Written Answers Nos. 638-659
638. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of times the HSE national steering group responsible for the implementation of the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy has met since 1 January 2017; the dates they met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60543/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
640. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will provide multi-annual funding to disability services providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60545/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.
Budget 2022 provides an additional package of €115 million (including €10m one-off Covid funding) and builds on the €100m funding allocated in 2021 to enhance specialist disability services.
The Disability Capacity Review to 2032 sets out the Disability Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements up to 2032. This review has carefully drawn on best available evidence and information to estimate the scale of current outstanding need for HSE-funded disability services, and how the scale and shape of need is likely to evolve over the years to 2032. This report identified the importance of multi-annual funding to support forward planning of the services required so they may be delivered in a timely way at the most reasonable cost.
Work is underway on preparing an Action Plan for Disability Services 2022-2025, in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to work towards implementing the Disability Capacity Review.
However, at present, unlike the position for capital expenditure where multi annual commitments are made within the National Development Plan, the Estimates process for current expenditure currently allocates funding on an annual (single year) basis. No formal mechanism currently exists to provide current funding on a multi-annual basis to Departments, or onward to the HSE or to disability service providers.
641. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the distribution of the booster vaccines to general practitioners by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60562/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
642. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will include equestrian enterprises in the next round of TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59777/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a wide variety of items available under the suite of seven measures under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS). To date, total expenditure under the seven measures of the TAMS, including transitional expenditure, has reached in excess of €323m with commitments of an additional €145m made to scheme participants who have yet to draw down those grants.
Some 45,555 applications have been approved under the scheme.
All outstanding approvals issued represent potential outstanding liabilities for the Department and we must have a budget in place to pay these claims. As a result, it is not possible to consider adding additional items such as investment items for equestrian enterprises to the comprehensive list of investment items already available under TAMS.
No final decision has been made in relation to the interventions to be included in the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) (2023-2027). To allow for the submission of the draft CSP by 1st January 2022, the Department are currently inviting members of the public and stakeholders to make written submissions or observations in respect of the draft CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and associated Environmental Report and Natura Impact Statement, further details of which can also be found on my Department's website.
643. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of afforestation licences, private felling licences and Coillte felling licences issued since the end of January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59783/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo end-November, the Department has issued 3,654 forestry licences, including afforestation, felling and forest road licences, this year. This is an increase of 57% on what was issued to the same point last year.
In that time, 468 afforestation licences have issued for 3,881ha. For tree felling licences a total of 1,208 have issued to private landowners and 1,378 to Coillte, (15,688ha and 11,103ha respectively).
The Department publishes a range of forestry licence statistics both on its website and weekly in the Forestry Dashboard.
There has been an increase in licences issued in recent months, with on average 116 licences per week issuing over 13 weeks to 26th November, 2021. This has reflected a greater output of felling licences with slower progress in issuing afforestation licences. Efficiencies that have been in place for some months for tree felling and forest road licence processing are now being applied to afforestation licences.
I would like to reiterate my commitment and that of Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, in ensuring that we maintain and improve on our licence delivery for the benefit of the sector and for society as a whole.
644. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if areas of tree planting proposed in the next CAP of three plants per eligible hectare will be included in the Government's accounting of afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59784/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll forests planted that are 0.1 ha or more in size are accounted and reported under the land use category called “forestry” for greenhouse gas reporting by the EPA.
Forests are defined as areas which are 0.1 hectares or more in size and which have the capacity to reach at least five meters in height and with a minimum canopy cover of at least 20%. Ireland uses this definition as defined in the LULUCF regulation, that is forest areas are defined as 0.1 hectare in size, to account for all forest plots that meet, these criteria.
The target of 8,000 hectare new afforestation per year as set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021 will include all DAFM tree planting measures that are 0.1 hectare in size or more.
This target will include forestry programme tree planting measures and any potential other tree planting measures supported through the CAP Strategic Plantings that meet the 0.1 hectare or more in size definition.
645. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the organisations, statutory and otherwise, that have an official role in advising him regarding the National CAP Strategic Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59867/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the development of the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027, a national CAP Stakeholder Consultative Committee was established in 2019.
The Committee comprises representatives of the main stakeholders including farm bodies, NGOs, industry representatives and academia. It also includes other relevant Government Departments (Public Expenditure and Reform, Rural and Community Development, Environment, Climate and Communications, and Housing, Local Government and Heritage) and Agencies (Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Environmental Protection Agency).
The Stakeholder Consultative Committee is the main stakeholder forum which has provided input to the CAP reform negotiations and the development of the CAP Strategic Plan. It has met on more than twenty five occasions. All agendas, presentations and meeting minutes, including a full list of representative bodies, are available on www.gov.ie/cap.
As well as this formal structure, ongoing bilateral engagement with stakeholders has continued on various elements of the CAP Strategic Plan. I have also engaged directly with farmers across the country through the local mart system. I visited 27 marts in 25 counties to hear directly from farmers their views on the CAP. Department officials have also collaborated across Government Departments and Agencies on the content of the draft Plan as it has been developed.
As the Deputy is aware, officials have also presented on the CAP reform negotiation process, and on the draft CAP Strategic Plan, to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
I would also mention that the public consultation on the draft Environmental Report, draft Natura Impact Statement and draft CAP Strategic Plan, is currently nearing its conclusion, and I would encourage all to have their say. The closing date is Wednesday the 8th of December and full details are available on www.gov.ie/cap.
646. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Teagasc has an official role in advising him regarding the National CAP Strategic Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59874/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTeagasc has a key role in advising my Department on all aspects of agriculture as part of its function as a state research and advisory body.
As regards the CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027, Teagasc is represented on the national CAP Stakeholder Consultative Committee, and provides valuable input through this forum. The Committee comprises representatives of the main stakeholders including farm bodies, NGO’s, industry representatives and academia, as well as the relevant Government Departments and agencies. The Committee has met on more than 25 occasions since its inception.
In addition to this formal structure, there is ongoing bilateral engagement with Teagasc by Department officials, to ensure the utilisation of best practice, latest research and modelling to inform the development of the Plan. Teagasc has also provided input to the environmental assessment of the draft Plan.
The role of the advisory services will also be critical to the effective implementation of the Plan. One of the Plan's cross-cutting objectives is the modernisation and digitisation of the sector, including through increased knowledge sharing and innovation, via new so-called Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). This will require a strong and coherent advisory service, in which Teagasc will play a central role.
647. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is compensation available on designated land with an equine breeding programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59881/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the designation of lands is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the first instance.
My Department does not have a role in compensating farmers for the designation of their lands. I do, however, recognise that designated lands, by being categorised as part of a Europe wide network of sites known as NATURA 2000 sites under the European Union's Habitats Directive, are important in the context of protecting or environment and biodiversity.
It is in that context that my Department is now examining the possibility of including Natura land within the qualifying features for the Space for Nature action within the new Eco-Schemes which will are scheduled to be introduced under the new Common Agricultural Policy from 2023.
648. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reconsider the indicative budget for the next CAP Programme which sees funding for the LEADER Programme 2023-2027 cut to €180 million from the previous programme which ran from 2016-2020 that had a budget of €250 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59895/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe budget allocation for the period 2014-2020 for LEADER was €250m for the seven year period.
An additional €70m was made available for LEADER in 2021 and 2022 under the transitional arrangements. A further indicative allocation of €180 million for the LEADER Programme is proposed for the 2023-2027 period under the CAP Strategic Plan. Therefore, the funding over the two seven-year periods is the same, at €250m, and is not a cut as stated in the question.
The allocation is part of the overall allocation of the funding for the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, and it is not intended to revisit the allocation for LEADER at this point in time.
649. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to address the significant backlog in the applications for forest road licences. [59897/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra650. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagement with private forestry companies and their representatives regarding the delays in forestry related licences. [59898/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 650 together.
Both Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, and I take the forestry licensing issue extremely seriously and it is a top priority in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Significant time and resources continue to be devoted to dealing with the backlog and this is beginning to have the desired effect. I am hopeful that we will reach our target of 4,000 licences this year, having now issued 3,718 licences to 3rd December. This is a 50% improvement on last year.
We have engaged extensively with stakeholders on this issue. In respect of engaging specifically with forestry private forestry contractors and their representatives, both Minister Hackett and I have had several meetings with Forest Industries Ireland (FII) this year.
We have met jointly on four occasions and I have had a separate meeting with FII. My officials have also had several meetings with FII to discuss the licensing process, to provide clarity on processes and requirements. In the normal course of events, there is day-to-day contact with private forestry companies in relation to individual applications.
Furthermore four representatives of FII are members of the Forestry Policy Group, which is chaired by Minister Hackett, and by extension are members of the four Working Groups under Project Woodland.
As the Deputy will be aware, Project Woodland was set up earlier this year as a framework to resolve the delays in issuing licences, as well as a vehicle to create a shared vision for woodland creation in Ireland.
I am pleased to report that substantial work has been undertaken by all Working Groups and the Project Board of Project Woodland, with regular meetings held resulting in a high level of output in both terms of quality and quantity.
Of relevance to licensing is the external regulatory review. The Department has placed a contract for the regulatory review, with report due by end February, 2022. It will review the existing statutory framework for the licensing of forestry activities in relation to environmental and public participation obligations in order that practical advice can be provided to the Department on how to work more efficiently within the existing legal framework.
In terms of forest road applications, to 3rd December, the Department has issued 607 forest road licences for 244 km.
This is the largest amount in terms of length issued in the last five years and is almost double the annual target set in the Climate Action Plan (125km). The Department has invested significantly in examining road applications on hand have written to registered foresters where further information was required. This work, together with improvement in ecological report drafting, is paying dividends in terms of the recent increased output.
I would like to reiterate my commitment and that of Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, in ensuring that we maintain and improve on our licence delivery for the benefit of the sector. We will continue to work with private forestry companies and their representatives and other stakeholders towards reaching a satisfactory resolution to the current challenges.
651. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on establishing a statutory red meat regulator. [59899/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to brining greater levels of transparency to the supply chain. The Deputy will be aware of the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a new office of National Food Ombudsman, or equivalent, which will enforce the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Directive. This office will also have a role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland. The establishment of such an Office requires primary legislation.
As an interim measure, pending primary legislation, in April this year I signed Statutory Instrument No. 198 of 2021 to transpose the UTP Directive directly into Irish law before the May transposition deadline.
I also established the interim UTP Enforcement Authority in my Department. This Enforcement Authority has been assigned all of the necessary legal powers to investigate complaints from suppliers, including primary producers, to carry out investigations on its own initiative and to initiate legal proceedings for breaches of the Unfair Trading Practices defined in the Directive.
With regard to the establishment of the new Office of Food Ombudsman or equivalent, the General Scheme of the Bill for the primary legislation is currently being prepared. I am fully committed to ensuring that the Programme for Government commitment is implemented as quickly as possible and I am pleased to say that, as announced in the details of Budget 2022, an indicative €4 million has been provided in the estimates for the establishment of the new Office.
I believe that the Regulations I introduced in April are a significant step in progressing towards a more even playing field for our agricultural and food suppliers, providing them with a service that they can avail of with regard to unfair trading practices.
652. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on banning or restricting the use of glyphosate by public bodies. [59900/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraGlyphosate is an EU-approved active substance for use in plant protection products. It is a matter for public bodies to decide to use authorised products containing glyphosate if they consider that its use is necessary and provided that the relevant provisions of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive are complied with.
Authorised uses for glyphosate products will be reviewed again by all Member State competent authorities, based on the outcome of an EU review process that is ongoing. A decision at EU level must be reached before the current approval expires on 15th December 2022.
My Department will continue to be guided by EFSA’s and ECHA’s scientific opinions in relation to glyphosate.
653. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of protected disclosures made to him concerning his Department and bodies under its aegis in 2018, 2019 and 2020. [59905/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of Protected Disclosures received in my Department in the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 are as follows:
|
Year |
Number of Disclosures Received |
|
2018 |
1 |
|
2019 |
2 |
|
2020 |
4 |
654. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average processing time for a foal registration. [59927/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rules for the identification of equines are governed by commission Regulation (EU) 2016/429, supplemented by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2035 and Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/963.
Equines are required to be identified with a passport within 12 months of their date of birth, or on permanently leaving the holding of their birth, whichever is the earlier date. Keepers are required to submit completed passport applications to an appropriate PIO within 6 months of an equine's birth to allow sufficient time for the resolution of any issues that may arise.
Equine passports are issued by a number of Passport Issuing Organisations approved by my Department. Each of those organisations manages particular studbooks and issues equine identification documents for equines that meet the eligibility criteria for specific studbooks under their management. Two of these organisations are further approved to issue equine identification documents for equines for breeding and production.
Equines that are entered or are eligible for entry in the main section of a breeding book established by a recognised breed society are referred to as registered equines. Passports issued for registered equines must record verified parentage details of the associated equine on the passport document.
Passports for equines for breeding and production are not required to record verified parental data of the associated equine. Therefore, all required validation is undertaken by the PIO to which the application is made. Such passport applications are generally fully processed within two weeks although in many instances correctly completed applications are processed in as little as three days.
Passports for registered equines must record verified pedigree details of the parents of the equine for which a passport is sought. This requires DNA analysis which must be undertaken at a certified laboratory. Currently, there is only one operation providing this service in Ireland.
Having contacted the various PIOs, the information available to my officials is that, on average, passports for registered equines currently issue within a time period of four - eight weeks. This time frame was longer earlier in the year, following unforeseen technical and supply chain delays experienced by the DNA testing laboratory. Increased demand for passports also added to processing times earlier in the year. These issues have now been resolved.
655. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of funding to be provided by his Department in 2022 for the promotion and support of the social enterprise sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59930/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is making €1.5m in funding available for 2022 under the Rural Innovation and Development Fund (RIDF) to finance current expenditure on approved projects in rural areas. The following is a summary of the activities to be supported in 2022.
Female Rural Entrepreneurs
An allocation of €244,000 is being provided for this initiative in 2022. The funding will allow for the extension of the “ACORNS” programme which involves the development and implementation of a tailored programme targeted at nascent entrepreneurial women living in rural areas to address the specific challenges which face female entrepreneurs generally as well as the barriers which can limit entrepreneurial activity in rural areas.
Social Farming
An allocation of €777,000 is being provided for Social Farming in 2022 under the RIDF. Funding is being provided to continue the development of the national Social Farming Network. In addition, funding will be provided to allow for the extension of four social farming model projects. Social farming involves offering on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment as a choice to people who avail of a range of therapeutic day support services.
Food Waste Reduction
An allocation of €180,000 will be provided towards this initiative to provide funding for the promotion and/or development of innovative food waste reduction projects which are designed to reduce food waste generated by food businesses, retailer/wholesalers, manufacturers or suppliers in rural areas. A Call for Proposals inviting applications will issue in early 2022 and will be open to all organisations. The maximum amount payable to any project will be €60,000.
Agri-Food Tourism
An allocation of €299,000 will be provided for the promotion and development of innovative agri-food tourism projects in 2022. A Call for Proposals inviting applications will issue in January 2022 and will be open to all organisations. The maximum amount payable to any project will be €25,000.
656. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the new beef sector forum will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59949/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra657. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give consideration to how food processors and retailers can be more involved in reports carried out by any new beef forum; his views on whether this will provide improved data for future planning within this sector; when the establishment of this forum will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59963/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 656 and 657 together.
I was very pleased to recently publish the report of the Chair of the Beef Taskforce. The report clearly sets out that the group satisfied its remit in monitoring and progressing the implementation of the actions agreed by stakeholders in the beef sector agreement of 15th September 2019. The TaskForce had a dedicated and diligent independent chair; and I fully accepted his further recommendation that we need ongoing stakeholder engagement on the key strategic issues facing the sector.
Preparations are currently under way to establish this new forum and further details will be announced in due course. I was pleased to receive reports of strong engagement by stakeholders across the supply chain with the work of the Beef Taskforce and I look forward to this constructive engagement continuing in the context of the new forum.
Ensuring there is a long-term, sustainable and viable future for our suckler and beef farmers is a key priority of mine as Minister. This new sectoral forum will take a strategic view of supporting the development of the sector and contribute to our over arching objective of our Food Vision 2030 strategy, that Ireland will become a world leader in sustainable food systems over the next decade.
658. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department is now requiring a habitat map to be prepared by an independent ecologist at the applicant's expense before it will assess afforestation applications; his views on whether this should be completed by a Departmental forestry ecologist at his Department’s expense given that the forestry service has and is taking on additional ecologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60011/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraCircular 08/2021, which issued to Registered Foresters on in June this year, outlined work my Department had carried out in reviewing systems for the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Screening Determinations, Appropriate Assessment Reports and Appropriate Assessment Determinations. These are the ecological assessments of forestry licence applications.
Improvements were made to systems to optimise the time of the ecologists to concentrate on the ecological aspects of each application. Registered foresters were advised of certain documents that would assist with processing applications.
As afforestation represents a land use change, the existing onsite habitats and their possible use by protected species require particular attention.
Registered Foresters were therefore advised that a Pre-Screening Report and associated Habitat & Receiving Environment Map along with an Ecological Report if there is any non-AA ecology related issue, were the appropriate documents for afforestation applications..
These documents are not mandatory, however, where they are presented with an application, that application will be prioritised for ecological assessment by Departmental ecologists who will prepare an ecology report as appropriate.
659. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation and felling licences granted in the past twelve months; the details of those licenses granted to any public body such as Coillte or other; the number awarded to private land holders and farmers in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60012/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the last twelve months, including December, 2020, 3,917 licences have been issued. The tables below show the information sought and also includes forestry road licences as these are also dealt with by my Department.
|
- |
Private Afforestation |
Coillte Afforestation |
Private Felling |
Coillte Felling |
Private Roads |
Coillte Roads |
|
December 2020 |
52 |
0 |
73 |
109 |
18 |
11 |
|
January 2021 |
37 |
0 |
88 |
179 |
29 |
16 |
|
February |
48 |
0 |
54 |
104 |
37 |
29 |
|
March |
59 |
0 |
50 |
57 |
40 |
27 |
|
April |
69 |
0 |
58 |
25 |
24 |
19 |
|
May |
48 |
1 |
92 |
81 |
52 |
24 |
|
June |
40 |
0 |
226 |
91 |
35 |
23 |
|
July |
14 |
0 |
65 |
59 |
18 |
6 |
|
August |
18 |
1 |
65 |
72 |
22 |
17 |
|
September |
37 |
0 |
244 |
267 |
23 |
14 |
|
October |
45 |
1 |
143 |
213 |
32 |
20 |
|
November |
49 |
1 |
123 |
230 |
35 |
58 |
It may be of interest to the Deputy that the Department publishes a range of forestry licence statistics both on its website and weekly in the Forestry Dashboard.
There has been an increase in licences issued in recent months, with on average 116 licences per week issuing over the last 13 weeks to 26th November. As can be seen from the table this has reflected a greater output of felling licences with slower progress in issuing afforestation licences. Efficiencies that have been in place for some months for tree felling and forest road licence processing are now being applied to afforestation licences.
In addition, we now have 10 ecologists dedicated to afforestation and we intend to increase this number by reallocating resources and recruiting additional ecologists. As afforestation is a land-use change, it is essential that careful attention is paid to the likely affects forestry may have on the surrounding countryside and environment.
As recommended by Project Woodland, the Department has placed a contract for the regulatory review with report due by end February, 2022. It will review the existing statutory framework for the licensing of forestry activities in relation to environmental and public participation obligations, in order that practical advice can be provided to the Department on various options within the existing legal framework.
I would like to reiterate my commitment and that of Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, in ensuring that we maintain and improve on our licence delivery for the benefit of the sector and for society as a whole.
