Written Answers Nos. 279-293
279. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice whether provision can be made to make paper application for citizenship and upgrade Stamp 4 in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42339/24]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy holds a Stamp 4 immigration permission valid until 27 September 2027. A new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card was posted to the address provided by the person concerned on their application to renew their residence permission. That address differs to the one provided by the Deputy.
If the person concerned has not yet received their new IRP card, they are advised to email immigrationsupport@justice.ie to request a re-print.
With regard to receiving a paper-based naturalisation application for the person concerned, the Citizenship Division of my Department can provide paper application forms on request.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the person's address, if the Deputy can confirm the postal details of the person concerned to my Department’s Immigration Oireachtas Mail service, Citizenship Division will arrange for the paper application to be posted out.
Please provide:
• Name of each applicant
• Date of Birth
• Address
I wish to advise you that due to the administrative nature of a paper-based application, it will take longer to process than an online digital application.
Detailed information on how to apply for naturalisation is available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility at IMOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
280. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if she might examine again the possibility of rescinding order to deport in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42341/24]
View answerThe person referred to is the subject of Deportation Order. A Deportation Order requires the person concerned to remove themselves from the State and remain outside the State. The enforcement of Deportation Orders is a matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Representations were received on their behalf requesting that the deportation order be revoked, pursuant to the provisions of Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended). Following the detailed consideration of the information submitted in support of the request, the Deportation Order was affirmed. The circumstances presented in this case were fully considered both in the original decision to make a Deportation Order and in the decision to affirm the Order on foot of the Section 3(11) request to revoke the Deportation Order. The reasoning behind this decision has been set out in the correspondence that issued to the applicant in this case.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
281. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in determination of application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42342/24]
View answerI can advise the Deputy based on the information supplied, it has unfortunately not been possible to locate the application for the person referred to.
Citizenship Division are currently registering applications received from May 2024. When an application is registered, a Personal ID and Citizenship application reference number is issued to the applicant.
When an online application for Naturalisation is submitted an auto-receipt is emailed to the applicant.
The Citizenship Division of my Department have taken a significant number of steps to speed up the Naturalisation process for applicants. Including introducing an online digital application, online payments, and the introduction of eVetting.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that these changes are significantly reducing processing times. I expect that going forward the vast majority of applicants will receive a decision within one year.
In just over two years the Citizenship Division of my Department has gone from processing around 12,000 applications a year to processing over 20,000 applications in 2023 and has already made more than 24,000 decisions to date in 2024.
Last year, Citizenship Division more than doubled the number of ceremonies available to applicants with 15 held over the course of 2023. This was a significant increase on 6 Citizenship Ceremonies held in 2022. To date in 2024, my Department has hosted 17 ceremonies with over 14,000 attendees, with further ceremonies planned for later in the year.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current and/or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42343/24]
View answerFor reasons of maintaining full confidentiality, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State. An applicant for such protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate.
The IPO may be contacted: by email to info@ipo.gov.ie; by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
The IPAT may be contacted either: by email to info@protectionappeals.ie; by telephone at 01-4748400 (or Lo-Call 1890 201 458), or in writing to Corporate Services Division, The International Protection Appeals Tribunal, 6-7 Hanover Street East, Dublin D02 W320.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the parliamentary questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
283. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42344/24]
View answerThe Citizenship Division of my Department has requested further documentation from the person cited by the Deputy.
The person concerned has been given 28 days from the date of the letter to provide this information. On receipt, Citizenship Division will resume processing this application.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
284. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a precise timeframe has been set for the mid-term review of the Irish Forestry Programme; his views on whether this is a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42119/24]
View answerThe Forestry Programme for the period 2023-2027 aims to encourage a substantial increase in afforestation by offering attractive and diverse options for planting. This Government has committed €1.3 billion of funding to the Programme in order to support our national ambition of 8,000 hectares of afforestation per year. It also provides for a range of schemes to support the maintenance and sustainable management of forests.
My Department has committed to undertaking a mid term review of the current Forestry Programme in 2025. This will be conducted in consultation with stakeholders. Depending on the outcome of this review, certain proposed changes may require approval from the European Commission under State Aid Rules. These resulting agreed changes will be implemented prior to the end of the current Forestry Programme 2023-2027 term.
285. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when additional measures will be implemented to address the outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis in parts of County Tipperary; if there are sufficient personnel in the district veterinary offices at present dealing with disease-control issues; to confirm that the ongoing testing of badgers and wild deer will continue for the reminder of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42213/24]
View answerThe implementation of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030 is overseen by the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum along with support from three working groups – a Scientific group, an Implementation Working Group and a Finance Group to ensure all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum and its working groups comprise of representatives from across the agrifood sector, leading researchers, farming organisations and my Department. I am confident that the work of this Forum will result in the necessary measures to address the current high levels of TB in parts of County Tipperary and the other parts of the country. The measures will be agreed and implemented as soon as possible.
My Department like any Government Department provides appropriate resources within the normal budgetary parameters. The administrative, technical and veterinary personnel working on the TB programme in the Regional Veterinary Offices are fully committed to combating the current levels of TB disease in the national herd.
On the issue of wildlife, M. bovis was first detected in badgers in Ireland in 1974, although its significance was not fully understood at that stage. In the 1980’s, the East Offaly project provided evidence of the role of badgers in the epidemiology of TB. A large-scale trial over a five-year period from 1997 to 2002 in areas within Counties Donegal, Monaghan, Kilkenny, and Cork showed significant reductions (from two-fold to four-fold) in the incidence of TB in areas where badgers were removed relative to areas where badgers were not removed. In areas with high TB prevalence among cattle herds, the prevalence of TB among badgers has been reported as up to 36%, which compares to 14% among badgers in areas of low TB prevalence in cattle. It has also been established that there is a link between M.Bovis and wild deer in Co. Wicklow. Submissions to the Regional Veterinary Laboratory from other parts of the country show very low levels of M.Bovis in the wild deer population outside of Co. Wicklow. There is no evidence to suggest that M.Bovis is a significant issue in wild deer outside of Co. Wicklow, however, the evidence to show that badgers are a reservoir of M. bovis and are implicated in the transmission of TB is irrefutable.
Based on this evidence my Department established a wildlife programme to reduce the density of badgers in areas of high TB prevalence. However, it is acknowledged that culling on its own is not sustainable as a long-term measure, and a vaccination programme has also been integrated into the DAFM Wildlife Programme. Badger vaccination is now an integral part of the Irish TB Eradication Programme. This follows over 15 years of research work using BCG vaccine to prevent tuberculosis infection in badgers, and scientific trials carried out between 2013 and 2017 that show that vaccination is no less effective than culling. Badger vaccination is thus being substituted for continued culling of badgers such that a significant reduction in the numbers of badgers culled can be achieved over the coming years while still maintaining effective control of the risk posed to cattle. The large-scale roll-out of badger vaccination commenced in late 2019. Every year more and more of the countryside is designated as vaccination zones. This is reflected in the numbers of badgers captured for vaccination in these zones rising from an initial figure of 1,937 badgers in 2019, to 4,698 badgers in 2020. This figure rose again in 2021 to 6,586 badgers, with a further 7,244 badgers captured for vaccination in 2022. The year 2023 saw 14,524 badgers captured - 9,062 of these badgers were captured for vaccination and the remaining 5,462 were culled. 2024 to date has seen the programme continue to yield increased numbers with 8,699 badgers captured in all areas to date.
I am committed to reducing TB incidence rates across the country. Since I launched the TB Strategy in 2021 stakeholders have been working collectively to reduce TB rates. We must keep this going with the ultimate aim of eradicating TB from the herd.
The details of the TB Strategy along with details of TB Forum and working groups are available on www.bovinetb.ie.
286. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage and provide assistance to an organisation (details supplied) with regard to any remedial works needed; if he is aware that the withholding of annual grant funding will put its ability to operate at risk due to the considerable overheads incurred by operations of this nature; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42230/24]
View answerAnimal welfare is a key priority for my Department and considerable funding is provided to support, eligible, animal welfare charities, nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme, which is administered by my Department. Grants are to support operational activities of such organisations and are not for capital or infrastructural purposes.
Work on the 2024 Animal Welfare grant programme is currently underway, grant awards are made on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis.
It is expected that the 2024 awards will be announced in December this year.
287. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason lambs have to be double tagged (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42264/24]
View answerThe double tagging of sheep is an EU requirement set down in the EU Animal Health Law Regulation 2016/429 and its delegated regulation 2019/2035.
The EU rules provide that lambs aged under 12 months that are moving directly to a slaughter premises from the holding of their birth may be tagged with a single yellow electronic tag. However, all other sheep regardless of when they were born or where they are being moved to must, on movement from a holding, be tagged with a full electronic tag set.
These EU rules are in place for the prevention and control of animal diseases which are transmissible to animals or to humans.
288. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of all social enterprise organisations or bodies funded by his Department in each year from 2021 to date in 2024; the amount allocated in funding to each during this time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42265/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the total amount allocated in funding, including for specific projects or initiatives, by my department in each year from 2021 to date in 2024 is set out in the tables attached.
2021
|
Name of Social Enterprise Organisation/Body |
Funding Amount € |
|
Food Cloud |
59,400 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Company |
500,000 |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership |
100,000 |
|
Down Syndrome Ireland Cork Branch |
92,485 |
|
IRD Duhallow |
84,250 |
|
Men’s Development Network |
30,059 |
|
The Organic Centre |
15,169 |
|
Hometree CLG |
4,375 |
|
Woodlands of Ireland |
40,800 |
|
CELT – Centre for Environmental Living & Training |
5,551 |
|
Pocket Forests CLG |
24,369 |
|
Forest Genetics Resources Trust |
20,500 |
|
Irish Shows Association (ISA) |
15,908 |
|
Country Markets Ltd |
6,000 |
2022
|
Name of Social Enterprise Organisation/Body |
Funding Amount € |
|
Food Cloud |
60,000 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Company |
500,000 |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership |
100,000 |
|
Down Syndrome Ireland Cork Branch |
92,485 |
|
IRD Duhallow |
84,250 |
|
Agri Aware |
68,412 |
|
Acorn Project Collaboration |
29,757 |
|
Crann |
106,443 |
|
Pro Silva Ireland |
60,067 |
|
Green Skibbereen Clg |
26,960 |
|
The Organic Centre Ltd |
1,006 |
|
Sustainable Projects Ireland |
2,880 |
|
Pocket Forests Clg |
15,000 |
|
CELT - Centre for Environmental Living & Training |
11,324 |
|
Hometree Co Ltd by Guarantee |
62,225 |
|
Woodlands Of Ireland |
26,456 |
|
An Taisce |
53,171 |
|
Irish Shows Association (ISA) |
82,500 |
|
Country Markets Ltd |
6,000 |
|
Irish Countrywomen’s Association |
7,412 |
2023
|
Name of Social Enterprise Organisation/Body |
Funding Amount € |
|
Food Cloud |
178,301 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Company |
500,000 |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership |
100,000 |
|
Down Syndrome Ireland Cork Branch |
92,485 |
|
IRD Duhallow |
84,250 |
|
Men's Development Network |
129,526 |
|
Embrace Farm |
125,000 |
|
Woodlands of Ireland |
12,131 |
|
Crann |
4,689 |
|
Irish Shows Association (ISA) |
82,500 |
2024 to date
|
Name of Social Enterprise Organisation/Body |
Funding Amount € |
|
Food Cloud |
100,000 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Company |
240,000 |
|
South Kerry Development Partnership |
40,000 |
|
Down Syndrome Ireland Cork Branch |
40,000 |
|
IRD Duhallow |
35,000 |
|
Irish Rural Link |
14,645 |
|
Agri Aware |
82,937 |
|
Woodlands of Ireland |
13,341 |
|
Hometree Co Ltd by Guarantee |
42,970 |
|
An Taisce |
12,431 |
|
Pro Silva Ireland |
11,887 |
|
CELT – Centre for Environmental Living & Training |
13,790 |
|
The Woodland League Company |
8,350 |
289. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what percentage of AMS notifications stated that the farmer had sown the wrong crop; his views on whether there is a problem with the crop identification system used in AMS; the cost to his Department of the current AMS imaging system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42291/24]
View answerThe use of the Area Monitoring System (AMS) to monitor area-based schemes in EU Member States became mandatory on 1 January 2023.
My Department is monitoring all area-based schemes using AMS in 2024. The AMS is the regular and systematic observation and assessment of agricultural activities and practices on agricultural areas by Copernicus Sentinel Satellite.
The system monitors all land parcels declared by over 120,000 farmers on their 2024 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) applications to provide assurance on over €1.5 billion in scheme payments in 2024 alone. This is a change from the previous inspection regime where 5% of herds were selected for land eligibility inspections and gives more flexibility to farmers and the option to correct mistakes without penalty. The annual cost of the AMS service provision is €1.13 million.
The AMS is an automated system that uses computer algorithms to provide decisions on the accuracy of declarations. Examples of these decisions include:
• The presence of an ineligible feature, in particular a permanent structure, for example a house, a farm roadway or a farm building.
• A difference in crop category (arable land, permanent crop, or permanent grassland) declared and AMS finding e.g., spring barley declared on 2024 BISS application, but a different crop was predicted by AMS e.g. a protein crop.
• The presence of ineligible land use e.g., ineligible crop type for the scheme(s) applied for.
• The potential lack of evidence of agricultural activity i.e. production of agricultural products, such as rearing livestock or growing crops etc. or maintenance of the agricultural area.
In the period July to September 2024, the Department issued 3,341 AMS notifications for the potential presence of incorrect crops. 92% of these notifications were responded to, with the farmer accepting 43% of the AMS notifications and rejecting 53% of them. All responses required the submission of an AgriSnap (TM) photo.
Of the 53% of these AMS notifications rejected by the farmer or advisor, 1,416 AgriSnap™ photos were submitted to support the rejection. A total of 76% of these photos were accepted by the Department. The remainder of the photos were deemed inconclusive and thus a field inspection was required to verify the crop on the ground. To date, 29% of these parcels have a different crop found in the parcel to the crop claimed and this work continues.
I believe the AMS system as validated and implemented in my Department is performing to a very high standard. It fully satisfies our obligations under the EU regulations, and offers benefits to farmers through reduced onsite checks and a means to make corrections without penalty. It provides clear and concise queries to farmers where needed, avoiding confusion or concern in a fair, open and transparent way. Within my Department, it provides efficiencies in issuing payments to farmers while also providing improved administration and control of the almost €10bn in CAP funds. As with all such systems the Area Monitoring System is also subject to continuous improvement, and I expect to see development of the system to aid farmers further in the future.
290. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is possible for his Department to purchase a childcare facility (details supplied) in Mayo and run it as a community crèche; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42149/24]
View answerNew Partner Service is defined strictly to mean services that were not in existence on 30 September 2021. Services that have made changes such as name, address, owner, or legal structure do not qualify as new Partner Services. If a Partner Service undergoes a closure and has been closed for over 6 months and has fully deregistered with Tusla, and subsequently a new service registers under Tusla, this will be considered to be a New Partner Service.
This was implemented to ensure that parents do not experience an increase in fees when there has been no material change to their service. The Department does not and historically has not viewed changes in ownership, address, or legal entity as a material change. If a service, whether under previous or new ownership, believes that their service requires a fee increase, the Department has provided a new Fee Increase Assessment and Approval Process whereby an eligible Partner Service may apply to increase their fees up to an approved level.
It is important to note, where there is a change in ownership, the new owner can remain open and avail of Core Funding during the take-over without having to close as long as there is not an increase in fees.
The Building Blocks Capital Schemes, which are operating over 2024 and 2025, are supporting services to increase capacity through two strands, the Expansion Scheme, with applications now closed, and the Extension Scheme due to open for applications later this year.
The Extension Scheme will provide €25 million in capital funding next year to deliver thousands of new affordable early learning and childcare places. It will offer funding for large scale projects to enable existing community and private services to build new capacity onto their current premises by means of physical extension. It will also allow existing community services to apply to purchase or construct new premises. I hope to announce details of the Extension Scheme in the coming weeks.
291. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to give an update on the pilot school therapy supports in special schools; if he will provide a list of all special schools that are being considered for the programme (details supplied) as part of the programme as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42176/24]
View answerSince 2021 the Government has sought to reinstate the pre-existing on-site health and social care supports to special schools. Between 2021 and 2022 Government provided funding for the reinstatement of 223 posts that had been historically provided. While some services have been reinstated, it is acknowledged that progress has been affected by the shortage of health and social care professionals. The focus of the Special Schools pilot that I jointly launched on August 9th is to provide the effective delivery of enhanced in-school therapy supports to children in selected special schools.
6 schools have been selected for the initial phase of the pilot with 10 others to be added in time. The initial six special schools selected to participate in the pilot were chosen following detailed engagement between officials in my Department, the Department of Education, the HSE and the NCSE, based on where the needs profile of the children identified as greatest from an educational perspective, and where resourcing is not currently available in proportion to these needs.
There are a further 10 schools to be selected in the full Pilot and efforts to bring clarity on that phase are underway, with an expectation that a decision will be made by end of October. A school not being selected in Phase 1 does not preclude selection in other phases.
292. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he could provide a list of all childcare services in Dublin 1, 3, 9 and 11 that have withdrawn from core funding. [42224/24]
View answerThe introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259m of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding.
This funding, which increased by 11% (to €287 million) in year 2, increased again by a further 15% in year 3 (to €331 million).
In view of the 15% increase in Core Funding in year 3 and the associated supports, including the increase in the flat rate allocation for sessional services to €5,000, the increase in the minimum Core Funding allocation to €14,000 and the introduction of the Fee Increase Assessment Process, I am confident that participation rates will continue to remain on par with previous years.
Currently, 90% of services have signed up to year 3 of Core Funding. The application rate for year 3 of Core Funding is similar to the application rate for the same period in 2023, with services continuing to sign up.
In Dublin 1, 3, 9 and 11, 135 services contracted to programme year 2 of Core Funding 2023/24.
During programme year 2, only 1 service contracted and withdrew. This service did not re-contract in programme year 3 (2024/25).
For programme year 3, 118 of these 135 services have contracted to Core Funding to date.
Of the 17 services that haven’t re-contracted, 3 have closed.
In total there are 120 services contracted for Core Funding in 2024/25 (Year 3) in these postal areas indicating that a small number of services have contracted for the first time in year 3.
293. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he could provide a list of all childcare services in Dublin 6W. 14. 16 and 24 that have withdrawn from the core funding model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42225/24]
View answerMy Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in due course.
