Written Answers Nos. 1-20
8. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide clarification regarding the recent increase in the UK albacore tuna quota (details supplied) which includes access to EU fishing grounds while the Irish quota for the same species remains unchanged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34710/23]
View answerAnnual catch limits for the Northern Albacore Tuna stock are set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) based on scientific advice.
The annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the Northern Albacore Tuna stock has been set by ICCAT at 37,801 tonnes for both 2022 and 2023. In both 2022 and 2023, on the basis of the shares set out in the EU-UK Trade and Co-Operation agreement, the UK's quota is 442.25 tonnes and the EU's quota is 28,652.85 tonnes, out of which the Irish quota is 3,174.03 tonnes.
In the negotiations between the EU and the UK on shared fishing stocks for the 2023 fishing period, both parties agreed to grant each other access to target up to 280 tonnes only of northern albacore in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in 2023. This upper limit may be increased within the year subject to agreement by both the EU and the UK. In 2021 and 2022, there was no such agreement between the EU and UK on reciprocal access for the targeting of northern albacore tuna.
12. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on banning or restriction the use of glyphosate. [28551/23]
View answerPesticide active substances, such as glyphosate, contained in plant protection products are approved centrally at EU level and plant protection products are subsequently authorised for specific uses nationally using robust scientific evaluation and decision-making criteria.
The current approval for glyphosate will expire on 15 December 2023. The EU process to consider whether or not to renew the approval is ongoing. This process involves a comprehensive evaluation of all relevant scientific data and a rigorous peer review process led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
EFSA issued a press release on 6 July 2023 stating that they have completed their assessment, covering the impact of glyphosate on the health of humans, animals and the environment. They indicated that they did not identify any critical areas of concern. Their scientific conclusion report is expected to be published by the end of July 2023, after final checks have been completed.
ECHA completed its scientific assessment on the appropriate chemical hazard classification for glyphosate during 2022 and reported that the available scientific evidence does not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogenic substance. This conclusion was based on a highly detailed review of a wide range of scientific evidence, including extensive input from a public consultation.
The next step is the formulation of a legislative proposal by the European Commission on whether or not to renew approval for glyphosate. This proposal will be voted on by Member State representatives at the EU Standing Committee dealing with pesticide legislation. It is currently anticipated that a proposal could be presented for a vote during October 2023.
My Department will finalise its position based on the details in the proposal put forward for a vote and taking account of EFSA’s and ECHA’s scientific opinions and conclusions, as it does for all pesticide active substances.
13. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on social farming in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34763/23]
View answerSocial farming is the practice of offering farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment as a choice to people who avail of a range of therapeutic day support services. These operations are run in a number of settings ranging from working family farms, local community initiatives through to more institutional frameworks.
Last year, my Department provided funding of €400,000 under the Rural Innovation & Development Fund to Leitrim Integrated Development Company towards the development of the National Social Farming Network (Social Farming Ireland). Social Farming Ireland provides a wide range of services and initiatives which support the development of social farming nationally including dissemination of information, farmer engagement / recruitment, training and development, working with health, social care and other services to activate social farming placements.
The Social Farming Ireland network has some 150 registered social farms to deliver support to people with at least one farm in every county. In excess of 600 people have been trained by Leitrim Development in the principles and practices of Social Farming. In 2022 alone, 6,867 placement days were delivered. The range of services with whom Social Farming Ireland is working is growing and reaches across many sectors where vulnerable people are in need of support.
My Department has also provided funding for the development of the following social farming model projects:
• Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG – for the provision of a Social Farming Model Project where social farming is mainstreamed as an option for people accessing supports across a range of sectors and services and where placements are fully commissioned.
• Down Syndrome Ireland (Cork Branch) – to provide opportunities for participation in a purpose-built farm - the Field of Dreams - with horticulture and animal care elements which will bring long lasting wellness benefits to participants.
• South Kerry Development Partnership – for a Social Farming Model Project which will increase participant and host farmers engagement so that the social farming opportunity is available to more people in Kerry and to offer choice to people with disabilities to engage with farm families in meeting their personal life choices.
• IRD Duhallow – for a Social Farming model project which will promote rehabilitation, social inclusion, training and improved quality of life in a non-clinical setting using agriculture including plants and animals for people across a wide spectrum of disability.
I fully recognise and support the significance of social farming and the many benefits it brings for rural communities and for disadvantaged groups who are availing of a range of health service supports. Accordingly, a similar level of funding will be provided by my Department this year for the extension of all of the above contracts.
14. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether Bord Bia should be funding climate disinformation about the supposed 'sustainability' of Irish milk, given the state of the climate and biodiversity crises (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34761/23]
View answerLet me be clear - Bord Bia is not funding climate disinformation.
It is a fact that Ireland has a comparative advantage in grass-based livestock production, and that Ireland’s carbon footprint per unit of milk produced is one of the lowest amongst milk-producing countries because of our grass-based system.
Irish dairy farmers have been on a sustainability journey for many years and are continuing to show leadership in meeting our climate ambitions.
Under the Origin Green programme, over 16,000, that is the vast majority of, Irish dairy farmers are members of Bord Bia’s Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme and are undertaking key, measurable sustainability actions on-farm.
Climate action is a priority across our country as a whole. Irish dairy farmers and the dairy industry are no less conscious than other sectors of society of the need to play their part in driving down emissions. The sector came together last year in the Food Vision Dairy Group with the first priority of the Group to chart a pathway to achieving the legally binding target of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030, set in mid-2022 through the Climate Act process.
The report of this Group published in late 2022, identified a number of measures which will contribute directly to emissions reductions associated with dairy production including reducing chemical fertiliser use; replacement of ammonium-based fertiliser with protected urea; development of methane-mitigating feed technologies and breeding strategies.
The Report was timely as it informed the Climate Action Plan for 2023. The Climate Action Plan measures for agriculture, land use and forestry include additional actions to support land use diversification through measures to support forestry, organic farming, tillage and anaerobic digestion.
Support measures in the €10 billion CAP Strategic Plan and the forthcoming new Forestry Programme, with funding of €1.3 billion, will support the implementation of these actions.
Our shared strategy for the sustainable development of the sector over the decade ahead, Food Vision 2030, includes a stretch ambition for Origin Green. and recognises the critical role it has to play in helping the Irish agri-food sector to demonstrate validated performance around producing food with a low environmental footprint.
Bord Bia, Teagasc and ICBF are currently working together to develop an online farmer portal called AgNav to deliver science led supports and planning tools with specific, accurate and verifiable data to assist farmers in delivering on climate action targets and support sustainable improvement.
Our dairy farmers and the entire sector is already very sustainable but I want to make us even more sustainable. I want to build a strong and sustainable future for our dairy farmers and subsequent generations of dairy farmers. I will work collectively and collaboratively with dairy farmers and their representatives in charting a pathway forward.
16. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he will support a ban on coursing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34760/23]
View answerCoursing is regulated under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. The ICC consists of 90 affiliated clubs from Ireland and Northern Ireland, all of whom are governed by the ICC's rules and regulations.
The granting of licenses for the netting and tagging of hares is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage - National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
A monitoring committee on coursing is in place, comprising officials from my Department, the ICC and the NPWS, to monitor developments in coursing and, in that regard, the situation is kept under constant review to ensure that coursing is run in a controlled manner.
I believe that it is critically important that those involved in coursing operate in accordance with the regulatory framework and that the welfare of both hares and greyhounds is always to the forefront. My Department has no plans at present to alter this arrangement.
17. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what steps have been taken to establish an interdepartmental and industry working group on timber in construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34756/23]
View answerI pleased to announce that I launched a call for expressions of interest for membership to the new Timber Working Group in Construction earlier this week. The new working group will bring together key Departments, Industry and experts from representative bodies to work across a range of thematic areas aimed at increasing the use of timber in construction in construction. It is vitally important that we learn from best practice and ensure that we create the conditions to use more timber in our built environment. Using timber locks up carbon in buildings and when it replaces materials made from non renewable resources can play an important part in contributing to our climate change targets.
Details on the expression of interest call is available on my Departments website and the closing date is 28th July 2023. Once the membership is finalised an independent chair will be appointed by my Department who is providing the secretariat to the group.
The establishment of this working group will also play a key role in delivering on a range of actions as outlined in Irelands Draft Forest Strategy and complement a range actions in Irelands Climate Action Plan. Irelands forests are set to increase in production over the next decade and with our ambitious plans to build more houses we have an excellent opportunity to build more sustainably.
18. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail what efforts his Department is taking to ensure consistent Irish food production into future in the context of more extreme weather conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33501/23]
View answerOne of our Statement of Strategy objectives within DAFM is to promote measures to support farmers viability and resilience.
Under Goal 3, the statement commits to developing a policy framework to improve viability and resilience, within the Agricultural Sector, with the aim of putting climate adaptation at the centre of resilience planning. Climate adaptation was considered and included as part of the CAP strategic Plan 2023-2027 and the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
The maintenance of permanent pasture and protection of peatlands and wetlands encourages the sequestration of carbon and promotes the protection of carbon sinks. The maintenance of good soils, including through crop rotation and management of grassland, make our soils more resilient to climate changes including for example high rainfall. Improving soil structure and quality through appropriate soil management strategies and the previously mentioned crop rotation can reduce dependence on synthetic fertilisers thus lowering any subsequent N2O losses, while low input and extensive grassland actions also improve soil structure and increase its capacity to reduce flooding. The retention of landscape features such as hedgerows and land drains, can have climate adaptation benefits, in particular towards the management of flood events while maintenance of hedgerows also has the potential to sequester carbon, these will also provide shelter and shade during heatwaves thus avoiding heat stress. The protein aid scheme improves resilience to global climate change by increasing protein crop production in Ireland and reduces potential losses during importation and drought conditions south/north America.
My Department has made funding available for Climate Adaptation focused research to improve our understanding of the interaction on climate change and agricultural systems.
Furthermore, my Department also convenes an internal Adaptation Steering Group to consider measures necessary to adapt to the changing climate and extreme weather events to ensure a resilient Agricultural industry and to ensure adaptation is considered as part of all agricultural policy.
The current Sectoral Adaptation Plan (SAP) for Agriculture, Seafood and Forestry was published in 2019, reviewed in 2022. A new Sectoral Adaptation plan will be drafted nest year, after the National Adaptation Framework is published.
19. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to expand on the marketing strategy of organic meats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34483/23]
View answerThe Organic Sector in Ireland has seen a rapid expansion in the last year and I am focused on maximising the potential of this developing sector.
Bord Bia, under the aegis of the Department, continues to invest in identifying and supporting export market opportunities for Irish organic companies (including those seeking to export beef) through their network of 15 overseas offices and exhibiting at key trade events including Biofach, Europe’s largest organic trade fair in 2022 and 2023 and for the first time Natexpo in Paris in October 2023.
From January to June 2023, Bord Bia has conducted specific Organic sector research utilising both quantitative and qualitative research techniques with 2,500 Irish shoppers. This research looks at the future drivers for the organic category in Ireland and informs the key messaging and positioning for Irish organics to increase consumption domestically. Bord Bia have also submitted an application to the EU Commission for promotion of EU agricultural products. If successful €2.7 million will be awarded to Bord Bia to promote organic beef and lamb in four key export markets of Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Austria for three years (2024 -2027) of which 70% will be funded by the EU.
Funding of €1 million has been allocated towards the development and delivery of marketing Irish organic produce. Following the research and creative development stages, a dedicated national campaign will be launched in Autumn 2023 which will promote Irish organic food, drink and horticulture to domestic consumers helping to grow the awareness and understanding around Irish organic food.
My Department will continue to support the Organic Strategy Forum and work in partnership with Bord Bia in maximising opportunities and options to ensure all sub-sectors within Organics are promoted both in the domestic and export markets.
20. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action is being taken by his Department to improve farmers’ knowledge and awareness of the prevention of injury and ill-health on farms, in particular the use of targeted media campaigns, and how awareness is raised in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34492/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for raising this important topic.
My Department is implementing a range of measures on farm safety utilising dedicated funding of €2.5m secured in Budget 2023. These measures include actions to educate and raise awareness of farm safety, health and and capital support to make farms a safer working environment. These initiatives promote farm safety practices, risk awareness and behavioural change around farm safety from a young age.
My Department has partnered with the Health and Safety Authority to deliver a series of targeted media campaigns in 2023, focused on a range of high-risk areas. The first instalment focused on livestock safety around calving time and the next instalment will focus on quad safety. This follows on from a joint media campaign in 2022 that focused on reminding farmers not to be complacent around machinery.
My Department funded the printing of the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee’s ‘Farmers Health and Wellbeing’ booklet which was distributed to over 122,000 farmers as part of the 2023 BISS packs.
Earlier this year, my Ministerial colleague Martin Heydon, launched the Farm Safety Partnership’s series of farmer health and safety videos, including a video on Electrical Farm Safety.
I have secured an increase in the grant rate to 60% for farm safety equipment in the TAMS3 Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme. The scheme includes new investments which were not previously grant aided. ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines are included in all ‘Building Specifications' for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures. It is mandatory for participants in the ten TAMS3 measures to submit a farm safety Code of Practice training certificate as part of the TAMS3 payment claim.
Training will be delivered to over 20,000 Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) participants including health and safety training on handling livestock.
The new Knowledge Transfer Programme will include farm health, safety, and wellbeing as one of its priority topics.
The ACRES training scheme, which will be delivered later this year to 46,000 participants, will provide an overview on health and safety as part of good farm management. Farm safety training was also part of the Agri-Environmental Training Scheme in 2022.
My Department continues to engage with all stakeholders to improve farm safety, health and wellbeing and to reduce the unacceptable level of deaths and injuries on farm. Further initiatives are being finalised and will be announced in due course.
