Written Answers Nos. 463-473
464. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which all food and food products imported into Ireland continue to be checked with a view to production hygiene standards and animal husbandry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17295/22]
View answerFood products placed on the European marketplace are covered by a range of legislation designed to ensure that products supplied to consumers are of the highest safety standards. My Department plays a part in the enforcement of this legislation along with Competent Authorities in other Member States, other Irish Government departments and State Agencies such as the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the Health Service Executive.
The import of products of animal origin from third countries is governed by a comprehensive and robust legislative framework laid down at EU level, controlled by Member States in the first instance, and audited by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety to ensure compliance with all of the relevant food safety standards. The legislation imposes health and supervisory requirements designed to ensure that imported products meet standards equivalent to those required for production and trade between Member States.
Veterinary checks are carried out by staff from my Department on consignments of foods of animal origin imported from third countries at designated Border Control Posts. All such consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks in addition to physical checks. This includes sampling of products, carried out according to European regulations. Import control procedures on products of animal and fish origin are highly prescriptive and are strictly audited by the Directorate to ensure compliance. Inspection finding reports are published on the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety’s website.
This comprehensive and robust legislative framework and the checks carried out by the relevant competent authorities across EU member states ensure that imports met the requisite food safety standards.
465. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which any attempted importation of food or food products not up to Irish and European standards has been identified in each of the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17296/22]
View answerFigures derived from the EU Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) indicate that less than 1% of food or food products imported into Ireland and requiring checks at the border by officials in my Department, were identified as not meeting EU standards for entry into the Single Market. The precise numbers are 22 in 2020; 282 in 2021 and 105 in the first quarter of 2022 (increase in 2021 reflects increased number of controls required with the ending of the UK transition period).
Figures are not available in the system for the years prior to 2020. This is likely to be as a result of the move from an older version of TRACES (TRACES Classic) to a more updated version (TRACES NT).
466. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he and his Department continue to monitor production costs in the pigmeat sector; if he will provide details of the continued efforts in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17297/22]
View answerI have established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee and tasked it to prepare an industry response to the emerging crisis in feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises.
Our pig farmers have always been remarkably resilient but I am acutely aware of the unprecedented challenges that Irish pig farmers are facing at present. The continued development of the pigmeat sector is a priority for me given the pivotal role the industry plays in the national economic context. It is the fourth largest agri-food sector, behind beef and dairy, and supports approximately 8,000 rural job.
Production saw an increase of 3% to over 3.6 million head in 2021, Over the past five year period there has been growth of 11.5% in production.
Last month, I announced the Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS), with a fund of up to €7 million, for commercial pig farmers. This is an urgent, short-term response to assist producers that would be viable but for the extreme current circumstances and allow space for a more medium-term adjustment to market signals.
This scheme was a one off, exchequer funded scheme open to commercial pig undertakings which had produced more than 200 pigs in the period 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021 inclusive. This includes pigs sent to slaughter, exported or sold commercially from a breeding herd. Applications for the PEPS closed on 20 March 2022. The first tranche of payments has issued, with the remaining applications due for processing as soon as possible. All information on the scheme can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/service/d7fb3-pig-exceptional-payment-scheme-peps/
Furthermore, my Department continues to engage at EU level to ensure a joined-up EU approach to the challenges arising from Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, including through the European Food Security Crisis preparedness response Mechanism (EFSCM). Last week the Commission announced the adoption of exceptional support measures across the agriculture sector, along with a communication on Food Security. In addition, the Commission in view of the particularly difficult situation in the pig meat sector has opened a new private storage aid scheme to assist in stabilising the sector.
The Department is currently examining the detailed requirements and conditionality attached to the exceptional aid allocation to Ireland of €15.8 million in EU funding.
467. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he and his Department continue to monitor production costs in the poultry sector with particular reference to the need to ensure a stable cost base; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17298/22]
View answerWithin my Department, I have established a high-level committee to deal with issues arising out of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.
My officials are continuing to engage closely with the various industry sectors to monitor the identified risks and work towards mitigation actions where possible and appropriate. I have tasked a National Fodder and Food Security Committee to prepare an industry response to the emerging crisis in feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises.
Furthermore, my Department continues to engage at EU level to ensure a joined-up EU approach to the challenges, including through the European Food Security Crisis preparedness response Mechanism (EFSCM).
Poultrymeat, which is a food in high protein, has seen an increase in demand in recent years. Irish production reached record levels in 2020, with a total of 111 million birds processed in Department approved establishments. Poultry throughput for 2021 comes in slightly down on 2020 (-1.1%) with a total of 110.4 million birds slaughtered, of which 90.4% were chickens.
Prices at end of February 2022 for poultry meat were 221.52 cents/kg, seeing an increase of 7 cents/kg on the same period of 2021, the current price of 221.52 cents/kg is the highest levels seen in recent years.
As 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. My Department will continue to monitor the markets and any impacts on the agri-food sector.
468. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which Irish fishing families can rely on the industry for a living in the future having particular regard to the competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17299/22]
View answerThe 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 and it recommends some 16 support schemes at a cost of €423 million. These recommendations are being urgently progressed with regard to State Aid approval, eligibility under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve and the Public Spending Code. A number of the schemes have already been put in place.
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 2021-27 is being prepared by my Department, with the aim of its adoption by the European Commission by end 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.
469. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which CAP continues to be of major assistance to Irish agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17300/22]
View answerThe aim of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is to support all farmers across the community to continue to produce the highest quality food in the most sustainable manner.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department submitted Ireland's draft CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023-2027 to the European Commission at the end of December 2021. The Plan was developed following a detailed SWOT analysis and needs assessment process.
The CSP will continue to support the development of the agriculture sector, and improve its resilience, by helping it to meet the twin challenges of delivering viable farm incomes for farmers and producing food in an environmentally sustainable manner. This strong focus on the environment, and on sustainable production, is consistent with EU and National obligations on climate change, biodiversity and water quality.
I consider that Ireland's draft Plan strikes an appropriate balance between the needs and demands of all stakeholders - of which there are many - and the need to secure approval from the European Commission, including in relation to the level of environmental and climate ambition to be attained.
I also recognise the crucial role that the CAP plays in underpinning our world class production systems. The indicative financial allocation for the Plan over its five years is more than €9.8 billion, with a significant increase in the National co-funding rate from approximately 47% under the previous Rural Development Programme to almost 60% in the period from 2023 to 2027. Proposed rates of payment across the various measures are set out in the draft CSP, and attached in Table 1.
The CAP also provides for supports for food promotion, marketing and education programmes, as well as for measures to address market volatility. These latter measures - for example in the form of private storage aid for the pigmeat sector and wider exceptional aid - are currently being activated to address the impacts arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine
470. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of outbreaks of bovine TB identified in each of the past five years to date; the extent to which investigation into the causes has yielded results; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17301/22]
View answerI draw the Deputy’s attention to PQ Ref 60483/21 which he tabled on 6th December 2021 regarding the extent to which my Department has identified the causes for the spread of bovine TB.
This disease causes significant hardship for farmers and farming families, and my Department, working together with stakeholders and engaging with farmers, are committed to eradicating this disease.
The table below details the number of herds experiencing a new restriction, due to bovine TB, since 1st January each year, by county over the past 5 years to the end of 2021 and the number of reactors related to these restrictions.
While TB disease is low relative to historical levels, the number of new restrictions and reactor numbers gradually increased between 2016 and the end of 2020. There was encouraging signs in 2021 as TB levels were lower than in 2020, with fewer reactors and a lower herd incidence.
The 12 month rolling herd incidence at 26th December 2021 was 4.34% compared to 4.37% on 27th December 2020, while the overall number of reactors on 26th December 2021 was 20,875 compared to 23,055 on 27th December 2020.
If downward momentum can be maintained, it will reflect the progress achieved by the renewed TB Eradication Strategy launched in January 2021. Implementation of this strategy is overseen by the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum with support from three working groups on science, implementation and finance to ensure that all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. We now have the building blocks in place to lower disease incidence and reduce the challenges associated with a TB restriction.
The reasons for increase in disease over the last number of years are multifactorial and often relate to a combination of national and local factors.
The expansion of the dairy herd since 2015 has played a role in this, since dairy herds, larger herds, fragmented farms and herds which introduce more cattle are all more at risk of TB breakdowns. Wildlife is also a factor.
The causes of TB outbreaks are, as I said, multi-factorial, varying from county to county, and even within counties, and requiring a range of actions to address the problem.
Within each county, the TB programme focuses on testing compliance and frequency, isolation of reactors, wildlife, how disease is distributed in the area, contiguous programmes, forward and backward tracing of risk animals, gamma interferon testing and cleansing and disinfection.
Each TB outbreak is investigated by a Department Veterinary Inspector to identify the source of infection. In every outbreak involving two or more standard reactors, a veterinarian visits the farm, to advise the herdowner on how to eliminate infection and on the measures needed to help reduce the risk of recurrence.
471. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if tests are being carried out among the national deer herd with particular reference to the spread of bovine TB; the number of tests that have been carried out on the deer herd in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17302/22]
View answerWhilst badgers are the primary wildlife focus in the bovine TB eradication programme, a certain level of surveillance takes place in deer. In 2020, 130 deer were submitted to the Department's Regional Veterinary Laboratories and three were positive for TB. In 2021,125 deer were submitted and 12 were positive for TB. Of the 15 positive animals, 10 were from County Wicklow and one each from Counties Cork, Tipperary, Galway, Wexford and Kilkenny.
In relation to wider issues of wild deer management and control, I have asked my officials to work with their colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to establish a stakeholder discussion body to follow up on the work of the Irish Deer Management Forum. This new stakeholder group will be established in the coming months.
In addition, my Department is funding research on deer ecology in Ireland. This project, which is being carried out by scientists in UCD, will help to provide an evidence base for those considering wild deer management issues.
473. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for a reduction in payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17305/22]
View answerThe Hen Harrier Project is operationally independent of my Department and is run by the Hen Harrier Project Team. The Project team are responsible for the administration of the project and associated payments. Any queries relating to the reasons for the reduction in payment should be addressed directly to the Project team.
