Tuesday, 23 May 2023

Written Answers Nos. 596-611

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (597)

Michael Ring

Question:

597. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive payment under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme or TAMS II scheme, in view of the financial hardship that is being caused to this person through no fault of his or her own and the fact that this person had no option but to change bank or banks during the tenure of the application as the bank or banks closed down, and the manner in which he or she was conducting his or her payments appears to be causing an issue even though he or she has receipts to verify all payments which have been submitted to the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24366/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named submitted and received approval for two applications under the Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme of TAMS II and submitted claims for payment 27th September 2022.

Both applications were subject to an on-farm inspection prior to which the applicant was notified of the documentation to be made available for inspection.

At the time of inspection, some required documentation was not available and a query letter issued 17th April 2023 outlining what documentation was required to progress his application to payment stage.   To date, the outstanding documentation has not been submitted to the Department.

Under the terms and conditions of the scheme an applicant must provide evidence they have incurred the cost of the investment before grant aid shall be paid.

Greyhound Industry

Questions (598, 599, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604)

Paul Murphy

Question:

598. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine , further to Parliamentary Question No. 1895 of 26 April 2022, the current status of the 12,483 non-coursing greyhounds born in 2021 as recorded on the Rásaíocht Con Éireann traceability system or RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24403/23]

Paul Murphy

Question:

599. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the year of birth of each of the 203 non-coursing greyhounds listed as dead of natural causes for the year 2022 on the RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24404/23]

Paul Murphy

Question:

600. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the year of birth of each of the 272 non-coursing greyhounds listed as euthanised on humane grounds for the year 2022 on the RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24405/23]

Paul Murphy

Question:

601. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the year of birth of each of the 53 non-coursing greyhounds listed as euthanised due to terminal illness for the year 2022 on the RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24406/23]

Paul Murphy

Question:

602. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the year of birth of each of the 98 non-coursing greyhounds listed as euthanised due to being deemed unsuitable as a pet for the year 2022 on the RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24407/23]

Paul Murphy

Question:

603. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the year of birth of each of the 1,241 non-coursing greyhounds listed as deaths notified by the Irish Coursing Club, ICC, for the year 2022 on the RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24408/23]

Paul Murphy

Question:

604. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for a breakdown of the cause of death in the case of the 1,241 non-coursing greyhounds listed as deaths notified by the ICC for the year 2022 on the RCETS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24409/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 to 604, inclusive, together.

Rásaíocht 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.

The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.

Question No. 599 answered with Question No. 598.

Question No. 600 answered with Question No. 598.

Question No. 601 answered with Question No. 598.

Question No. 602 answered with Question No. 598.

Question No. 603 answered with Question No. 598.

Question No. 604 answered with Question No. 598.

Agriculture Supports

Questions (605, 614)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

605. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who received payments under the areas of natural constraint scheme in 2022 under each category and payment rate; the average number of hectares on which land was claimed in each, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24448/23]

Claire Kerrane

Question:

614. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who received payments under the areas of specific constraint islands scheme in 2022, under each category and payment rate; the average number of hectares on which land was claimed in each, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24458/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 605 and 614 together.

The Areas of Natural and other Specific Constraints scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas face significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions.

Support is provided based on the following categories of land::

Category 1 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 1 is characterised by extensive farming practices focused on livestock management on higher ground (€148 up to 12 ha and €112 on 12-34 ha);

Category 2 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 2 is characterised by extensive livestock grazing practices on lower ground (€111 up to 10 ha and €104 on 10-30 ha); and

Category 3 land: The system of farming prevalent in Category 3 is less extensive in nature and characterised by grazing livestock enterprises (€93 up to 8 ha and €88.25 on 8-30 ha).

Offshore island land: Island holdings are generally small and fragmented where the potential for intensification is limited and farming is economically marginal, at best. Farming on the off-shore islands off Ireland is in continuous decline (€250 up to 20 ha, €170 on 20-34 ha and €70 on 34-40 ha).

Please see information requested by the Deputy in the table below for the ANC scheme year 2022.

Category/Payment Rate	Number of Farmers Paid	Average Claimed Area
Category 1 (€148)	30,303	10.73
Category 1 (€112)	22,783	15.60
Category 2 (€111)	53,039	9.25
Category 2 (€104)	42,001	13.24
Category 3 (€93)	24,013	7.56
Category 3 (€88.25)	20,151	16.01
Island High(€250)	824	10.19
Island Medium (€170)	184	10.27
Island Low (€70)	83	5.16

Agriculture Supports

Questions (606)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

606. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of participants in the sheep welfare scheme in 2022; the number of breeding ewes on which payment was made; the rate of payment, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24450/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As set out in the terms and conditions of the Sheep Welfare Scheme, the rate of payment is set at €10 per eligible breeding ewe on completion by the participant of both of their selected scheme actions. Payment is made up to the applicable reference number of animals determined for payment for the scheme year.

Please see the information requested below as regards the number of participants and breeding ewes on which payment was made during 2022 for Year 6 of the scheme, broken down by county. Note the payment relates to a 85% advance payment, which commenced issuing in November 2022. The remaining 15% balancing payment is due to issue shortly.

County	Number of paid participants	Number of eligible breeding ewes	Amount paid
Carlow	361	52,438	€444,540
Cavan	352	30,300	€257,476
Clare	176	8,636	€72,440
Cork	839	88,545	€749,731
Donegal	3,165	242,467	€2,056,281
Dublin	92	12,473	€103,171
Galway	2,063	194,473	€1,644,718
Kerry	1,536	198,253	€1,684,739
Kildare	316	50,489	€427,511
Kilkenny	247	32,342	€272,019
Laois	185	20,020	€169,725
Leitrim	584	58,422	€494,557
Limerick	74	9,541	€80,874
Longford	169	14,806	€124,182
Louth	193	26,754	€226,420
Mayo	2,600	222,182	€1,882,121
Meath	460	71,526	€602,402
Monaghan	188	17,184	€144,738
Offaly	243	28,650	€242,757
Roscommon	857	83,161	€700,167
Sligo	753	69,440	€589,244
Tipperary	375	51,942	€440,026
Waterford	209	36,312	€308,434
Westmeath	334	36,466	€308,210
Wexford	478	61,930	€524,770
Wicklow	746	116,976	€993,276
Total	17,595	1,835,728	€15,544,527

Agriculture Supports

Questions (607)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

607. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of participants in the tillage incentive scheme from March 2022 to date, in tabular form by month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24451/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The 2022 Tillage Incentive Scheme was announced in March 2022 as part of a support package for farmers in direct response to the situation in Ukraine.

The scheme opened to online applicants on 27th June 2022. The online portal remained open until 20th July 2022, with some 4,123 individuals applying to participate in the scheme.

Payments commenced in December 2022 and to date payments in excess of €10.1 million have issued to 3,831 beneficiaries. Payments are continuing as further cases become eligible.

Agriculture Supports

Questions (608)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

608. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of participants in the fodder incentive scheme in 2022 and to date in 2023, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24452/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Following the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, the Deputy will be aware that on the 15th of June 2022, I announced the launch of the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) to ensure Ireland does not have any animal welfare issues over the 2022 winter and 2023 spring.

Building on the success of the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme, on 2nd of November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme.

The 2023 Fodder Support Scheme is a continuation of the 2022 Scheme and only successful applicants for the 2022 Fodder Support Scheme were eligible to apply for the 2023 Scheme, which closed at midnight on 5th of December 2022.

The table below indicates the number of successful applicants in both the 2022 and 2023 Fodder Support Scheme as of 18th of May 2023.

Year	Number of Applicants
2022	71,147
2023	67,451

Agriculture Supports

Questions (609)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

609. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in receipt of TAMS III, by county, under each category of the payment, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24453/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

TAMS 3 provides funding for capital investments on farms and will be in place for five years and will include 10 schemes. As it is just in its first tranche there are no farmers yet approved for payment.

The first 6 of the TAMS 3 Schemes - Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS), Animal Welfare Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS), Pigs and Poultry Investment Scheme (PPIS), Organics Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS), Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES) and the Low Emissions Slurry Spreading Scheme (LESS) have opened for applications. The remaining schemes, Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS), Farm Safety Scheme (FSS), Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS) and Women Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) will open on a phased basis. The terms and conditions of each scheme will be published prior to the launch date.

It is anticipated that the first Tranche for all schemes will close on 16th June 2023. The scheme does not operate on a first come first served basis and all applications will go through a ranking and selection process after the closing date.

Selected applications will be subject to further checks by my Department before an approval to proceed with the proposed investments issues.

Animal Welfare

Questions (610)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

610. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of ex gratia funding for animal welfare organisations allocated in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24454/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support animal welfare charity organisations.

In 2020, I allocated €3.2 million in funding for animal welfare organisations. In 2021, this figure was €3,739,875 and in December 2022, I announced the record allocation of over €5.8 million in funding to 99 animal welfare charities throughout the country, under the Animal Welfare Grant Programme.

This is the largest award of grant funding to animal welfare bodies ever made by my Department and is to assist these organisations for work their dedicated work in the care and welfare of animals throughout 2023.

Awards are made on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis. These include the level and type of assistance provided by the organisation in the delivery of care and welfare services to animals, the level of funding raised by organisations from other sources to support welfare activities, and the provision of education or awareness raising activities relating to animal welfare.

Throughput of animals and rehoming figures are also assessed, along with reports from veterinary inspectors relating to veterinary inspections of the premises.

I expect to launch the 2023 Animal Welfare Grant Programme for Registered Animal Charities in June 2023, when applications will be invited from eligible organisations.

The attached spreadsheet provides information on awards granted to the individual animal welfare organisations for the years in question.

Details of these individual awards are also made publicly available online at the time of their announcement, as can be seen at the following link:

gov.ie - Minister McConalogue announced record animal welfare charities funding (www.gov.ie)

Animal Welfare Funding

Agriculture Schemes

Questions (611)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

611. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the target, by year, for the adoption of low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) technology; the intended allocation under TAMS to support same; the target number of farmers in receipt of such funds, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24455/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Under the Nitrates Regulations, Low Emission Slurry Spreading equipment must be used for the application of slurry on holdings with a previous year’s grassland stocking rates of 150kg nitrogen per hectare. This is from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding from 1st January 2023 and for all slurry produced by pigs.

From 1st January 2024, all holdings stocked at more than 130kg nitrogen per hectare from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding are required to use LESS equipment for the application of slurry and this reduces to 100kg nitrogen per hectare from grazing livestock manure from 1st January 2025.

Funding under the TAMS 3 LESS scheme can be sought by farmers for up to one year after the above dates. The LESS scheme is designed to prioritise the eligible farmers with the highest grazing stocking rates. As with all TAMS 3 schemes, there is no specific funding targets as the scheme is demand led and it is open to farmers to decide if they wish to avail of the funding opportunity to purchase LESS equipment.