is funded by my Department in partnership with Fáilte Ireland. In response to impact of COVID-19, the 2020 scheme will support recreational infrastructure that provides amenities for local communities and/or delivers added value from a tourism perspective, positioning rural areas to respond to the post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

The 2020 scheme has an Exchequer budget of €10 million and will be delivered through three separate Measures as follows:

- Measure 1: Small Scale Repair/Promotion and Marketing - Grant Amounts: up to €20,000.

- Measure 2: Medium Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Trail/Amenity Development - Grant Amounts: up to €200,000.

- Measure 3: Large Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Strategic Trail/Amenity Development - Grant amounts: up to €500,000.

A grant rate of up to 90% of the project's costs will be available from my Department across all three Measures in 2020. This should ensure that the requirement for communities, Local Authorities and agencies to source matching funding is kept to a minimum.

The closing date for receipt of applications under ORIS Measure 1 is 30th September 2020, while the closing date for applications under Measures 2 and 3 is 30th November 2020.

The Scheme Outline for ORIS 2020 is available on the Gov.ie website at https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/fd0c9f-outdoor-recreation-infrastructure-scheme/.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (806)

Cathal Crowe

Ceist:

806. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the supports in place for voluntary organisations that have been unable to raise funds during the Covid-19 pandemic and are now in danger of having to close down. [15959/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and is committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. In that context my Department is providing funding supports to organisations through a number of different schemes.

The Community and Voluntary Sector Covid-19 Stability Fund is intended to be a targeted once-off cash injection for organisations and groups currently delivering critical front-line services to the most at need in our society and in danger of imminent closure due to lost fund-raised or traded income as a direct result of restrictions to counter the spread of COVID-19.

This fund will provide €35 million of funding through the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) and the criteria align with DAF objectives to support:

1. The personal and social development of persons who are economically or socially disadvantaged; o

2. The educational development of persons who are educationally disadvantaged; or

3. Persons with a disability.

Over one thousand applications were received during the application period. Due to the considerable interest in the Stability Scheme and in order to ensure that funding is released as quickly as possible, applicants were considered in smaller groupings.

The first tranche of funding was announced on Friday 26 June last, with 179 organisations being awarded €10.5 million in funding, the full list can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3957e-covid-19-stability-fund-successful-applicants/.

Decisions on further tranches are being now being considered.

The Innovate Together Fund was opened on 13 May 2020. The focus of the Fund is on supporting innovative responses to the Covid-19 crisis and is supported by a commitment of €5 million from my Department via the Dormant Accounts Fund. Social Innovation Fund Ireland pledges to raise additional philanthropic funds for this initiative and is responsible for the administration of the Fund with oversight from my Department. Applications are open to established charities, social enterprises and to local, regional and national voluntary groups and organisations who are based in Ireland and who are delivering services to the most vulnerable communities immediately impacted by COVID-19. The first round of funding under this fund is now closed and applications are being assessed. Further rounds of funding will be announced in due course.

The Community Enhancement Programme provides small capital grants to community groups to improve facilities in their area, and the 2020 Programme was launched recently with funding of €2m. The Department gives flexibility to Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) to tailor the programme in each Local Authority area, so that it meets local priorities. It is recommended that applicants contact the LCDC in their area for further details.

The Community Services Programme (CSP), currently supports over 400 community organisations and my Department is fully committed to continuing to support those organisations. My Department has put in place an additional Support Fund for 2020 which will provide additional funding for a number of weeks to many of these organisations, ensuring that they can pay their full-time CSP supported employees a maximum of €350 net per week, with a proportionate amount for part-time CSP supported employees.

In addition to the measures which have been introduced by my Department for community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, the Government has put in place a range of supports and guidance for businesses impacted by COVID-19.

A downloadable guide to these supports and their eligibility criteria is available at the link:

https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/Supports-for-businesses-impacted-by-COVID-19.pdf .

Details of enhanced government supports for businesses announced on 2 May 2020 are available at the link:

https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2020/May/02052020.html.

Inquiries can be directed to the relevant contact points listed in the material.

My Department is continuing to liaise with representatives of the community and voluntary, charity and social enterprise sectors and with other Departments with relevant policy responsibility in relation to the challenges faced at this time. Assurances have been provided in relation to the continuation of exchequer funding supports for organisations in the sector. It is also worth mentioning that the Government Wage Subsidy Scheme will support employers in the sector to retain staff who are employed under non-Exchequer funding sources

Public Inquiries

Ceisteanna (807)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

807. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of tribunals, public investigations and commissions of investigations in process; the length of time each has been under way; when each will conclude; the cost to date of each; and the estimated cost of each at completion. [16139/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department, which was established on 19 July 2017, does not have any tribunals, public investigations or commissions of investigations in process. 

Brexit Issues

Ceisteanna (808)

Johnny Mythen

Ceist:

808. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current stance on the fishing industry regarding the UK claim to territorial fishing waters and the possibility of Irish fishermen losing up to half of their existing fishing territories under the present Brexit negotiations, in view of the fact that it has far reaching implications for fishermen in County Wexford and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15698/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I would like to assure the Deputy that I fully understand that fisheries are vitally important in economic and socioeconomic terms for our coastal communities. I met, by video link, with the Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius on Friday 10 July last. I discussed with the Commissioner the importance of the agreed EU negotiation mandate that sets down clearly the EU objective to “uphold existing reciprocal access conditions, quota shares and traditional activity of the Union fleet”. I also discussed the centrality of the link between the overall economic partnership and the conclusion of a fishing agreement.

This was a very useful first discussion with Commissioner Sinkevicius and it was important to be able to talk first hand with the Commissioner about Ireland's concerns in relation to the potential negative impacts for our fishing communities in Ireland if we do not put in place a fair and balanced Fisheries Agreement with the UK. I reiterated this Government’s full support for the EU negotiating mandate and my confidence that the Commissioner and Michel Barnier will continue to be strong defenders of Irish and EU fishing interests.

I will be meeting with representatives from the fishing industry, including from the Irish South & East Fish Producers Organisation, this week to discuss their concerns in respect of fisheries and the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

It is evident that progress on fisheries has been disappointing so far. This is one of the most difficult areas under negotiation. Fisheries is an important priority for Ireland. We are seeking to protect the interests of the Irish fleet in terms of both access and the quota share it currently enjoys in UK waters. From the outset of the negotiations, Ireland and our EU partners have been clear on our level of ambition in this area and on the fact that progress on an overall trade deal is linked to progress on fisheries. This is reflected in the EU mandate and the draft EU legal text. The EU position was the result of considerable internal discussion and reflects a delicate balance. In sum, we are seeking to uphold continued levels of reciprocal access and stable quotas. The UK Government has a very different approach. They emphasise their status as a “coastal independent state” and insist that new arrangements should be based on annual negotiations, which follow the principle of zonal attachment. Clearly, the two sides are still very far apart. This is very concerning to us – as is reflected in the EU mandate, one of our key priorities is to avoid economic dislocation for Union fishermen that have operated in UK waters. This remains our collective approach. The Task Force is continuing to push for better UK engagement on this area.

Michel Barnier has reiterated that he has a very clear mandate regarding the fisheries sector. He has also been crystal clear that fisheries is an integral part of the negotiations and cannot be separated from progress on other trade issues. Mr Barnier met in late May with fisheries Ministers, where there was clear consensus, including from Ireland, on continued support for the EU mandate’s position on fisheries. The Government fully supports Mr Barnier in his role and we remain confident that Irish and EU fisheries interests will continue to be protected after the transition period has ended.

Hardship Grant Scheme

Ceisteanna (809)

Frank Feighan

Ceist:

809. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a dedicated hardship fund will be made available to the farmers affected by the flooding and landslides in Drumkeeran, County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14687/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I visited Drumkeerin on Monday 13th July to see the situation first-hand and to meet local farmers and public representatives. I have asked officials in my Department to undertake preliminary reports on the farming and forestry related impacts on the bog slide and I have been liaising with my colleague Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, on this matter. In the first instance, the broader inquiry and issues arising from the bog slide are a matter for the Leitrim Country Council, and I will continue to liaise with officials in this regard.

I have assured farmers that their direct payment scheme payments are covered by the existing force majeure regulations in place. The terms and conditions for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme include provision for force majeure cases, and these provisions would include instances such as the recent bog slide. Where a farmer is concerned that this event might have an impact on their scheme payments, they should contact the Department to inform it of the circumstances of their own case and to provide any evidence of the impact on their own landholding (Geotag Photos). Farmers can write to the Direct Payments Unit, Government Offices, Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise or ring 076 106 4420. This will ensure that the Department is aware of cases which may be impacted and all such cases will be examined individually.

Felling Licences

Ceisteanna (810)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

810. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a felling licence application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14691/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Forestry Act 2014 sets out the legislative requirements in relation to tree felling. A tree felling licence must be obtained from my Department and trees felled must be replanted, regardless of whether the trees in question were funded by means of a grant or by the landowner.

The person named made an application for a tree felling licence in February 2020. The applicant has not provided details of how it is intended to replant the felled land and that information is needed in order to make a decision on the application.

It is open to the applicant to plant an alternative site, of the same size and with the same species, in order to meet the replanting obligation. Prior approval for the alternative site must be obtained before a tree felling licence will issue.

Greyhound Industry

Ceisteanna (811)

Joan Collins

Ceist:

811. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of runners, greyhounds injured and greyhounds that died or were put to sleep from 1 January 2020 to date by month in tabular form; and the cause of each injury and death by each greyhound track. [14734/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bord na gCon and therefore the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.

Forestry Management

Ceisteanna (812)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

812. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a fence will be erected at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14781/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Coillte is operationally independent of my Department and matters such as the day-to-day management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company.

I have therefore passed the question raised to Coillte for response and direct reply to the Deputy.

Forestry Management

Ceisteanna (813)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

813. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the person or body that decided ring barking is a good forestry practice (details supplied); the planned number of acres of forest for ring barking in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14785/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Ring-barking has been applied on a trial basis in selected conifer stands as part of the EU co-funded KerryLIFE Project, a demonstration project to restore the endangered freshwater pearl mussel (FPM) within two catchments in Co. Kerry.

Under this project, ring-barking is applied to young conifer stems to create open space around existing birch trees, thereby enabling the natural regeneration of the birch. The application is repeated over a number of years until eventually the ‘halos’ of emerging birch merge, thereby resulting in the ecologically-sensitive transformation of the conifer stand into native woodland. Ring-barking is also described in the draft Plan for Forests and Freshwater Pearl Mussel (FPM) in Ireland, released by the Department in mid-2018, as a prescription for the gradual elimination of individual and small groups of trees, in areas where their sudden removal by felling would be harmful to FPM.

Ring-barking would not be considered as normal forest practice and would only be acceptable in very limited circumstances, such as those described above.

A tree felling licence is required where a tree is to be felled or caused to fall (regardless of the methods used) and must be granted before any management operation takes place.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Ceisteanna (814)

Alan Kelly

Ceist:

814. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a copy of the departmental briefings received by him and each Minister of State in his Department upon taking up each individual role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14795/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I wish to advise the Deputy that the briefing material I received on my appointment as Minister has been published on my Department’s official website at the following link: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/aboutus/briefingforministers2020/.

The same briefing material was provided to the Ministers of State on their appointments to the Department.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (815)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

815. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a forestry road application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14937/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

A forest road licence was issued to the person named on 14th May, 2020. The decision was also issued to those who had made a submission on the licence application.

The decision has been appealed to the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). The FAC is operationally independent of my Department and will be in touch with the person named regarding the appeal hearing in due course.

Brexit Supports

Ceisteanna (816)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

816. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if cattle that are exported live will be considered under the formulation of the new beef exceptional aid measure, BEAM, scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14940/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The recently announced €50 million Beef package will be targeted towards beef finishers in recognition of the fact that they have borne the most immediate and severe economic impact arising from the market disturbance arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme is being designed to be as farmer-friendly as possible to ensure that the support can be most effectively targeted where it is needed.

My Department officials have engaged with farming stakeholders, who were also invited to make written submissions regarding the development of the scheme. These submissions are now under consideration and the measure is under development.

The measure is required to be notified to the European Commission under the new COVID-19 temporary exceptional aid framework. My Department is currently finalising the required documentation and expects to be in a position to submit the formal notification shortly.

I hope to be in a position to announce details of the measure, including terms and conditions, in August.

Felling Licences

Ceisteanna (817)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

817. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding forestry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14948/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am aware that there are currently delays to issuing forestry licences and acknowledge that this is causing difficulties for some in the sector. My Department is intensively engaging with all relevant stakeholders on these issues.

The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to internal Appropriate Assessment Procedures (AAP). These were introduced in response to important Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decisions and their subsequent interpretation by the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) and others. These findings meant that in order to grant licences which fully meet environmental requirements, fundamental changes to the licensing system were unavoidable. As you know, my Department is the forestry licence consent authority and, since 2017, all licence applications are subject to a statutory public notification system.

I accept the current changes to procedures are very significant and they have been challenging to implement such is the scope and breadth of them, which has unfortunately meant that there have been delays in issuing licences. It has taken substantial resources and effort to introduce a robust and workable system, which meets the legislative requirements, and I believe we now have that in place. Citizens are, of course, perfectly entitled to appeal licensing decisions, but since the introduction of modifications in the licensing process, the majority of my Department's licensing decisions are being confirmed at the Forestry Appeals Committee. This gives confidence in these revised procedures.

We now have a project plan for dealing with the current backlog and new files, which includes extra resources as follows:

- Nine new forestry inspectors will be recruited in 2020, and four temporary forestry inspectors have been recruited, to work on licensing.

- Three new ecologists have joined the Department ecology team, with three more to be appointed shortly.

- We have engaged external ecological expertise to help with the backlog of files. Four local ecologists have also been contracted provide extra support. Further, an ecology contract with five new ecologists has been started.

- Additional administrative staff have been assigned to the Agriculture Appeals Office to assist with the increased workload of the Forestry Appeals Committee.

- Three planning officers have been contracted in to work with the Forestry Appeals Committee.

- A specialist mapping expert has been assigned to forestry.

The project plan is a targeted, process-driven approach which prioritise files in a manner which will result in an increased number of licences being issued in the short-term and will deliver a return to expected timelines in the longer term. A categorisation of files, in terms of size and proximity to European designated sites, has been conducted so that those likely to have a similar effect on the environment may be grouped together. Applicants who have or are prepared to submit a Natura Impact Statement, where appropriate, will be prioritised.

A Project Management Board, with a dedicated Project Manager, will oversee and monitor delivery. There will be a continuous review of the process, in order to effect efficiencies. A communication plan to keep stakeholders fully and regularly informed of progress, with a dedicated central resource to deal with queries, is a key element of the project. While much of the success of the project plan lies with my Department, stakeholders also need to engage with it. This will require a commitment from forestry companies to submit only applications which have a realistic chance of being planted, to ensure all applications are of the required standard and quality, and to submit NISs in accordance with the guidance provided.

I am more than aware that the current situation is challenging, but it is a temporary disruption which, when resolved, will make for a better, more sustainable and fit-for-purpose forestry licensing system for many years to come.

The issue of third-party appeals is an independent process run by the Forestry Appeals Committee and which is independent of my Department.

Architectural Heritage

Ceisteanna (818)

James Browne

Ceist:

818. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the grants available for old farm buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14952/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme funds the restoration and preservation of traditional farm buildings and structures of significant heritage value and which are conserved for agricultural use. The scheme is administered by the Heritage Council on behalf of the Department during the lifetime of the current Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

One of the conditions of entry to the scheme is that a farmer must have a GLAS contract with my Department. The applicant must also own the building or the related structure for which funding is sought or be acting with the permission of the owner.

€1.25 million was allocated in the 2020 budget. The grants range between €4,000 and €25,000 and cover up to 75% of the cost of the works.

The closing date for the receipt of applications for the 2020 Scheme was 18th February 2020 and eligible applicants were chosen on a competitive basis.

The Heritage Council has issued grant offers to successful applicants and it is expected that 80 to 90 projects will be supported this year.

Ministerial Responsibilities

Ceisteanna (819, 820)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

819. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the delegated functions assigned to the Minister of State with responsibility for research and development, farm safety and new market development; and the date those delegated functions come into effect. [15045/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

820. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the delegated functions assigned to the Minister of State with responsibility for land use and biodiversity; and the date those delegated functions come into effect. [15057/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 819 and 820 together.

I can confirm that my Department is currently making arrangements for the delegation of functions to the Ministers of State, and once finalised, the details of their responsibilities will be made available on my Department’s website.

Ministerial Communications

Ceisteanna (821)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

821. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has spoken to his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive since his appointment. [15064/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I can confirm that I spoke via telephone conference call with my Northern Ireland counterpart, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots MLA, last week.

Our conversation was very constructive, and covered north-south trading arrangements post-Brexit, implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol, and the prospects for the wider EU-UK discussions on the future relationship.

Departmental Functions

Ceisteanna (822)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

822. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to re-establish an investigations division in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15086/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is the principal regulator of the Agrifood Sector.

Investigations Division is a key element of the Department’s enforcement capability, underpinning food safety, quality and traceability standards, which facilitate trade and provide reassurance to consumers and customers.

The Division was established in 2014, as part of an on-going modernisation of the structures of the Department and the wider public service reform process. Its remit includes investigations and enquiries across all areas of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and assisting other Divisions in relation to potential fraud and/or illegality cases. Investigations are carried out with a view to meeting the standard of proof required for prosecution through the courts. The Head of Investigations Division is supported, since 2014, by a small multidisciplinary team of investigators and support staff.

The mission of the Division is:

- To support DAFM, its agencies and other relevant Bodies by providing the capability to have investigations carried out as requested and to ensure that such investigations are carried out to a standard that will withstand legal scrutiny;

- To contribute to DAFM capacity in horizon scanning and risk analysis;

- To support the implementation of control regimes and the development of legislation underpinning these within DAFM and its agencies as required.

Beef Environmental Efficiency Scheme

Ceisteanna (823)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

823. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appeal for a beef environmental efficiency programme, BEEP, scheme 2019 will be processed for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15120/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The objective of the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler is to further increase economic and environmental efficiency in the suckler herd through better quality data on herd performance, supporting decision making on farm and support of best practice in welfare management.

An application to join this scheme was received from the person named after the application period. The matter has been reviewed and the person named has been accepted into the programme.

Felling Licences

Ceisteanna (824)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

824. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications on hand for forestry felling licences that have not been decided to date; the years in which these licences were applied for originally in tabular form; if an economic impact assessment has been carried out on the effect the delay in issuing licences is having on the timber industry; the steps he plans to take to deal with the backlog of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15126/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The commencement of the Forestry Act, 2014 in May, 2017 brought about significant changes in the consent process for forestry operations. Felling licences are now valid for up to 10 years and may cover several felling events, such as thinning then clear felling on the same plot. Landowners considering future operations, have the opportunity of applying for a tree felling licence well in advance of any operations taking place.

I am acutely aware that delays in issuing licences has led to difficulties for some in the sector, although of course not all licence are used immediately. My Department is intensively engaging with all relevant stakeholders on these issues. The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to internal Appropriate Assessment Procedures (AAP). These were introduced in response to important Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decisions and their subsequent interpretation by the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) and others. These findings meant that in order to grant licences which fully meet environmental requirements, fundamental changes to the licensing system were unavoidable. All licence applications are subject to a statutory public notification system.

I accept the current changes to procedures are very significant and they have been challenging to implement such is the scope and breadth of them, which has unfortunately meant that there have been delays in issuing licences. It has taken substantial resources and effort to introduce a robust and workable system, which meets the legislative requirements, and I believe we now have that in place. My Department's licensing decisions are being confirmed at the Forestry Appeals Committee, which gives confidence in these revised procedures.

My Department now have a project plan for dealing with the current backlog and new applications, which includes significant extra resources as follows:

- Nine new forestry inspectors will be recruited in 2020, and four temporary forestry inspectors have been recruited, to work on licensing.

- Three new ecologists have joined the Department ecology team, with three more to be appointed shortly.

- We have engaged external ecological expertise to help with the backlog of files. Four local ecologists have also been contracted provide extra support. Further, an ecology contract with five new ecologists has been started.

- Additional administrative staff have been assigned to the Agriculture Appeals Office to assist with the increased workload of the Forestry Appeals Committee.

- Three planning officers have been contracted in to work with the Forestry Appeals Committee.

- A specialist mapping expert has been assigned to forestry.

The project plan is a targeted, process-driven approach which prioritise files in a manner which will result in an increased number of licences being issued in the short-term and will deliver a return to expected timelines in the longer term. Applicants who have or are prepared to submit a Natura Impact Statement, where appropriate, will be prioritised.

A Project Management Board, with a dedicated Project Manager, will oversee and monitor delivery. There will be a continuous review of the process, in order to effect efficiencies. A communication plan to keep stakeholders fully and regularly informed of progress, with a dedicated central resource to deal with queries, is a key element of the project. While much of the success of the project plan lies with my Department, stakeholders also need to engage with it. This will require a commitment from forestry companies to submit only applications which have a realistic chance of being planted, to ensure all applications are of the required standard and quality, and to submit NISs in accordance with the guidance provided.

I am more than aware that the current situation is challenging, but it is a temporary disruption which, when resolved, will make for a better, more sustainable and fit-for-purpose forestry licensing system for many years to come.

The table below shows applications received, licences issued and applications still outstanding for 2018, 2019 and to 30th June, 2020. Note: the "outstanding" figure applies to applications received in that year which have yet to be licensed.

2018

2019

2020

Applications received

6,600

3,175

758

Licences issued

3,603

4,098

823

Outstanding

300

1,484

580

Aquaculture Licences

Ceisteanna (825)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

825. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications on hand for aquaculture licences; the years that these applications were originally applied for in tabular form; the impact this delay in issuing licences is having on the development of the aquaculture industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15127/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The detailed information requested by the Deputy will require an extensive examination of my Department’s records and possibly enquiries with other Divisions and Agencies under the aegis of my Department.

The information requested will be forwarded to the Deputy within 14 days.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
Further to Parliamentary Question No 825 to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 14 July, the information requested is now provided in the table appended to this reply
Shellfish
In relation to shellfish, a backlog developed following a negative judgement by the European Court of Justice against Ireland in 2007 for breaches of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. In the negotiations to address the ECJ judgement and to enable aquaculture to continue in NATURA 2000 areas in the interim, a process was agreed with the EU Commission and this is being implemented. The process includes data collection, the setting of Conservation Objectives by the NPWS, identifying the scientific interests to be protected in the bays, carrying out of Appropriate Assessments (AA) of the licence applications against those scientific interests and appropriate licensing, taking account of, among other things, NATURA 2000 requirements.
The work involved multiple survey events carried out by a range of contractors. Profiling of aquaculture activity was carried out for all designated bays in order to define the likely interaction between aquaculture activities and conservation features. All of this preliminary work to prepare the foundation for the consideration of licence applications went on from 2009 onwards. The AAs started to become available from 2011 which resulted in an increase in licence determinations.
In 2017, the Department put in place a two year programme to eliminate the backlog of shellfish licence applications as an issue affecting the industry. This programme envisaged the achievement of 300 licence determinations in both 2018 and 2019. Since 2012, the Department has made over 1,200 licence determinations, with 305 and 324 licence determinations achieved in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Although licence applications continue to be processed, the backlog has been effectively eliminated.
In relation to the remaining shellfish licence applications, it will be seen from the date provided that a number of these are longstanding cases. In these cases, significant issues have arisen and the Department continues to work closely with relevant applicants with a view to finding solutions to the outstanding problems.
Most of the outstanding applications were submitted since 2018. This increase in applications is indicative of the vibrancy that has been restored to the industry due, at least in part, to the elimination of the long standing licensing backlog. It is considered a measure of the health of the shellfish industry that licence applications continue to be received by the Department. Every effort is being made by the Department to ensure that a backlog in the processing of these applications does not emerge.
Finfish
The Department currently has 37 marine finfish licence applications on hand (new and renewals) and is actively engaged in the elimination of this backlog. The finfish aquaculture licensing process is considerably more complex than the shellfish licensing process not least because of the requirement for the applicant, subject to the date of the application, to submit either an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) with the application for a new licence or renewal. The requirement to submit an EIS or EIAR is set out in national and EU legislation. The legislation also provides for significant Public and Statutory consultation in relation to the EIS or EIAR.
A significant number of operators have yet to submit the necessary EIS documentation and, in this regard, it should be noted that the Department has contacted all finfish operators where the necessary EIS in respect of their licence renewal application remains outstanding. The operators have been formally requested to submit the outstanding EIS in respect of their licence renewal applications. This request issued to all operators in December 2018 and it specified the deadline for submission of the necessary documentation to be 30th September 2019. In July 2019, the Minister extended the deadline for the submission of the Environmental Impact Statements to 31st March 2020. This was in response to indications from industry that meeting the deadline would be very challenging. A further extension of the deadline to 31st December 2020 was approved by the Minister earlier this year and remains in place.
Currently, the operators in question continue to operate their salmon farms under the provisions of Section 19A(4) of the 1997 Fisheries Amendment Act. This effectively allows them to continue to operate (after the expiry of their aquaculture licence), subject to the terms and conditions of their original aquaculture licence pending the determination by the Minister of their renewal application.
Number of Applications for Aquaculture Licences that have not been determined, by Year of Application

Year

Shellfish

Finfish

Land-based

2002

7

0

0

2003

2

0

3

2004

0

1

0

2005

0

3

2

2006

3

2

1

2007

3

2

0

2008

5

1

3

2009

1

3

0

2010

4

3

0

2011

3

5

3

2012

3

7

1

2013

9

0

0

2014

9

1

1

2015

13

4

1

2016

12

0

0

2017

4

0

3

2018

21

2

2

2019

49

3

3

2020 to date

15

0

0

Totals

163

37

23

Total Applications Pending

223

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