Written Answers Nos. 2136-2155
2136. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the all-island protected geographical indicator application for beef; the expected timeframe for PGI status to be in place; the projected impact that the PGI will have on beef prices for eligible produce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43448/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2021, following scrutiny by the European Commission, the application for a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for “Irish Grass Fed Beef” was published in the Official Journal of the European Union for a three month ‘opposition procedure’ which was open both to EU Member States and third countries.
Following the submission by the UK, the European Commission invited both parties to engage on the application. Discussions between my Department and its UK counterparts were successfully concluded in July 2022, with agreement that the geographical area covered by the application will cover island of Ireland. Other than changes associated with the extension of the area, there was no substantial change to the product specification.
In early August, the European Commission was notified of the agreement and will advise on progress of the next steps, which will include a further European Commission scrutiny and a further consultation/opposition procedure at EU/third country level.
Achieving a PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef will present a strong opportunity to add value for Irish Grass Fed Beef exports to key markets, based on a well-established reputation of excellent quality based on our unique pasture-based production system. It is my expectation that the PGI status will benefit the hard work of suckler and beef farmers on the island of Ireland.
2137. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to advance the proposal for an all-island Irish grown wool council in line with the recommendation of the Review of Market Opportunities for Irish-Grown Wool-Based Products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43449/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, one of the commitments under the current Programme for Government was to conduct a review of the potential demand for wool-based products such as for insulation and fertilisers in domestic and international markets.
The independently-compiled review published on 1st July 2022 contains a number of findings and recommendations including potential funding streams, market opportunities for wool and multiple areas for additional research and development.
One of the main recommendations is the establishment of an industry-led Wool Council which would develop and promote Irish wool domestically and internationally and bring together multiple stakeholders to foster collaboration, innovation and scaling activities in the wool sector. In support of this recommendation, I have committed to provide funding to the wool industry of €30,000 towards the initial set-up costs of setting up this independent industry led Wool Council.
2138. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the plans to introduce mandatory six months testing for TB on bovine herds given that it will place an unnecessary burden and cost on farmers. [43501/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new TB Testing requirements being brought in are as a result of the new EU Animal Health Law that came into effect in April 2021. These new regulations require that where bovine animals are being moved from farm to farm or through marts, they must have been tested for TB within a certain time frame. The requirements are that:
All Bovines that are moving farm to farm or through a mart must be tested in the previous 6 months, and
They must also be moving from a herd that been tested in the last six months.
If they do not fulfil both of these requirements, they must be tested, either within the 30 days prior to movement or within 30 days after movement into the new herd.
These new requirements are aimed at reducing the level of transmissible disease in animals, including bovines. These requirements are applicable across all EU member states.
The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum which comprises of representatives from across the agri-food sector, leading researchers and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has agreed to the introduction of these mandatory requirements on a phased basis. These new measures should play a part in assisting the reduction of bTB in the years ahead.
Where animals that move do not satisfy the two testing-interval requirements, the initial phase of implementation will see the requirement for either pre-or post-movement test activated in respect of cows of all ages and male animals over the age of 36 months. This first phase will come into effect on 1st February 2023. At present no date has been set for phase two, which will see the rule applied to all animals.
The responsibility to ensure that animals are tested in compliance with these requirements ultimately rests with the purchaser of the animals. Animals that require a test in the 30 days after the movement will be restricted immediately to the herd into which they have moved. This herd has 30 days to carry out a test on those animals. If after 30 days, the animals have not been tested then the herd that received them will be restricted. If after another 30 days, the animals have still not been tested then the whole herd will be scheduled for a TB test.
The majority of animals being moved currently satisfy these time intervals and so in such cases no additional testing will be required.
Herd owners either selling or buying animals can time their annual herd test to coincide with the sale or purchase of animals. If a herd owner wishes to re-schedule their annual herd test to an earlier date, to facilitate the sale or purchase of animals, they should contact their Regional Veterinary Office.
Herd owners may test those animals that have been moved in as part of their annual herd test or as part of any other Department-paid test where one is scheduled for completion, e.g., contiguous tests or post de-restriction check tests.
2139. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will provide a list of all farmers who receive hen harrier scheme payments. [43510/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Hen Harrier Programme is operationally independent of my Department and is run by the Hen Harrier Project Ltd.
I can confirm that the Project team have reported enrolment of 1,597 participants.
The Hen Harrier Project Ltd is responsible for the administration of the project and associated payments. Any queries relating to payments should be addressed directly to the Project team. The personal information of any Scheme participant is never released to third parties.
2140. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details on the total amounts of monies awarded to Louth County Council by his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; if he will seek details on the total monies drawn down and spent by Louth County Council over the same years in tabular form, and if not spent, the total monies that were returned to his Department respectively over the same years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43513/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Total awarded to Louth County Council € |
Total drawn down and spent by Louth County Council € |
Total not spent and returned to the Department € |
|
2016 |
32,341 |
32,341 |
N/A |
|
2017 |
24,351 |
24,351 |
N/A |
|
2018 |
13,743 |
13,743 |
N/A |
|
2019 |
1,950 |
1,950 |
N/A |
|
2020 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
2021 |
500 |
500 |
N/A |
|
2022 to date |
250 |
250 |
N/A |
2141. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that are being taken to reinforce the ban on trawling Ireland's inshore waters by vessels over 18m; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43561/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra2142. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that are being taken to enact existing legislation to limit the activity of trawlers over 18m operating in Ireland's inshore waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43562/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2141 and 2142 together.
In December 2018, following a public consultation process in which over 900 submissions were received, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine announced that vessels over 18m will be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from 1 January 2020. A transition period of three years for vessels over 18m targeting sprat was allowed to enable adjustment for these vessels, as the sprat fishery is concentrated inside the six nautical mile zone.
A Policy Directive was issued by the Minister to the independent Licensing Authority to give effect to these measures. The Policy Directive directed the Licensing Authority to insert a condition to this effect into the licences of affected vessels.
A Judicial Review to the High Court was taken by two applicant fishers challenging the validity of the Policy. On 6th October 2020, the Judge held in summary that the High Court’s final order should be, among other matters, a declaration that Policy Directive 1 of 2019 was made in breach of fair procedures and is void and/or of no legal effect. The breach of fair procedures as referenced above related to a failure with obligations to consult with the applicants in accordance with, and to the extent required by, the consultation process and in particular by failing to consult with them a second time once a preferred option had been identified. A stay on the order was refused by the High Court on 10th December 2020.
I appealed the decision of the High Court to the Court of Appeal. I also sought a stay on the order of the High Court. The Court of Appeal reinstated the Ministerial Policy Directive on 19th March 2021, when the Court was persuaded that the balance of justice leaned in favour of the State and granted a stay on the order of the High Court up until the hearing of the substantive appeal in June. Following a full hearing by the Court of Appeal on 22nd June 2021, the Court decided to temporarily extend the Policy Directive excluding large vessels from trawling in inshore waters within 6 miles of the coast, save for a restricted sprat fishery.
On September 23rd , 2021, the Court of Appeal refused my application to further continue the stay. This refusal means that the decision of the High Court stands and the Policy Directive is no longer valid, meaning vessels over 18 metres in length overall have resumed trawling in the waters inside 6 nautical miles. These vessels also no longer require an authorisation to fish for sprat inside 6 nautical miles.
The Court of Appeal issued an unapproved judgment on 19th July last and my Department is at present considering the implications of the that unapproved judgment in consultation with its legal advisors. Further submissions to the Court have been requested by September 23rd .
As this matter continues to be sub judice, I am not in a position to comment further until the matter can be resolved before the Courts.
2143. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average percentage grant rate paid to applicants under the seven TAMS schemes after penalties on the eligible costs submitted to his Department’s online system on a regional basis. [43678/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a wide variety of items available under the suite of seven measures under TAMS.
To date, total expenditure under the seven measures of the TAMS, including transitional expenditure, is in excess of €380m with commitments of an additional €93m made to scheme participants who have yet to draw down those grants. We continue to pay on average €1.5m on a weekly basis to TAMS applicants
The table below details the average payment and average penalty per county across the seven TAMS II measures:
|
County |
No of payments |
Average Payment |
No of penalties |
Average Penalty |
|
Carlow |
644 |
€11,210.85 |
83 |
€1,292.40 |
|
Cavan |
895 |
€11,751.00 |
130 |
€1,344.68 |
|
Clare |
961 |
€13,400.49 |
99 |
€1,357.90 |
|
Cork |
5092 |
€12,574.27 |
552 |
€1,273.62 |
|
Donegal |
1327 |
€8,019.33 |
165 |
€1,720.44 |
|
Dublin |
171 |
€11,065.05 |
23 |
€5,492.99 |
|
Galway |
1888 |
€10,549.78 |
227 |
€843.58 |
|
Kerry |
1849 |
€11,199.31 |
251 |
€1,156.14 |
|
Kildare |
615 |
€11,816.41 |
66 |
€4,922.50 |
|
Kilkenny |
1700 |
€14,964.51 |
189 |
€2,015.42 |
|
Laois |
954 |
€12,087.37 |
144 |
€3,052.36 |
|
Leitrim |
285 |
€9,580.30 |
41 |
€492.86 |
|
Limerick |
1461 |
€14,035.53 |
176 |
€1,698.45 |
|
Longford |
380 |
€12,230.89 |
54 |
€908.99 |
|
Louth |
336 |
€14,665.37 |
54 |
€1,692.57 |
|
Mayo |
939 |
€10,535.99 |
154 |
€740.08 |
|
Meath |
900 |
€12,282.76 |
125 |
€2,710.74 |
|
Monaghan |
792 |
€12,623.83 |
133 |
€2,527.72 |
|
Offaly |
817 |
€13,914.57 |
132 |
€2,949.63 |
|
Roscommon |
858 |
€9,046.68 |
127 |
€500.65 |
|
Sligo |
334 |
€12,821.05 |
55 |
€708.97 |
|
Tipperary |
2610 |
€14,038.46 |
303 |
€1,975.34 |
|
Waterford |
1050 |
€15,464.76 |
99 |
€2,655.34 |
|
Westmeath |
649 |
€11,698.86 |
98 |
€2,482.20 |
|
Wexford |
1863 |
€12,624.13 |
207 |
€2,368.48 |
|
Wicklow |
499 |
€12,393.00 |
81 |
€1,358.24 |
|
Total |
29869 |
€12,366.81 |
3,768 |
€1,752.20 |
2144. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if force majeure on medical grounds will be considered in respect of an application for the National Reserve by persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43722/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn appeal was received from the applicant on 19th August 2022 in relation to an unsuccessful application to the National Reserve. This appeal will be reviewed taking all the information into account and the Department will be in touch with the applicants in due course.
2145. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the non-SME sector will be considered for funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund as recommended by the Seafood Task Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43733/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI trust that the Deputy is asking this question in the context of the €45 millon Brexit Processing Support Scheme, which I was pleased to announce on 12 May. The scheme delivers on a recommendation of the Seafood Taskforce and offers grant rates of between 30% and 50% for capital investment in SME seafood processing enterprises, varying depending on the degree of value added in the project.
The scheme is designed to counter the adverse consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. It seeks to support the processing sector to engage in transformational change, mitigating the effects of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and Brexit. It also seeks to build more environmentally friendly, sustainable and competitive enterprises which serve the EU and wider global markets, create higher levels of employment more locally, and make better and more sustainable use of Irish landed or imported raw material. The scheme is aimed at supporting industry-led transformative capital investments that enable the sector to focus on 'creating more from less' in the wake of reduced supply of raw material. It is also aimed at moving enterprises in the sector further up the supply chain to produce higher value products and shift the industry to a focus on secondary processing and beyond to products targeting end-user markets. The scheme will be proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
The scheme received State Aid clearance on the basis that it provides supports to SMEs only. This is consistent with the European Commission’s State Aid Guidelines which require consistency with the provisions of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Regulation (508/2014), which in turn restricts grant aid to the processing sector to SMEs only. Both article 69 of the EMFF Regulation for the 2014-20 period and article 28 of the new European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund Regulation (2021/1139) for the 2021-27 period restrict grant supports for capital investment in seafood processing to SMEs. Supports to non-SMEs is permitted only through financial instruments.
2146. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assistance that is available to a sector (details supplied) given the increasing energy costs and that the industry is particularly energy intensive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43737/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe potato sector makes a significant contribution to the rural economy. It provides direct employment to 1,344 people and had a farm gate value of €82 million in 2020.
The war in Ukraine is causing ongoing challenges such as rising energy prices, scarcity of energy supply and supply chain issues for many sectors of the economy, including for potato farmers.
As you are aware the Government has introduced a temporary reduction in excise duty on fuels, assistance with meeting the cost of electricity & gas, and a targeted and temporary grant scheme for hauliers, all of which will be of some assistance to farmers and the agri-food sector.
My Department aims to sustainably grow the potato sector by increasing the penetration of Irish potatoes in key channels, adding value through new product development, and building new routes to market, enabled by a sustainable supply of quality seed.
To this end, in June 2022, in response to the disruption to the supply chain of high grade seed potatoes following the end of the Brexit transition period, I launched the Scheme of Investment Aid for the sector. The Scheme will accelerate development of capacity within the seed potato sector by grant aiding specialised plant and equipment including renewable energy, as well as technology adoption specific to the sector. The Scheme, which is worth €3 million, closed for applications on July 1st but will reopen for applications in early 2023.
2147. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that he is taking to address the ongoing backlog of forestry licences.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43780/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, Project Woodland was established to improve the forestry licensing system, to deal with the backlog and to drive forward the planting of trees under a shared vision for forestry in Ireland.
As part of the work undertaken to deliver on the Project, a legal and regulatory review of forestry licensing was carried out by Philip Lee Solicitors and, following extensive stakeholder engagement, their Report was published on 29th June, 2022.
Philip Lee reviewed and critically analysed the existing EU and domestic legal framework for the licensing of forestry activities, including relevant case law. In addition, the Report focuses on practical and implementable options for streamlining processes and procedures, having regard to arrangements in other European countries and the constraints imposed under EU law, as interpreted by the Courts.
The Department has summitted its draft action plan for the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Report to the Project Woodland Project Board, which is in turn making recommendations to my colleague, Minister of State Pippa Hackett, with the implementation of certain recommendations already under way.
Work is also on-going with the implementation of the 57 recommendations arising from a business process review carried out under Project Woodland. An Agile Implementation Group is implementing system solutions, including new functionality arising from that review.
This work builds on earlier improvements to our processes. These improvements have facilitated the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Reports by my Department, which removes this burden from applicants in most cases. Associated with this and in order to assist foresters in submitting quality applications, we recently provided habitat map training and training for ecologists was held in July. Furthermore, a pre-application discussion pilot has been completed and we now intend to deliver this at a national level. All of these measures are aimed at improving the quality of applications received and optimising the time of those assessing applications.
Furthermore, in tandem with reviewing processes, I have substantially increased the resources available to process forestry licences, including additional ecologist numbers now focused on afforestation licence applications.
I believe these efforts have had a positive impact as we have issued 3,169 licences to end August, which is 92% of our projected average at this point in the year. As regards addressing the backlog, my Department has 3,507 current applications on hand. Since 1st January, this figure has reduced from 4,800 and from 6,000 in August 2021. This is significant progress. The number of applications now in backlog, i.e over 120 days, stands at 1,912.
In the interest of full transparency, details of all licences issued by category are available on the weekly dashboard. This is published on my Department's website and is made available to all interested parties, as well as being submitted to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine each week.
We will continue to focus on improvements to the system and to assist those who are engaging with it by means of improved communication and training.
2148. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will immediately publish the Wool Feasibility Study. [43781/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wool Feasibility Study was published on the 1st July 2022 and is available to view at the following link;
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/c28e5-wool-feasibility-study-published/
2149. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking in response to the significant increase in fuel prices in recent months for fishers. [43782/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the publication of the Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021), I have announced a number of support schemes for our fishing fleet and wider seafood sector and coastal communities.
From October to December 2021, a Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme made available supports of €4,600 up to €88,700 per month depending on vessel size for vessels to tie-up for a calendar month. Vessels in the Rockall squid fishery could tie-up for two months at these rates. In total, some 179 vessels availed of this scheme at a cost of €10 million.
I introduced a temporary tie-up scheme again in May 2022 and it will operate until November this year. To further assist the fishing fleet in these difficult times, I am allowing each vessel to receive aid for 2 months in 2022.
Already, some 67 vessel owners received aid of €4.3 million for the month of June, with a further 43 vessel owners receiving aid of €2.4 million for the month of July. 56 vessels tied up in August at a cost of €2.8 million and 72 applications have been received for September, which will result in a further €3 million in payments to vessel owners.
For the inshore fleet, a Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme operated from January to March and was availed of by 771 inshore fishing vessel owners at a cost of €2.6 million.
The scheme provided aid of €2,700 to owners of vessels under 8 metres and €4,000 to owners of vessels of 8 to 18 metres. In addition, a Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme is under way and is investing €600,000 in 2022 in promoting stocks of interest to inshore fishers to support prices at the quayside.
Separately, a €45 million Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme is open for applications at present, with the aim of supporting the seafood processing sector to engage in transformational change, mitigating the effects of Brexit, and assisting the sector to move further up the supply chain to produce higher value seafood products. Graduated grants, depending on the level of value-added, of up to 50% for capital investment are available.
For coastal communities, a €25 million Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme is open for applications and aims to counter the adverse economic and social consequences of Brexit on businesses operating in the blue economy in our coastal regions. The scheme offers aid of up to €200,000 for capital investments and also offers aid for training and mentoring.
Further support schemes are anticipated in coming months, including a voluntary decommissioning scheme for which BIM is now accepting expressions of interest.
In relation to the impacts of increased energy costs arising from the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Government is acutely conscious of the impacts across the economy. I recognise that the seafood sector is facing particular challenges, arising from the combination of Brexit and increased energy costs.
On 6th July, I met with representatives of the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors to discuss a number of important issues facing our seafood sector, including Brexit and increased energy costs. The meeting gave me the opportunity to engage directly with industry representatives and to hear first-hand their concerns and priorities.
I continue to engage with industry representatives on these priority matters.
2150. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appeal has been received by the Independent Appeals Office regarding a beef data and genomics penalty in 2021 for a farmer (details supplied) in County Cork; and when a decision can be expected. [43812/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department.
I have been advised that the records of the Agriculture Appeals Office confirm that an appeal was received in respect of the person named on 29/08/2022.
The Agriculture Appeals Office wrote to the person in question on 31/08/2022 to request further information in order to progress the appeal. Once the required information has been received, the appeal may then be progressed.
Information on how to submit an appeal is available at www.agriappeals.gov.ie/agricultureappealsprocess/howtomakeanappeal/.
2151. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an afforestation application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43863/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart of this application lies within the Cloonloum More Bog HNA (site code 002307). Therefore, it has been referred to my Dept's Ecology division for review. It is currently assigned to an Ecologist and a further information request should issue to the applicant and forester shortly.
2152. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the closing date for the fodder support scheme from 5 September 2022 to 30 September 2022 due to poor grass growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43879/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will recall that on 15th June 2022, I launched the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme to assist farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) for the coming winter to help reduce the risk of a shortage of animal feed over the coming winter and next spring.
Over 70,000 farmers across the country applied to join the Scheme since the online application system opened on 17th June 2022. The application system closed on Saturday 27th August 2022 in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme.
One of the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme is that a participant must confirm and agree to cut, and conserve silage and/or hay on the declared area by Monday 5th September 2022. This date was set down to ensure firstly that farmers had sufficient opportunity to cut and conserve the areas declared under the Scheme, but crucially also to ensure that the necessary inspections and other administrative and compliance checks could be undertaken in sufficient time to allow payments to commence in late November 2022.
All payments under the Fodder Support Scheme must be made before the end of 2022, in accordance with the notification previously sent to the European Commission under the Temporary Crisis Framework, informing them of the details of this Scheme.
It is not proposed to extend the cutting date for the Fodder Support Scheme beyond 5th September 2022.
2153. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is working on plans to prohibit or limit ploughing on farmland in midland counties or elsewhere in the State; if so, the status of such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44011/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWithin the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), the term conditionality refers to the legislative requirements and minimum standards that farmers in receipt of CAP payments must comply with in the period from 2023 to 2027. This replaces the so called “Cross Compliance” requirements in the current CAP.
The conditionality requirements in the CSP are implemented using two mechanisms: Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC).
The main objective of GAEC 2 is the protection of carbon-rich soils, and this requires protection of wetland and peatland to be implemented within each Member State. Ireland has indicated in the CSP that this standard will apply from 2024.
At present Ireland is working in conjunction with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to identify the relevant lands. Ireland has examined existing data sets, but these have limitations which mean that they cannot be used to deliver a specific cartographic layer at parcel/farm level, which is required in order to implement GAEC2.
Large quantities of carbon are stored in peatlands and wetlands, and certain agricultural practices (e.g. ploughing) may have a negative impact on such soils with regard to carbon storage. The minimum standards established for management under this GAEC will be aimed at minimising carbon loss from such soils. Examples of appropriate minimum standards may include a ban on ploughing, or the use of min till/no till cultivation techniques. These will be considered following the mapping and review process.
2154. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the terms of reference for the national fodder and food security committee; the recommendations of same; the timeframe for implementation of the support packages for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44045/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) in March 2022 following consultation with the main farming organisations and Teagasc in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The terms of reference for the NFFSC are;
- To identify issues facing the farming and agri-food sectors in the short and medium term.
- To put a plan in place to minimise the impact of inflated input costs and supply shortages.
- To communicate this plan to the sectors.
- To monitor and review this plan regularly so that remedial action can be taken as required.
- Committee members to meet regularly under the direction of the chairman.
- The outcome of any deliberations at these meetings are communicated by the secretariat (Teagasc) to the stakeholder group including my Department under the direction of the chairman.
- The committee reports directly to me (Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine).
The recommendations of the NFFSC following consultation were to:
Evaluate proposals to address existing and future pressures faced by the intensive farming sectors, namely the pig and poultry producers;
- Examine fuel security, in the context of both cost and supply;
- Ensure sufficient quantity of good quality silage is produced to avoid fodder shortages during the winter period. This can be achieved through clear communications to farmers regarding the importance of early application of fertiliser (in March / April) and to plan ahead to ensure enough fodder will be available for the winter period;
- Incentives to be provided to support the sowing of new crops;
- Prepare and maintain an up-to-date inventory of feed, fodder, and fertiliser for the country;
- Communicate to media outlets that they must be mindful to create awareness and avoid creating panic;
- Income projections across all farming sectors to be updated by Teagasc Economics teams
All of these recommendations have been or are being acted upon, and in this context I have launched a suite of support measures. These measures include:
The Tillage Incentive Scheme was announced on 22nd March to incentivise farmers to increase their eligible tillage crops in 2022 and reduce dependence on imported feed material. A budget of €10 million was allocated for this scheme.
The guaranteed payment of €300 per hectare under the Protein Aid Scheme and the Protein / Cereal Mix (50:50) Crop Scheme was launched to incentivise an increase in protein crops in 2022 and to reduce dependency on imported feed material.
Funding was provided for Multi-Species Sward and Red Clover Silage schemes. This will support the establishment of approx. 12,000 hectares multi-species sward and 4,000 hectares of red clover silage mix.
The Fodder Support Scheme, with a budget of €56 million, was launched to incentivise farmers to grow sufficient grass and conserve fodder for the winter months. Applications for this scheme opened on 17th June and closed on 2nd August. Hay / silage had to be be cut and conserved by 5th September.
Payments in relation to all of these support schemes will issue to farmers in late November / December period.
I remain committed to standing by our farm families during this time of crisis and will continue to monitor the situation.
2155. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of farmers paid under each farm scheme; the total amount of payments in euro paid out per scheme on a county-by-county basis since the formation of the Government in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44086/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe attached spreadsheet set out scheme payments to farmers on a per county basis for the years 2020, 2021 and to the end of June 2022.
