Written Answers Nos. 268-277
268. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to provide financial support to horse and pony racing associations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54926/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for HRI and I have requested my officials to refer the question to them for direct reply.
269. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports that have been made available to the horse and pony racing sector in response to financial burdens they have borne resulting from the ongoing pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55032/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for HRI and I have requested my officials to refer the question to them for direct reply.
270. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will meet with representatives of a sector (details supplied) to discuss supports for the sector arising from financial hardships borne resulting from the ongoing pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55033/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
I have asked my officials to explore the relevant issues with the agency in question in the first instance.
271. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 777 of 15 September 2021 in relation to control reports, if he will provide persons (details supplied) with the control reports related to inspections carried out on their commonage, undertaken in 2010 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55054/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe requested information has previously been provided by the Department to a number of the named individuals and it can be provided directly to the other named individuals if they make a request to the Integrated Controls Division of the Department.
272. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter for a person (details supplied) regarding organic payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55060/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named above is an applicant in the Department’s Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) with a contract start date of 1st January 2019.
When processing an Organic Farming Scheme payment, the reference area is used to calculate the payment due. Where the claimed area is greater than the reference area, a reduction and/or a penalty may apply.
The determined area is the area of Organic land, less land that receives a payment under the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme. This information is supplied from the participants annual submission under the Basic Payment Scheme.
In 2019, the organic area claimed by the person named was 39.2 hectares. The determined area, or reference area for 2019 is 36.85 hectares. The reference area of a land parcel excludes all ineligible items such as farm roads, trees, streams and scrub.
In accordance with the governing scheme conditions, where a percentage overclaim is greater than two hectares or 3% but not more than 20% of the area determined, a penalty will apply.
The organic claimed area in this instance was greater than the determined area by 6.38%. This has resulted in an area reduction and a penalty being applied to the payment. A letter will issue this week to the person named above giving the opportunity to appeal the original decision and to clarify the reason for the reduction.
273. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and percentage of farmers in each county that will be better off with a 100% convergence option versus the 85% convergence option being proposed by him under the new CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55062/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraConvergence will be a mandatory provision in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) commencing in 2023. Member States are required to ensure that, by 2026, all payment entitlements reach a minimum convergence level of 85%, creating a more levelled distribution of payments.
Member States will also be required to set a maximum value of individual payment entitlements. The funding mechanism will be similar to the current system where payment entitlements with values above the average are reduced to fund convergence.
Table 1 illustrates the number and percentage of farmers in each county that would be comparatively better off with a 100% convergence option versus the 85% convergence option.
Table 1: The number and percentage of farmers in each County that would be comparatively better off with a 100% convergence option versus the 85% convergence option.
|
County |
Number of Farmers better off with 100% convergence* |
Percentage of farmers better off with 100% convergence* |
|
CARLOW |
570 |
35.96% |
|
CAVAN |
2,786 |
59.71% |
|
CLARE |
3,987 |
67.76% |
|
CORK |
5,626 |
44.50% |
|
DONEGAL |
6,505 |
80.03% |
|
DUBLIN |
350 |
58.33% |
|
GALWAY |
7,204 |
62.11% |
|
KERRY |
5,462 |
72.93% |
|
KILDARE |
956 |
47.42% |
|
KILKENNY |
1,168 |
35.46% |
|
LAOIS |
1,142 |
39.92% |
|
LEITRIM |
2,817 |
85.36% |
|
LIMERICK |
2,974 |
60.20% |
|
LONGFORD |
1,300 |
56.37% |
|
LOUTH |
657 |
45.37% |
|
MAYO |
8,019 |
72.08% |
|
MEATH |
1,696 |
45.55% |
|
MONAGHAN |
1,907 |
48.72% |
|
OFFALY |
1,573 |
53.94% |
|
ROSCOMMON |
3,514 |
63.71% |
|
SLIGO |
2,894 |
76.00% |
|
TIPPERARY |
2,969 |
44.16% |
|
WATERFORD |
987 |
42.14% |
|
WESTMEATH |
1,660 |
57.34% |
|
WEXFORD |
1,387 |
35.18% |
|
WICKLOW |
1,143 |
54.98% |
|
Grand Total |
71,253 |
58.53% |
*The data is a Year 1 comparison only (2023) with BISS Capped.
To demonstrate the potential effects of the Direct Payment components, such as convergence, it was necessary to identify a cross-sectional sample population of farmers for modelling purposes. The data is based on 2020 land position and 2021 entitlements.
The figures in Table 1 are modelling predictions of the expected landscape in 2023 and it is very important that the Deputy should note the following:
- Farmers are included in the “better off” category if they benefit by as little as €0.01 and as such the comparative monetary differences vary significantly between farmers.
- Payment entitlements are a monetary asset and are transferable between farmers via sale, lease, gift, inheritance etc. As such, transfer of entitlements routinely occurs across county borders.
- A Farmer’s payment position may well change in the scheme Year 2023 based on trading of entitlements.
Finally, the Direct Payments system is a layered or composite structure with interacting component parts. Moving funds into one scheme will mean reducing the funding available for another. All elements under the Direct Payments ceiling including convergence are inextricably linked and it is challenging to examine them in isolation.
My Department continues to engage with farmers and our EU colleagues in analysing the effects of all the proposed changes, including changes to convergence. The outcome of these continued discussions and the results of these analyses assist the decision-making process on the implementation of new CAP regulations in Ireland.
274. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the major fish kill of farmed salmon in west County Cork including the threat to wild salmon (details supplied). [55167/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 29th October my Department received notification of elevated/exceptional mortalities at a salmon farm in Bantry Bay. My Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute, is examining the matter as a priority. I can confirm that a Veterinary Inspector has visited the site and samples were taken from live / moribund fish and are under investigation. Pending completion of my Department’s examination it would not be appropriate to comment further.
275. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking in response to the inspectorate team report from an organisation (details supplied) examining animal cruelty. [55168/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI welcome the statistics published on the ISPCA's website, which are a testament to the organisation's valuable work in the protection of welfare of animals throughout Ireland.
As the largest animal welfare organisation in the country, the ISPCA has always played an important role in protecting animal welfare nationally and has a long-standing, good relationship with my Department.
The ISPCA has a strong record in rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing animals and is to the forefront in educating and heightening public awareness on how best to care for animals.
The ISPCA's authorised officers play a vital role in implementing the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, delivering on the Programme for Government commitment to robust enforcement.
Indeed, the ongoing co-operation between my Department, the ISPCA, local authorities, Customs and An Garda Síochána has contributed significantly in cases where animal welfare is compromised.
I would like to assure the Deputy that animal welfare is a high priority for my Department and considerable resources and funding are provided to address the issue.
The Programme for Government contains an undertaking to provide additional funding in support of animal welfare in the coming years to which I am fully committed.
In recognition of the important role played by the many organisations safeguarding animals throughout the country, in December 2020 I announced record funding of €3.2 million for 101 eligible animal welfare organisations. Of this, I was pleased to award €535,000 to the ISPCA, in addition to the contributions of €504,500 to the 19 affiliate organisations, bringing the total 2020 allocation to ISPCA and its affiliates to €1,039,500. This exchequer funding helps the ISPCA to continue its excellent work countrywide.
276. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total amount spent by her Department on advertisements, including traditional forms of advertisement and online advertising, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2021. [54914/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe details of expenditure on advertising for my Department from its first full financial year in 2018 (following its establishment in July 2017) and in the year to-date, are set out hereunder.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
€13,790 |
€19,813 |
€6,196 |
€4,796 |
277. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when Leader funding that has been awarded will be paid to a centre (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55094/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future.
LEADER is administered by 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area. Each LAG has been given a funding allocation for the duration of the programme. Project applications are made to, and approved by, the relevant LAG in each LEADER area.
Payment claims are submitted to my Department by the LAGs when projects are up and running and have incurred expenditure. The approved works must be completed by the project promoter prior to any phased or final payments being made.
With regard to the project referred to by the Deputy, I understand that the project is still under construction and that the promoters have received payment in respect of three claims submitted. A fourth claim for payment was recently submitted by the promoter and is currently under review by the relevant Local Action Group with a view to payment once all the appropriate regulatory administrative checks have been successfully completed.
