Written Answers Nos. 192-209
192. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps that he is taking to examine the implications of the EPA report on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2021 and its findings on public health. [53887/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health, I have no responsibility for the operation or monitoring of waste water treatment plants in Ireland. I would suggest the question would be more appropriately directed to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
193. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the existing staffing levels in each of the long-Covid clinics and post-acute clinics established under the interim model of care for long-Covid, by role, in tabular form; the number of vacant posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53893/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
194. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53696/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the conclusion of a stakeholder consultation process the Department introduced mandatory electronic identification (EID) of cattle in July 2022. In essence this means that all calves that are born on or after 1st July 2022 must be identified with 2 official identification tags one of which contains an electronic component. In line with EU requirements my Department introduced a tag purchase threshold in July 2020 that only permitted individuals to order a one year supply of official tags commensurate to the number of breeding females in their herd. This threshold assisted farmers to limit the purchase of conventional tags.
The introduction of mandatory EID will further enhance our bovine traceability system that underpins Ireland’s trade in beef and dairy products on domestic and international markets. This decision seeks to recognise advancements in the international marketplace and take advantage of newer technologies to enhance and future proof the Irish bovine traceability system. The system will lead to a safer working environment for farmers and other stakeholders as well as saving time for farmers that is currently involved in fixing errors associated with the misreading of cattle or mismatched passports when presenting cattle for sale in livestock marts and slaughter plants.
The Department wrote to all cattle herds in August 2021 telling them about the introduction of mandatory EID from 1st July 2022 and reminding them to use up all existing stocks of non-EID tags. Since then my Department issued press releases and a number of text messages to breeding herds reminding them that they must now use an EID combination tag to identify all new born calves. In addition to the foregoing measures my Department has also secured an EID tag subvention scheme that amounts to €4.25 million for herd keepers to offset some of the additional cost involved. This scheme will operate for 3 years and cover the period 2022 to 2024. No application process will be necessary and the intention is that €2.25m of this funding will be paid to herds who purchased new EID tag sets before the end of the year.
As bovine EID has now been introduced my Department must insist that all new born calves are tagged with an EID component tag and therefore cannot permit the continued tagging of these calves with conventional tags.
195. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that farming organisations have not been engaged with by his Department in relation to the EU Nature Restoration Law proposal; if he intends to carry out an economic impact assessment of the proposals contained within the document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53749/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra196. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on concerns that the sustainability of food production in Ireland would be negatively affected should land be put out of use through the implementation of measures contained within the EU Nature Restoration Law proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53750/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra198. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the additional proposed changes demanded of the agriculture sector in relation to the proposed EU Nature Restoration Law; his views on the way that this may further distort the unequal relationship between Ireland through trade agreements between the EU and third-party countries who may not have similar environmental aspirations as those proposed in the EU Nature Restoration Law; his views on the consequences of this for producers in the Irish agricultural industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53752/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 195, 196 and 198 together.
The proposed Nature Restoration Law was formally adopted by the European Commission in late June.
The proposals set out legally binding targets in the form of a regulation which will have direct effect across a broad range of ecosystem types, both terrestrial and marine. These proposed targets would require restoration of substantial percentages of these ecosystems to good ecological status by set dates.
The Commission’s proposals are now being discussed by the European Parliament and the Council. It is expected that discussions at Council and European Parliament level will run well into 2023 before the final Regulation is agreed.
As currently worded, the proposed Regulation has the potential to impact across a number of Irish Government Departments, including my own Department. In developing positions on EU proposals, I have always been conscious that we not jeopardise Ireland's ability to produce safe, nutritious and sustainable food, something that we are rightly proud of.
In respect to engagement, I have ongoing engagement with farm bodies across all new and emerging environmental requirements and the nature restoration law is but one of these emerging environmental ambitions. The EU must also enhance and ensure coherence between EU trade policy which applies to imported agri-food products and EU environmental and sectoral policies which apply to EU agriculture producers.
Given that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are responsible for co-ordinating Ireland’s response to the proposals, my officials will continue to engage with that Department as well as farm families' representatives as these proposals progress.
197. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the impact that the EU Restoration Law proposal may have on the 8,000 hectare per year afforestation target and consequent carbon sequestration targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53751/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, is the lead in relation to the Nature Restoration Law.
The proposed Nature Restoration Law is a key element of the EU Biodiversity Strategy which calls for binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems. Across Europe there has been widespread decline in biodiversity with many habitats in poor condition. The proposed regulation will have specific targets to restore a wide range of important habitats which will also bring back species populations as these habitats improve.
Forestry and increasing the area of new forests is important for achieving our climate targets and will depend on planting lands at scale. However, increasing the area of new forests cannot be to the detriment of damaging vulnerable habitats. Climate change and biodiversity targets must be assessed together. When new forests are considered, it is important that we ensure the overall impact is positive for nature as well as climate change mitigation.
Expanding Ireland's forest estate will require significant areas of land and the Programme for Government has committed to a Land Use Review which will examine a range of objectives which will help inform land use policy in Ireland. This work is well progressed and will be completed next year. I would also like to point out that planting forests can have a significant beneficial impact for nature restoration. The Nature Restoration law will have specific targets for forest ecosystems and urban areas where planting trees will be hugely beneficial. My Department look forward to ensuring that our forests play a positive role in nature restoration in any targets agreed.
199. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will adopt recommendations by the veterinary official who accompanied a livestock shipment and the recommendations highlighted in the recently published scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority and will not authorise future shipments of livestock when sea temperatures of 25 degrees or above are predicted in view of the extremely high temperatures and humidity during recent shipments to Egypt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53783/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government supports the live export of animals as it is an important feature of normal activity in Ireland's agri food sector. My Department facilitates this trade, in line with existing legislation on the protection of animal welfare, recognising its critical importance to the Agri- Food sector, while ensuring that live animal exports are carried out in compliance with legislative requirements.
My Department consistently monitors long distance transport and has introduced additional requirements over the years based on feedback from our inspectors. My Department has received the recommendations which were published publicly by the European Food Safety Authority in September 2022. These recommendations will be highly influential when the European Commission publishes its review of the EU’s Animal Transport Regulation (Regulation EC number 1 of 2005) in the coming months.
I will continue to insist that such a review is informed by science and evidence based, and take account for example professional opinions and recommendations received from my officials as part of the normal course of their work.
My Department continues to work with the Commission to engage extensively with stakeholders and assess the need for and the implications of future changes and appropriate transitional arrangements, as necessary in the context of the Farm to Fork Strategy, and my own Department's animal welfare strategy.
200. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking to ensure that cattle are not subjected to temperatures and humidity levels that cause severe heat stress to the animals for a large part of the journey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53784/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine only permits animals to be transported in compliance with the EU's animal welfare legislation.
Ireland has also introduced its own national legislation regulating animal welfare in dedicated livestock vessels, which lays down more stringent controls that go far beyond those in EU law. Furthermore, over the past three years, my Department has introduced extra controls on animal welfare during export by road, such as additional checks to prevent transport of animals during hot weather, an increase in the minimum space allowance for calves in trucks that is more than that specified in EU rules, and a requirement for drivers and attendants to undergo training every three years, rather than ten years as formerly.
Department officials and inspectors monitor compliance through a system of official controls, including advance checks of weather along the proposed journey, and veterinary inspection of lorries, livestock vessels and of all animals before they travel. Journeys must be notified to the Department in advance, and veterinary certification will only be provided where the journey complies with all animal transport and animal welfare regulations.
The Government supports the live export of animals as it plays an important part in competition in the market-place particularly for cattle. In that context, however, the Government requires that animal transport is carried out in compliance with Irish and European legislation.
201. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider including the purchase of fertiliser spreaders in the TAMS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53809/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a wide variety of items available under the suite of seven measures under TAMS. Fertiliser Spreaders are grant aided under the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme, Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme and the Animal Welfare Nutrient and Storage Scheme of TAMSII.
To date, total expenditure under the seven measures of TAMS, including transitional expenditure, has exceeded €389.9 million with commitments of an additional €85 million made to scheme participants who have yet to draw down those grants. Some 51,193 applications have been approved under the scheme.
To date interest in this investment has been very strong with 1,173 farmers receiving approval to purchase fertiliser spreaders and 592 of these have received grant aid in excess of €6.3m.
202. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to reviewing the proposed changes to the dairy beef welfare scheme from 2023, wherein the scheme currently rewards farmers rearing progeny from the dairy herd via a payment of €20 per calf weighed, where he is now proposing to change the criteria of the scheme by rewarding dairy farm breeders for using high dairy beef index sires in dairy herds instead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53820/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra203. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that pedigree stock bulls are to be excluded from the dairy beef welfare scheme from 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53821/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together.
The Dairy Beef Welfare scheme as part of the new CSP has an annual budget of €5 million and enhances the integration between the dairy and beef systems by improving the value of the dairy beef calf to the beef farmer, and improving the welfare of the calf, by supporting the use of high DBI (dairy beef index) sires in the production of dairy beef calves.
The requirement for a minimum rating of three stars on the DBI does not preclude the use of pedigree sires.
In the case of the beef data and genomics programme (BDGP), the proportion of high indexed sires used by participants from the pedigree herd under the Eurostar index was 97% at the end of the programme according to ICBF. This demonstrates that the pedigree bull remains integral to the development of the national herd in the context of improvement of genetic merit.
The new Dairy Beef Calf Welfare scheme was developed following extensive discussions during the development of the CSP and I am satisfied that the current design represents the optimal strategic support for the dairy beef sector through increasing the value of the dairy beef calf to the beef farmer.
204. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that he is taking to examine the implications of the EPA report on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2021 and its findings on the inshore fishing sector. [53882/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government recognises the importance of investment in waste water infrastructure which will deliver significant improvements in our waste water services throughout the country, including rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in rivers, lakes and in the marine area. The EPA report referred to by the Deputy recognises that progress is being made by Irish Water in resolving environmental issues and advocates that priority is given to areas where improvements are most needed and which will bring the greatest benefits. The Deputy may wish to refer any queries on the actions as recommended by the EPA in this report to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
As Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, my own responsibility towards the marine environment is to ensure sea-fishing and aquaculture activities are conducted in a manner that avoids the deterioration of designated features of Natura 2000 conservations sites or the significant disturbance of protected species within those sites. The majority of the marine Natura 2000 sites (Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas) are inshore, within six nautical miles. A series of appropriate assessments and risk assessments have been undertaken by my Department over the years with regard to sea-fishing and aquaculture activities in or near Natura 2000 sites. Mitigation measures have been introduced where required to manage the risks posed to sites.
My Department supports the ongoing work of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and I am committed to supporting the Irish fishing industry, including the inshore sector, to operate in a sustainable manner and to continue working towards achieving and maintaining good environmental status in Irish waters.
205. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 2116 of 8 September 2022, when he will be informing the Director-General of the Environment of the European Commission of the error in his Department's letter dated 24 November 2021, and specifically informing the Director-General of the Environment of the European Commission that 232,000 hectares, and not 136,000 hectares as previously advised by his Department to DG ENV, of the Coillte estate is on peatland soils, that is, 53% of the Coillte estate. [53891/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may already be aware, under their new forestry strategic vision, Coillte aims to grow 100,000 hectares of new forests by 2050 but are also committing to managing its existing forest estate to capture an additional 10 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050, including through the redesigning of poorly productive peatlands.
My Department's letter to DG Environment, dated 24 November 2021 stated that one third of Coillte’s entire estate (c.136,000ha) is on peatland soils. The letter clarified that this figure refers to the portion of the Coillte estate along the western seaboard and does not relate to the entire Coillte estate nationally. The figures quoted are based on information provided by Coillte in their work on the Wild Western Peatlands Project.
My Department does not consider that a clarification to DG Environment is required.
206. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of the 232,000 hectares of the Coillte estate on peatland soils that are planted with trees, and to apportion the total figure between lands on peatland soils planted with trees managed by Coillte primarily for commercial timber production and lands on peatland soils planted with trees managed by Coillte, primarily for biodiversity protection. [53892/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCoillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I have referred the matter to Coillte for direct follow-up with the Deputy.
207. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development in the context of a correspondence item sent to the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (details supplied) by the Secretary General of her Department, if she will clarify whether the national funding platform that she is developing in conjunction with Pobal will be an open source for the public to use; if not, the rationale for that; the amount expended on the project to date; and the progress made on same. [53797/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy, I would like to clarify that the National Funding Platform concept is a separate initiative to anything previously used by Benefacts.
My Department is exploring options for the establishment of a national funding platform for the community and voluntary sector. This work is in line with the Department’s Statement of Strategy and also the Government’s five year Strategy for the C&V sector, Sustainable, inclusive and empowered communities.
The high level purpose of this exercise is to explore options for a funding platform that would reduce the administrative burden on grantees and funders, as well as providing a single source of truth and source of analysis on state funded community and voluntary grantees, and the investment being made into these organisations.
Exploring a central end-to-end grant management system for all government departments is part of the scoping exercise and would be based on an agreed common set of data points as well as a ‘file-once’ principle for those organisations who have a grant funding relationship with the state.
Streamlining the compliance and reporting burden faced by the community and voluntary sector across many different agents of the State has been identified by my Department, via engagement with the sector, as a key requirement.
The merits of proceeding with this approach would be dependent on establishing a whole-of-government approach to governance reporting.
In May 2021, my Department entered into an agreement with Pobal to conduct a scoping exercise on the potential for a National Funding Platform of community and voluntary organisations which have a funding relationship with the State. The cost of this initial scoping exercise was €30,000.
This scoping exercise report has been completed and is currently under consideration by my Department. A number of options are being considered, including providing some data on an open source basis.
My Department is not in a position to estimate timeframes or costs for delivery of what would be a potentially significant long term project, if the model is to sufficiently address the needs of public bodies, funded organisations and other stakeholders in respect of information sharing and provision.
Any decision to move forward with what would also be a significant ICT Development project would require a whole of Government approach as well as being subject to Government approval, and would also be subject to the conditions set out in the public spending code.
208. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide details of the €210,000 that was secured through Social Inclusion Ireland from the dormant funds to fund a full-time mental health post in Mosney, County Meath, on a pilot basis for three years; the date that the moneys were secured; the expected timeline for commencement of the pilot programme; if she will make available any and all other details on the reason for the delays incurred to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53670/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dormant Accounts Fund provides funding across 10 Government Departments to support measures aimed at addressing economic, social and educational disadvantage, or to support persons with a disability. My Department prepares annual Dormant Account Action Plans which approve funding for measures across Government. The relevant funding is then provided within each Departments Vote, with each Department then responsible for the appropriate administration of the funding.
Based on the information provided, I understand that this measure does not receive funding from my Department. I asked officials to liaise with other Departments and, again based on the information provided, I am informed that funding for this measure rests with the HSE utilising Dormant Account Funds allocated to the Department of Health. As noted, responsibility for that measure would therefore lie with that Department.
209. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a community support grant funding application decision (details supplied) will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53723/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI presume the Deputy is referring to the application submitted by the organisation in question under my department's Community Services Programme (CSP), which supports over 430 community-based organisations to provide employment opportunities and local services through a social enterprise model.
Following an independent review of the CSP, a needs-based funding rate allocation model was designed for the programme, based on three weighted criteria, as an alternative to the current flat rate payment model. CSP organisations that are operating in areas of high disadvantage, employing individuals from the prescribed programme target groups and having limited earning potential will benefit from the high funding rate category.
It is anticipated that all existing organisations will transition to the new programme in January 2023 following the online application process which closed on the 14th October. The applications are currently being appraised by Pobal who administer the programme on behalf of my Department and organisations will be notified of their funding allocations in December.
I announced the revised funding rates to apply from January 2023 under the restructured programme on 20th October. A total increase of €4,000 for both full time positions and managers is being provided for those organisations in the high funding category, with €2,000 per full-time position and manager being provided to those in the medium funding category. No change is proposed for the small number of organisations in the low funding category - these are organisations identified with the strongest earning potential and operating in less disadvantaged areas.
