David Stanton
Question:243. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way his Department is supporting inshore fishermen in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23380/24]
View answerInshore Fisheries
Questions (243)
Written answers
Currently the primary source of funding for the seafood sector in Ireland is the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) (2021-2027), which follows on from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) (2014 - 2020). EMFAF has a budget allocation of €258 million over the lifetime of the programme.
Funding supports are currently available to inshore fishers under the Fleet Safety Scheme and the Seafood Training Scheme, both administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).
My Department has been working with BIM to progress further funding schemes under EMFAF, including a scheme for inshore fishers. The Inshore Fisheries Scheme has been finalised and has been circulated to the EMFAF Monitoring Committee for adoption by the end of May. Once it is adopted, the scheme will be implemented by BIM.
This scheme will offer enhanced grant aid rates of between 80% and 100% for onboard and onshore investment by Small Scale Coastal Fishers (SSCF). It will also provide funding to support participation by inshore fishers (both SSCF and Non-SSCF) in inshore fisheries conservation measures.
Non-SSCF inshore fishers will have access to grant aid to fund onboard investment under the Sustainable Fisheries Scheme, which is also currently with the EMFAF Monitoring Committee for adoption.
In addition to the Inshore Fisheries Scheme, the Seafood Training Scheme and the Sustainable Fisheries Scheme mentioned above, inshore fishers will have access to a number of other EMFAF schemes which are also with the Monitoring Committee for adoption such as:
• the Young Fishers Scheme, which provides assistance for people under 40 years of age to purchase their first vessel
• the Knowledge Gateway Scheme which supports research activities, and provides for industry involvement in same
• the Capacity Building Scheme which supports the dissemination of relevant information to industry and the attendance of industry stakeholders at relevant events
My Department and BIM will be engaging with the inshore sector to progress the development of a successor to the Irish Inshore Fisheries Sector Strategy (2019-2023) in the coming months, which will provide an opportunity to consider the challenges facing the fleet and identify measures to mitigate these challenges.
Departmental Advertising
Questions (244)
Carol Nolan
Question:244. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total costs incurred by his Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in online/digital media platforms; the names of the online platforms involved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23439/24]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is being collated by the Department and a reply will be forwarded within 10 working days.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
My department provides public information about the Department's wide range of schemes, services, and policies, and includes public information campaigns. Online advertising is one of the channels used to communicate this information. The table below provides a list of advertising on online/digital platforms and the expenditure incurred by my department from 2019 to date 2024.
|
Year |
Total (incl. VAT) |
Platforms |
|
2019 |
€8,529.42 |
Agriland Horticulture Connected Irish Times Online Tuairsc.ie |
|
2020 |
€27,977.76 |
Agriland DoneDeal Horticulture Connected Inshore Ireland Livestock Live MartEye |
|
2021 |
€8,395.89 |
Agriland Horticulture Connected Irish Farmers Journal Ocean Focus |
|
2022 |
€106,004.40 |
Afloat.ie Agriland DoneDeal Engineers Ireland Growtrade.ie Iris Oifiguil OMG – Display OMG - Marketplace OMG - Programmatic |
|
2023 |
€362,494.30 |
Acast Agriland Audio X DoneDeal Farming Examiner Irish Farmers Journal Martbids OMG - Marketplace OMG - Programmatic Tuairsc.ie YouTube |
|
2024 to date |
€18,357.75 |
Afloat.ie Agriland AgriRecruit DoneDeal Fishing Daily Irishjobs.ie Irish Skipper |
|
Total |
€531,759.52 |
- |
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (245)
Michael Ring
Question:245. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding applications by a person (details supplied) considering that all evidence regarding proof of entitlement to claim a parcel of land has been submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23483/24]
View answerWritten answers
An application under Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS) and related area based schemes was received from the person named on 29 May 2023.
The applicant listed three parcels of land on his application form, one of which was a leased share of commonage lands. The applicant was requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to this lease, which was received on 29 March 2024.
On examination of the supporting documentation provided, officials in my department were unable to confirm clear title of the lands in question and therefore the parcel was rejected.
This outcome was notified to the applicant on 2 April 2024 along with their right to seek a review or appeal of the decision.
Home Help Service
Questions (246)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:246. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if assistance will be reinstated for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23385/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Home Help Service
Questions (247)
Pat Buckley
Question:247. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a person (details supplied) cannot return to their home, despite being promised 32 hours a week home care and is at present residing in a community hospital for the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23341/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disabilities Assessments
Questions (248)
Seán Sherlock
Question:248. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children waiting on an assessment of need in each health area; the number of children for last year waiting, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23355/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Reports
Questions (249)
Pauline Tully
Question:249. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the children's disability network team staff census and workforce review 2023 has been published; if not, the reason for the delay in publication; the timeframe for publication of this document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23359/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Reports
Questions (250)
Patrick Costello
Question:250. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the CDNT National Report 2023 will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23386/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Youth Services
Questions (251)
Paul Kehoe
Question:251. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the €2.5 million for universal youth work services; if that has been distributed or used; if so, what it has been allocated to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23437/24]
View answerWritten answers
My Department supports the delivery of youth services nationwide, with €77.95 million funding for youth service provision this year, an increase of €5 million, or 6.8%, on the 2023 budget. From 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.789 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall.
The increases I secured this year include an additional €2.5 million for universal youth services. €2 million of this is being allocated via increases to youth organisations currently funded under the Youth Services Grant Scheme to allow expansion of services, while €0.5 million has been specifically earmarked to allow new entrants to this scheme this year. A process for enabling new entrants to enter the scheme will be launched over the next months.
Departmental Advertising
Questions (252)
Carol Nolan
Question:252. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total costs incurred by his Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in online/digital media platforms; the names of the online platforms involved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23440/24]
View answerWritten answers
The requested information is below in tabular form, covering the period up to COB 30th April 2024.
|
Platform |
Cost |
|
TOTAL |
1,236,237 |
|
Meta (Facebook & Google) |
392,348 |
|
|
340,461 |
|
|
56,795 |
|
Twitter / X |
48,715 |
|
Snapchat Inc. |
17,722 |
|
DIGITAL AUDIO |
122,294 |
|
BROADCASTER PLAYERS |
69,692 |
|
DISPLAY / CONTENT |
188,210 |
|
THE IRISH TIMES |
20,092 |
|
DMG Media |
26,620 |
|
EUMEDIA LTD |
15,409 |
|
EVERYMUM LTD |
11,501 |
|
INDEPENDENT.IE |
20,876 |
|
IRISH STUDIO LLC |
1,792 |
|
IBELIEVE |
10,329 |
|
INFLUENT |
12,304 |
|
JOURNAL MEDIA LIMITED |
13,619 |
|
LANDMARK DIGITAL |
9,166 |
|
LOVIN DUBLIN |
3,921 |
|
MAXIMUM MEDIA |
18,071 |
|
REACH |
12,367 |
|
SHEOLOGY |
11,785 |
|
THE IRISH POST |
358 |
Departmental Data
Questions (253)
Thomas Pringle
Question:253. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of childcare identifier code key (chick codes) that were issued by the national childcare sponsorship scheme in 2023; the number of these codes that were activated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23458/24]
View answerWritten answers
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) sponsorship arrangement allows designated sponsor bodies to refer children to the Scheme on child welfare, protection, family support or other specified grounds. Where a child is referred to the Scheme, the full cost of the childcare place is paid without cost to the family.
The total number of childcare identifier code key (CHICK codes) with application type of Sponsor with a calculation date in the calendar year 2023 was: 7,871. The number of these CHICKs with a successful claim was 6,218.
The number of CHICKs issued under the NCS sponsorship in 2023 was defined as the number of CHICKs with a calculation date between 01/01/2023 and 31/12/2023 with application type of Sponsor. The number of these codes that were activated was defined as the number of those CHICKs with a calculation date in 2023 with at least one claim that was eligible for payment following submission of attendance returns by the service provider. Parental Confirmation is not required for Sponsored children.
It should be noted that a child may have more than one CHICK in this period (for example a sponsor child where the referral is renewed results in a second CHICK code for that child).