Written Answers Nos. 842-861
843. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) can expect to receive their Areas of Natural Constraints payment for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44550/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for participation in the 2024 Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme was received from the above named applicant on the 12th March, 2024.
Following completion of the relevant administration checks by this Department, payment under the 2024 ANC scheme issued to the person named on 1st November, 2024 and will be lodged to their nominated bank account.
Payment can take up to seven working days to appear in an applicant’s account.
844. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 397 of 8 October 2024, the reason Horse Racing Ireland claimed that seven horses used at this year's Galway Races festival are confirmed dead when the true figure is at least nine (details supplied); and if he will reveal the causes of the deaths. [44618/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.
The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for HRI, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.
845. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to end the process of egg production using caged hens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44707/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU Directive 1999/74/EC sets out specific requirements for the protection of laying hens in the EU and this legislation is transposed into Irish legislation by S.I. 311 of 2010. The legislation specifies the type of accommodation that can be used for laying hens and this includes the use of cage production systems that are enriched with features such as nests, perches and scratch areas.
The EU Commission has undertaken to review all of the EU legislation on animal welfare including the laying hen Directive. We await the outcome of that review and will implement any changes to the provisions for laying hen’s accommodation as appropriate.
846. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to address ash dieback disease in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44708/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraA package of measures to assist ash forest owners, including financial aid as outlined within the Action Plan approved by the Government in April 2024, offers relief and incentives to deal with this important issue in Kildare and all other counties. The overall financial aid for ash dieback potentially amounts to €237 million, including the new €79.5 million Climate Action Performance Payment.
The Action Plan has been welcomed by many stakeholders and interest in the package is reflected in a significant increase in interest in the reconstitution scheme since the announcement. I outline below some of the details of the enhanced financial package now available to ash forest owners.
• 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, from €1,000 to €2,000 per hectare.
• Enhanced replanting grant rates under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027; depending on forest type. For conifer forests (FT12) that amounts to €3,858/ha. If the landowner chooses to replant with native trees that rate is €6,744/ha, and it is €8,555/ha for agroforestry. In addition, grants of €2,880/ha are also available for Deer Fencing in respect of Forest Type 1 to 11.
• Those applicants whose sites are still in premium will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.
• For those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type under the new Programme and the existing premium will be paid. This will be calculated for the remaining years left in premium and paid in a single sum.
• For those in receipt of non-farmer rate of premium a top up €300 will be paid per hectare, calculated for the remaining period left in premium and paid in a single sum.
• In addition, the new Climate Action Performance Payment will entitle ash forest owners who clear their sites and replant to a further €5,000 per hectare.
Since 2020, my Department has received applications for the reconstitution of over 140ha of ash in county Kildare. I would encourage those landowners from all counties who have planted ash plantations under a Departmental Scheme and who have not yet applied to clear and replant these areas, to now do so under my Department's Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback 2023-2027 (RADS). Those landowners who replant their ash plantation under a Reconstitution Scheme may then apply for the additional Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP) of €5,000 per hectare. Full details on how to apply for both the RADS and the CAPP are available at www.gov.ie/ashdiebacksupports.
847. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the mid-term review of the forestry programme will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44709/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
848. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to address fireblight disease in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44710/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlant Health within the European Union (EU) is governed by the EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031 and the Official Controls Regulation 2017/625. These Regulations harmonise the rules in areas such as, the surveillance for pests of plant health and actions to be taken in the event of the confirmation of the presence of specific plant pests, including Erwinia amylovora (Fireblight) and rules on the maintenance of protected zones. These rules are applied nationally, therefore, the approach to Fireblight is the same in all counties.
In line with EU rules and this Departments plant health generic contingency plan for each confirmed outbreak site a “Demarcated area” consisting of a 500m “infested zone” and a 5km “buffer zone” are established in line with the known biology of the pest. Delimiting surveys are then conducted to establish the true extent of the outbreaks and can result in the revision of the size of infested and buffer zones, respectively. Such surveys are conducted during the growing season as this is when the pest can be detected.
Under EU rules a 24-month period from the official confirmation of the presence of the pest is permitted to complete surveillance and achieve eradication, where possible.
849. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections that have taken place in each meat processing plant in Kildare in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44711/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has a permanent presence at all slaughter plants, including those in Kildare, during the hours of slaughter.
For other processing plants, inspections take place regularly.
My Department will revert with the relevant statistics on these inspections once compiled.
850. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants to date for grants under the national farm safety measure in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44712/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Farm Safety Measure, launched earlier this year by my colleague, Minister of State Martin Heydon T.D., provides a financial contribution to participating farmers covering 60% of the eligible cost of Power Take Off (PTO) shaft covers.
To date, seventeen expressions of interest and two applications for payment have been submitted by Kildare farmers. Nationally, over 900 expressions of interest and almost 100 applications for payment have been received to-date.
Last week, Minister Heydon announced a two-week extension to the deadline for submitting expressions of interest and applications for payment under the National Farm Safety Measure. As was the case in 2023, it is expected that the number of applications being submitted will rise significantly in the lead up to the closing date of 15th November.
851. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén fáth a bhfuil srian á chur le líon na n-áiteanna páirceála d’oileánaigh ó Oileáin Árann i Ros an Mhíl agus cén fáth nach bhfuil an socrú mar a bhí sé i bhfeidhm, is é sin go raibh áit pháircéala ag gach oileánach d’ fheithicil amháin, faoi réir coinníollacha na scéime, á chur i bhfeidhm níos mó [44748/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTá clár cead páirceáil á chur ar fáil ag Ionad Iascaigh Cuain Ros an Mhíl ag mo Roinn do dhaoine a bhfuil Oileáin Árann mar ghnátháit chónaithe acu. Tagann sé seo sna sála ar chomhairliúchán leis na trí Ghrúpa Ionadaíochta Coiste de chuid na nOileán agus an mian atá acu go mbeidh rochtain ag oileánaigh ar charrchlós an Ionaid Iascaigh Cuain. Tagann sé in ionad carrchlóis a d'oibrigh na Coistí faoi cheadúnas go dtí 2021 thar ceann na n-oileánach.
Tá líon na spásanna páirceála carranna a leithdháiltear ar shealbhóirí ceadanna teoranta do 196. Tá 350 cead páirceála eisithe ag mo Roinn anois. Mar a chuir mo Roinn in iúl do Ghrúpaí Ionadaíochta Choiste na nOileán, is é seo uaslíon na gceadanna a eiseofar.
Mar is amhlaidh le haon charrchlós, tá muirir i bhfeidhm san Ionad Iascaigh Cuain, agus ní féidir spásanna a chinntiú d'aon úsáideoir aonair. Tá spásanna páirceála eile sa charrchlós ar fáil mar charrchlós poiblí ag gnáthrátaí páirceála le tuilleadh áiseanna páirceála a oibrítear go príobháideach ar fáil sa gharchomharsanacht.
852. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will publish his licensing and scheme approval plan for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44771/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra853. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will review performance versus plan in relation to his licence plan for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44772/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 852 and 853 together.
My Department will publish the Forestry Licensing Plan for 2025 early in the new year. This plan for 2025 will also include a review of 2024, and will outline the estimated number of applications received and the target applications to be licensed versus what actually was received in 2024 and what was output in terms of licences issued.
So far this year, we are processing more licences than applications received, and this is the case for each of the licence types, felling afforestation and forest roads. My Department received 2,735 licence applications and has issued 2,936 licences to 25th October 2024.
I believe we have the capacity to issue sufficient licences to meet the annual target of 8,000 hectares of new forests. This is however contingent on receiving enough applications to achieve this goal. Since the Forestry Programme was launched in September 2023 my Department has issued over 6,900 hectares of afforestation licences and approvals.
854. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will launch the forestry knowledge transfer scheme for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44773/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of the Forestry Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme is to increase the level of sustainable forest management activity amongst forestry owners and to raise awareness of the importance of forests for climate change mitigation and to provide expertise to forest owners to manage their forests over its rotation. By filling this knowledge gap a potential barrier to the mobilisation of timber and biomass is also addressed.
Following the completion of the 2023 Knowledge Transfer Group scheme earlier this year and an evaluation of the outcomes it is our intention to launch the next Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme before the end of the year.
855. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén beartas atá aige maidir le ligean foirgneamh folamh ag calaphoirt iascaigh; cad é líon agus achar na bhfoirgneamh folamh atá í ngach calaphort faoi seach; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [44787/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTá sé cinn ainmnithe d’Ionaid Iascaigh Cuain (IIC) faoi Úinéireacht an Stáit i seilbh mo Roinne faoi reacht, agus feidhmíonn mo Roinn na hionaid sin agus déanann sí cothabháil orthu. Is iad na hionaid sin IIC na gCeall Beag, IIC Bhinn Éadair, IIC Bhaile Chaisleáin Bhéarra, IIC Ros an Mhíl, IIC an Daingin, IIC Dhún Mór.
Tá punann éagsúil réadmhaoin le fáil sna IICanna, rud a léiríonn a ról mar chuanta iascaigh oibre agus mar shuíomh le haghaidh réimse leathan gníomhaíochtaí eile muirí. Is é 263 an líon iomlán réadmhaoin (cé is moite den bhonneagar) ar fud na sé IIC. Tá 14 réadmhaoin fholmha le fáil trasna na sé IIC. Déanann an Roinn athbhreithniú rialta ar réadmhaoine folmha le measúnú a dhéanamh ar a n-oiriúnacht lena gcur ar fáil ar tairiscint d’iarratasóirí ar spéis leo iad, agus ioncam cíosa a chur ar fáil do Chiste na nIonad Iascaigh Cuain.
Féach an tábla faoi iamh ina dtugtar líon agus suíomh na réadmhaoin folamh:
856. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara an bhfuil sé i gceist ag a Roinn fiosrúchán a dhéanamh faoi cén fáth ar tharraing beagnach 50% de na feirmeoirí in Oileáin Árann a bhí páirteach in Acres Tranche 2 as an scéim i mbliana ag tógáil san áireamh an tábhacht a bhaineann leis na hoileáin ó thaobh na heiceolaíochta de agus an tábhacht a bhaineann dá bharr le feirmeoireacht ard-eiceolaíochta ar na hoileáin; agus an ndearna a Roinn teagmháil leis na feirmeoirí lena fháil amach cén fáth ar fhág an oiread acu an scéim; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [44795/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIs beart deonach é páirt a ghlacadh sa Scéim Timpeallachta Tuaithe Talmhaíochta agus Aeráide (ACRES). Toisc gur tiomantas cúig bliana atá ann, bheadh coinne leis go dtarraingeodh roinnt daoine siar i rith na tréimhse sin. Níl aon cheanglas ar rannpháirtithe cúis ná míniú a thabhairt as tarraingt siar ón Scéim, a d’fhéadfadh tarlú de bharr athrú ar imthosca nó roghanna eile a bheith ar fáil don fheirmeoir, amhail rannpháirt a ghlacadh i scéimeanna eile agus i roghanna malartacha talamhúsáide. Tarlaíonn roinnt mhaith tarraingtí siar de thoradh scoir agus breoiteachta freisin.
Óir tá Oileáin Árann suite i Limistéar Comhair ACRES, rachaidh mo Roinnse faoi dhéin na Foirne ábhartha den Tionscadal Comhair ACRES, is é sin ACRES Bhoirne Árann, lena fháil amach an bhfeictear dóibh aon fhadhbanna sonracha a bheith taobh thiar den líon tarraingtí siar sin, agus cuirfidh sí an Teachta ar an eolas go díreach faoi aon fhadhb ábhartha a fheictear.
857. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of WTE qualified veterinary inspectors, by grade employed by his Department in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [44843/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraVeterinary Inspectors carry out a wide variety of duties within my Department in the areas of animal health and welfare, disease control, physical checks on imports of animals, plants, and products of animal and plant origin etc. The table below details the number of Veterinary Inspectors at 25th December 2023 and 21st October 2024.
858. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of mobile phones issued to staff in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and the total costs expended by his Department on handsets and phones bills over the same timeframe. [44852/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below provides the details of the number of mobile phones issued to staff in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and the total costs expended by my Department on handsets and phone bills over the same timeframe.
|
- |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
No. of new Mobile Phones issued |
850 |
902 |
406 |
|
Total Number of Mobile Phones in use at year end |
2,225 |
2,338 |
2,398 |
|
Annual Costs (Handsets & Mobile Phone Bills) |
€582,713.61 |
€716,773.59 |
€681,203.95 |
859. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a grant application can be reviewed on behalf of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44884/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Inshore Fleet Economic Assessment Scheme (IFEAS) is specifically designed to support and enable the economic development of the inshore fishing fleet. The IFEAS is administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) , as an agency of my Department.
The eligibility criteria for this scheme are aligned with the European Maritime Fisheries & Aquaculture Fund Regulation, EU Reg. 2021-1139 and set out in the Inshore Fisheries Implementation Plan which stipulates that:
“Applicants must have verified fishing activity at sea during the 2 (two) calendar years prior to the funding request evidenced as follows:
Vessels greater than or equal to 10m (LOA):
• For vessels 10m, they must demonstrate that they were active during January to December of the 2 (two) years prior to the funding request through logbook data showing a minimum of 60 days of fishing activity.
Vessels under 10m (LOA):
• For Vessels under 10m, they must demonstrate that they were active during January to December of the 2 (two) years prior to the funding request through Sales Notes data showing landings of a minimum value of €1,000.
• Where Sales Notes are not available a Statutory Declaration may be accepted with supporting documentation.
Where an applicant does not meet the above eligibility criteria then a refusal is appropriate. As the applicant specified does not meet the criteria, their application was refused appropriately, and an appeal form issued. This appeal form will provide an avenue for the application to be reviewed.
My Department has also asked BIM to make contact with the applicant in this case in relation to the Fleet Safety Scheme. This scheme provides funding to support operators with the costs of improving overall safety standards onboard Irish fishing vessels. Further information can be obtained at www.bim.ie.
860. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of non-coursing greyhounds registered as 'deceased' in the Irish Coursing Club's stud book for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 to date, with a breakdown by year of birth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44885/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the organisation charged with the role of Keeper of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book (IGSB) since 1923. The Stud Book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership of all greyhounds. The ICC is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann.
The ICC has informed my Department that the number of non-coursing greyhounds notified to the IGSB as deceased is as set out below in tabular form:
|
Year |
No of Track Greyhounds notified as deceased |
|
2020 |
1088 |
|
2021 |
1172 |
|
2022 |
1662 |
|
2023 |
1855 |
|
2024 (ytd) |
1702 |
861. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will give consent to the sale of a site (details supplied); the reasons for the hold-up given the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform has given sanction; the impact the sale will have on the selling organisation's overdraft; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44892/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
RCÉ has previously sought approval from this Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to the disposal of surplus property at Curraheen. This proposal is being considered by both Departments and engagement with RCÉ is ongoing.
