Written Answers Nos. 781-795
781. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to monitor the needs of the agri-food producing sector, with particular reference to the need to ensure the viability of the family fishing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53534/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra785. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which employment for families reliant on the fishing industry continues at pace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53538/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 781 and 785 together.
My Department constantly monitors the needs of the agri-food sector. Along with regularly meeting with representatives of the sector, holding formal consultations and attending public forums, we monitor developments in key economic indicators. My Department prepares and publishes an Annual Review and Outlook (ARO), which provides up-to-date information and statistical analysis from a variety of sources, to give a detailed overview of Ireland’s agri-food sector and an outlook for the future. I will publish the ARO for 2022 shortly.
Earlier this year, BIM published its Business of Seafood report for 2021. The report indicated that employment in the seafood sector remained stable in 2021 with approximately 16,650 people employed directly and indirectly within the sector, an increase in overall employment of 1%.
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) will, unfortunately, have an impact on our fishing industry. However, this impact would have been far greater had the Barnier Task Force agreed to UK demands, or had we been in a no-deal scenario which would have seen all EU vessels barred from UK waters and subsequent displacement into Ireland's fishing zone.
I established the Seafood Sector Task Force in March 2021 to examine the impacts of the TCA on our fishing sector and coastal communities and to make recommendations to me on a mitigation strategy. I received the Report of the Seafood Task Force in October 2021 and it recommends some 16 support schemes at a cost of €423 million. One of the recommendations of the Task Force was that a voluntary decommissioning scheme should be implemented to help restore balance between fishing fleet capacity and available quotas, following the reductions in quotas for stocks arising from the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
I announced the scheme in August and it was opened for applications by BIM in September. The scheme makes €60 million available in funding for those who volunteer to take part of in the scheme and an additional €20 million in tax relief.
In line with the Recommendations of the Task Force, I am also requiring that owners of vessels who choose to participate in the scheme must ensure that crew working on their vessel are compensated for their loss of livelihood following the decommissioning of their vessel. Crew payments can range up to a maximum of €50,000 per individual.
The scheme runs concurrently with a series of schemes aimed at creating jobs in the seafood sector and in coastal communities, including the €45 million Brexit Seafood Processing Capital Scheme, the €20 million Brexit Sustainable Aquaculture Growth Scheme and €25 million Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme. In total, €225m in supports and developmental strategies have been announced which will contribute to sustaining employment in the seafood sector as a whole, providing new career opportunities and ensuring those transitioning within the sector are supported.
In addition to the measures recommended by the Task Force, my Department’s €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Programme 2014-20 has been operating since 2016, supporting the sustainable development of our seafood sector. The Programme has been providing a wide range of financial supports to fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing enterprises and to enterprises, groups and individuals in coastal communities. These include supports for capital investment, innovation, professional advisory services and marketing. Through these measures, the Programme has been fostering the economic development of the seafood industry and coastal communities, building value and growing exports in these enterprises. The EMFF Programme is now coming to an end and a new Seafood Development Programme under EMFAF 2021-27 has been prepared by my Department and has been submitted to the European Commission with a view to achieving adoption before the end of 2022
I can assure the Deputy that this Government is committed to addressing the challenges facing our seafood sector following the TCA. I am pursuing all opportunities at EU level to help address the unequal burden sharing whereby Ireland carries an excessive burden of the EU quota transfers to the UK including in the CFP review which is currently in progress.
The Programme for Government sets down an ambitious programme of actions that promote a sustainable seafood industry and I am committed to working to continue to build on the progress that has been made to secure a sustainable future for our fishing industry and the coastal communities which depend upon it.
782. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the beneficial effect to the small and medium-sized farming community of recent supportive measures; the impact on individual farmers under 50 acres and between 50 and 100 acres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53535/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to supporting farmers of all sizes and types in all parts of the country. I believe the incoming CAP is a well-funded and farmer-friendly CAP that will support our farm families over the next five years.
A range of measures are included in Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plan to benefit small and medium sized farms:
- Complementary Redistribution Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), which is often referred to as front loading, is designed to redistribute support towards small and medium sized farms. Member States have an obligation to allocate at least 10% of the Direct Payment fund to CRISS. In Ireland this will result in an allocation of approximately €118 million annually. Farmers will receive payment on their first 30 eligible hectares, redistributing support from larger to smaller or medium-sized farmers.
- The convergence mechanism aims to bring payment entitlement values towards a national average value. Member States must ensure that, by 2026, at the latest, all payment entitlements should have a value of at least 85% of the new national average payment entitlement unit amount. Increases in the value of payment entitlements must be financed by reducing the value of payment entitlements that have values in excess of the national average.
- Ireland’s CAP strategic plan also implements new rules on capping of payments, effectively limiting the maximum Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) payment to €66,000. Although it is forecast that relatively few farmers will be affected by this measure, proceeds from capping will be redistributed through CRISS
- The Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CISYF) supports young farmers under the age of 40 to establish their farming business. There will be continued prioritisation of young farmers and new entrants for allocations of payment entitlements from the National Reserve. Typically, young farmers commence their farming career with small to medium sized farms, these support measures aim to benefit them. Ireland will dedicate three percent of the Direct Payment envelope annually (circa €35m) to CISYF and qualifying young farmers will benefit by approximately €170 per hectare, up to a maximum of 50 hectares. This is greatly increased from the current payment that is attached to payment entitlements and currently is approximately €68 per entitlement.
- The Eco-Scheme will be implemented annually with an allocation of approximately €297 million. It will provide support to farmers who undertake actions beneficial to the climate, environment, water quality and biodiversity. The Eco-Scheme will be optional for farmers to participate in and unlike greening, the Eco-Scheme will not be linked to payment entitlements and is payable on all eligible hectares that a farmer carries out the required actions ,on whether payment entitlements are held or not.
Table 1: Illustrates the 2022 Direct Payment per hectare compared to 2027 Direct Payment, with the percentage change and number of herds per hectare category.
Table 1 compares the current Direct Payment baseline against the Direct Payment per hectare estimated figures for 2027 and includes the relevant percentage change and the approximate number of herds in each of the categories.
It must be noted that in each category, there are beneficiaries and contributors, and the figure represents an accumulation of amounts within each category. The payment amounts shown in Table 1 are comprised of all Direct Payment schemes.
It should be stated that the modelling exercise used in the CAP Strategic Plan is not an exact forecast and is based around a number of assumptions. The modelling population is static, with the same population used for both the 2022 and 2027 payment estimates, while in reality this population is constantly changing, and this could impact the average value.
Finally, the model assumes full participation for all eligible applicants for all schemes, for example, all active farmers will be eligible to apply for the Eco-scheme regardless of whether they hold entitlements or not and payment will be made on eligible hectares claimed.
A key difference between this new CAP programme and the current programme is the clear environmental and redistribution ambition.
In addition, there is a shift away from dependence on linkages to payment entitlements making payments more accessible to farmers. In combination, these elements support the policy objective to ensure a fairer distribution and efficient targeting of direct payments to those farmers with small and medium sized farms.
786. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which new markets continue to be established for Irish food and food products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53539/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraContinuing to grow market opportunities for dairy, meat and seafood products at home and abroad is a key goal of Food Vision 2030, the overall strategy for the future development of the agri-food sector.
To support the strategic goals of developing and diversifying agri-food export markets, Bord Bia received an allocation of €55m in Budget 2023. This funding will enable Bord Bia to continue to invest in developing new markets, defending and expanding food and drink exports in existing markets in the UK and Europe, and building the reputation of Irish food in third countries in tandem with my Department's work programme to gain, maintain and enhance market access.
A major element of the Government's strategy to develop and diversify agri-food export markets is high-level ministerial trade missions. Minister of State Martin Heydon and I have led four trade missions to date this year to destinations as diverse as the Gulf Region, North America, Japan and Singapore, and Vietnam. During the visits, we discussed market access issues with counterparts in those countries and raised the profile of Irish agri-food exports.
While my Department’s role is to open up international markets in consultation with stakeholders, it is up to the industry - with the support of my Department and Bord Bia’s marketing expertise - to capitalise on the resulting opportunities for trade.
787. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which farm safety continues to be a major issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53540/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for raising this important topic.
Farm safety is a major issue and continues to be the most dangerous occupation in terms of fatalities in the workplace, with children and the elderly particularly vulnerable. There has been an average of 20 fatal incidents per year on Irish farms over the last ten years. There was a significant reduction in 2021 when there were 10 fatalities, but unfortunately this year to date, there have been nine fatalities on farms. All of these fatalities are tragic losses to farm families, the community and the sector.
Fatal incidents on farms account for nearly 50% of all workplace fatal incidents. Data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) also reveals that there are approximately 4,500 non-fatal incidents each year on Irish farms.
This Government has prioritised farm safety, health and well-being. Reflecting its importance, the Government assigned my ministerial colleague, Martin Heydon, TD specific responsibility for Farm Safety as part of his ministerial portfolio.
My Department is implementing a series of farm safety, health and well-being initiatives in 2022 through dedicated funding of €2.25m. This dedicated funding is increasing to €2.5m for 2023. These initiatives promote farm safety practices and risk awareness and encourage behavioural change around farm safety from a young age, while also supporting those who have been impacted by fatal and non-fatal incidents.
The measures include the AgriAware Farm Safe Schools initiative, investment in agricultural machinery simulators for use in the agricultural colleges, the Acceleration of Wear and Tear Allowances for Farm Safety Equipment, farm safety training and joint promotional farm safety campaigns with the Health and Safety Authority.
My Department continues to engage with all stakeholders to improve farm safety, health and well-being on our farms. The number of deaths and injuries on Irish farms is too high and we need to continue to take steps to effect behaviour change and ensure that incidents levels are reduced.
788. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the Irish dairy industry can invest with confidence, with particular reference to the need to maintain markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53541/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI remain confident that the outlook for the Irish dairy Industry remains very positive. The Irish dairy sector is robust, sustainable and modern. It is well placed to meet the challenges we face into in the time ahead.
Despite the negative impacts of Brexit, COVID-19 and the Ukraine/Energy-crisis, the industry has proved to be remarkably resilient. The industry continues to grow and evolve to meet the demands of local and international markets.
Ireland currently exports 93% of our dairy output and a strong strategic focus is required to maintain these international markets. I am happy to report that Irish dairy exports exceeded the €5bn mark for the third consecutive year in 2021.
Ireland’s agri-food sector has benefited from an approach to strategic planning through the development of stakeholder-led strategies that ensure that the sector has a coherent vision and plan to underpin its continued development.
The current Food Vision 2030 is a strategy for the continuing development of the agri-food sector in Ireland. Mission 3 in the Strategy is for Food that is Safe, Nutritious and Appealing, Trusted and Valued at Home and Abroad, with a particular focus on the importance of trade. Food Vision looks to protect and build on Ireland's global reputation as a trusted supplier of high quality, safe, sustainable food to consumers at home and abroad.
This Mission aims to prioritise coherent food and health policies for better health outcomes, to enhance consumer trust in our food system, to create value add through insight, innovation and product differentiation, and to further develop market and trade opportunities both at home and abroad. Irish agri-food has been successful in accessing and developing new market opportunities, both locally and in international markets.
Diversifying and developing markets will continue to be a priority. We believe that the agri-food sector overall can reach €21 billion in exports by 2030, and dairy has a key role to play in this, with this growth driven by a steady growth in export value rather than volume.
789. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which Irish lamb continues to be a major competitor on world markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53542/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIrish sheep farm families produce a world-class product that is in demand across many global markets, and I am very conscious of the important role that the sheep sector plays in the continued growth and development of our agri-food sector.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) sheepmeat exports worth approximately €385 million, or 57,737 tonnes were exported in 2021, an increase of 8.3% in value on 2020.
For 2022 TYD (August) the value of sheep meat exports increased by 18% on the same period last year, with a 9% increase in volume in that period. The overall market outlook for Irish and EU lamb prices for 2022/2023 remains reasonable, although Irish lamb prices are forecast to experience some decline from the record high levels received in 2021.
Nonetheless, for the week commencing 10th October, the year-to-date average price for sheep meat was 691.44c/kg which is a 5% increase on the same period in the previous year.
Securing market access and diversifying trade remains a key aim for my Department. Developing market opportunities at home and abroad is one of the goals of Food Vision 2030.
However, I am acutely aware of the pressures being faced by many sectors across the agriculture industry due to the increase in input costs. Since the invasion of Ukraine, I have taken a proactive approach to dealing with the massive challenges arising for the agri-food and fisheries sector.
Farming is not alone in dealing with these challenges, but our sector is particularly exposed as a result of the invasion. I have announced several measures since this crisis started, to support our farm families and their businesses and I will continue to support the sector.
790. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the pig meat sector is adequately supported in a highly-competitive environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53543/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have provided significant support to the pig sector this year as all pig producers have had to deal with enormous pressures in recent months.
As the Deputy will be aware, on the 23rd March 2022, the EU Commission announced the provision of exceptional adjustment aid to producers in agricultural sectors which have been impacted by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.
The exceptional aid allocation to Ireland was €15.8 million in EU funding and there are detailed requirements and conditionality attached to this allocation set out in Commission Delegated Regulation 2022/467 of 23rd March 2022.
The Government approved my proposal to allocate €13 million of this EU funding to support to the pig sector and the EU Commission was notified to this effect.
A total fund of €13 million was made available for the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme 2 (PEPS2), a voluntary scheme for pig farmers, to support the viability of this important sector. The scheme opened for applications on 13th June 2022 and closed for applications on 11th July 2022. This scheme provided for a payment of up to €100,000 per farmer. All eligible applicants have now been paid.
The PEP2 scheme was in addition to the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme which I announced in February, funded by the Exchequer and notified under the agriculture de minimis state aid provisions, to support commercial pig farmers. This scheme provided for a payment of up to €20,000 per farmer. All payments have now been processed under that scheme.
In addition to the two support packages detailed above, I have had ongoing discussions with the main banks to discuss the current challenges in the pigmeat sector and the importance of their ongoing support through the current downturn in the business cycle. The key message to farmers experiencing cashflow difficulties is to engage with the banks as soon as possible to discuss options and the banks remain committed to supporting their customers in the period ahead. I have also met with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to discuss the finance schemes financed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in partnership with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. These finance schemes can be used for working capital finance and include features which address the current financial needs of pig farmers and provides additional valuable support.
Teagasc has also intensified its dedicated, ongoing advisory supports being provided to pig farmers and is actively engaging with pig farmers to explore the options available to them.
My Department continues to monitor the market situation closely and engage at EU level to ensure a joined-up EU approach to the challenges arising from Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.
In terms of ongoing stakeholder engagement my colleague, Minister of State Heydon, chairs quarterly meetings of the Pig Roundtable. Including representatives from the farming and processing sectors, Teagasc, Bord Bia, and Department officials, the Roundtable's overarching objective is to serve as a vehicle for constructive discussion in driving forward the development of the sector as well as taking a high level approach to guiding the actions for the sector set out in Food Vision 2030.
Both Minister Heydon and I want to ensure the long term viability of the sector given its huge importance.
791. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the poultry production sector in Ireland remains viable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53544/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs in other meat sectors, global trade conditions will be crucial in determining the outlook for the Irish poultry sector over the medium to longer term.
Poultrymeat, which is a food high in protein, has seen an increase in demand in recent years and this increase has seen a 10% increase in the average price paid in August 2022 when compared to the average price paid at the beginning of the year. The August average price for 2022 is 15.6% and 12.9% higher than the average price paid in August 2020 and 2021 respectively.
Poultry throughput for 2021 was slightly down on 2020 (-1.1%) with a total of 110.4 million birds processed. CSO figures show that while the volume of exports fell by 29.3% to 94,295 tonnes in 2021, the value of Irish poultry exports for 2021 fell by 7.2% to just under €237m.
The UK (€181m) accounted for 76.5% of exports. France (€8.4m), Germany (€6.5m), and Netherlands (€14.8m) also featured prominently as export destinations. Securing market access and diversifying trade remains a key aim for my Department. Developing market opportunities at home and abroad is one of the goals of Food Vision 2030.
As of August 2022 the year-to-date value of poultrymeat exports was 46.4% higher than the same period of 2021, at €204.6 million.
I am aware of the pressures being faced by many in the agri-food sector due to the increase in input costs, exacerbated by the impact of the illegal war in Ukraine. The Department continues to monitor the markets and any impacts on the agri-food sector. Poultry is normally reared under contract to processors, for a pre-agreed price, and therefore poultry producers are not typically subject to the same price fluctuations as other farmers.
I am also very aware of the contribution of the poultry production sector to Irish agri-food as a whole, supporting significant levels of direct employment as well as their role in supporting rural economies and the wider national economy and I firmly believe that the poultry production sector in Ireland remains viable.
792. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the cereal growing sector is adequately supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53545/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe tillage sector is a sector that plays a critical role in Irish agriculture. It is a sector I have backed with new and innovative schemes and a sector that I will continue to support in the future.
In recent years I have supported the sector through targeted policy interventions and supports.
This has included the Protein Aid scheme that was introduced in 2015 with a budget of €3m. The budget for this scheme has been increased to €7m in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2023.
I introduced the Straw Incorporation Measure as a pilot measure in 2021. This measure will deliver an estimated €12m in support for the tillage sector in 2022 and will be continued in the CSP 2023-2027.
Earlier this year, I introduced the Tillage Incentive Scheme (TIS) with a €400/ha payment on additional crop area. I bolstered the existing Protein Scheme by guaranteeing a €300/ha payment on beans, peas and lupins and I also introduced a Protein Cereal mixed crop scheme. These measures have been acknowledged as contributing to the estimated 6% increase in tillage area in 2022.
The Tillage Incentive Scheme is being continued for 2023 with a budget of €10million to maintain and build on the progress made by the Scheme in 2022.
The Tillage Capital Investment Scheme provides support to farmers to invest in modern equipment and infrastructure. To date, tillage farmers have received €31m in financial support under the scheme. Targeted support for capital investment in the tillage crops sector will continue in the next CAP.
I have also provided for measures which tillage farmers can access in the Agri-Environmental and Climate Measures in the next CSP.
My Department conducts a comprehensive variety trialling system to identify varieties most suitable for Irish farmers and also supports the industry through the seed certification schemes which ensures growers have access to top quality seed.
The tillage sector is a sector that we can grow significantly in the years ahead and I will continue to back the industry to develop on this potential.
793. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the battle against bovine TB continues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53546/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra794. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which ongoing efforts are made to identify the causes of intermittent outbreaks of bovine TB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53547/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 793 and 794 together.
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a challenging disease to control and eradicate. I am acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a tB breakdown.
It causes significant hardship for farmers and farming families, and I am fully committed to the objectives of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy which aims to reduce and ultimately eradicate this disease in Ireland. This battle against TB continues in 2022.
As of 16th October 2022, on a 12-month rolling basis, herd incidence has reduced to 4.11%, an encouraging decline. However, the number of reactors has increased to 21,616 (~ 200 more reactors than the year before) and this is mainly due to outbreaks in larger herds.
As the spread of this disease is multifactorial, it is being fought on many fronts. The TB programme in each county focuses on factors including wildlife, how disease is distributed in the area, contiguous programmes, gamma interferon testing, cleansing and disinfection, testing compliance and swift isolation and removal of reactors.
Each TB outbreak is investigated by a veterinary inspector to identify the source of infection. In the case of every outbreak involving two or more standard reactors, there is a veterinary visit to advise the herdowner on how to eliminate infection and measures necessary to help reduce the risk of recurrence. Emphasis is placed on the biosecurity measures a farmer can take to reduce risks on their farm, and when buying in animals.
Ireland's bovine TB Eradication Programme operates in line with best national and international scientific research and advice. A large body of peer-reviewed research has been conducted into the spread of TB in Ireland and the risks underlying its transmission. This research has found that the principal causes of TB introduction and spread include:
- movement of cattle with undetected infection.
- residual infection in cattle previously exposed to TB.
- spread across farm boundaries.
- indirect spread through other biosecurity breaches, and/or
- spread from infected badgers to cattle.
This research has recently been reviewed in its entirety for the Bovine TB Stakeholder Forum by its Scientific Working Group, which comprises a panel of internationally recognised experts in TB research.
The details of the new TB Strategy along with the results of the review are available on www.bovinetb.ie.
795. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which it is expected to make basic veterinary products available to the farming community through licensed providers as heretofore, with particular reference to parasitic controls; if the European Union in general has adopted a policy in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53548/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraVeterinary Medicines are regulated at a European level by EU Regulation 2019/6, which Ireland implemented earlier this year in S.I. 36 of 2022. This Regulation sets out that all veterinary medicinal products for food producing animals should be subject to a veterinary prescription unless certain criteria are met, as laid out in Article 34 of the above-mentioned Regulation.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the competent authority in Ireland for such decisions and they produced a report in 2019 which found that antiparasitic products for food producing animals do not meet these criteria and should therefore be upregulated to prescription only medicines.
All current suppliers of veterinary medicines will continue to be legally permitted to supply medicines including antiparasitics for food-producing animals. The only change is that these products will now require a veterinary prescription before supply.
My Department is actively working with all stakeholders to sustain a competitive market for the supply of these products.
The ambition is to ensure Irish farmers are empowered to purchase medicines from their supplier of choice. Initiatives such as the development of a National Veterinary Prescribing System (NVPS) will help deliver on this ambition. The NVPS will result in a prescription being made available to a farmer by choice of email or text. Farmers can continue to engage with Licensed Merchants, veterinary pharmacists or their veterinary practitioner in getting their prescription dispensed.
