Results 41-60 of 803 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Claire Kerrane

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: What work has the Department under way when it comes to supporting farm succession and generational renewal? I commend Macra na Feirme in particular on doing a great deal of work on succession and supporting the next generation on to the farm. I was a little surprised that at the recent Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association conference, which the Minister attended, a number of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I acknowledge more grants and money are available to young farmers now than have ever been previously. However, there is a missing piece regarding the lack of a succession scheme, which Macra na Feirme has called for many times. Has the Department looked at the possibility of a retirement scheme for farmers? There is lots there for young farmers, but to enable older farmers to leave the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: 58. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the proposal to bring forward a solution for the group known as forgotten farmers in view of the fact that details of the scheme were supposed to be published in quarter 1 of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8152/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: Will the Minister provide an update on the proposed solution for forgotten farmers? As he knows, it is long overdue and we are still awaiting the details of what the scheme will look like.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I acknowledge that this has been a priority for the Minister, but as he mentioned, this situation has been going on for a long time. To clarify, he stated that a system had to be built. Is it the case that he knows what the scheme for forgotten farmers looks like? That is not clear to the general public. I have been contacted repeatedly by forgotten farmers, who are in a desperate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I know that the general cohort of farmers was detailed previously, but I do not believe that a detailed outline of the scheme has been published. This would be important. There is no point in building a system for payments if we do not know what the scheme will look like. We need to be clear with the forgotten farmers about who will be able to join the scheme. I ask that the Minister...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: 54. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the women farmers' capital investment scheme under TAMS III; if there will be review of eligibility criteria for the scheme given low numbers of approved applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8153/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: This question asks for an update on the women farmers' capital investment scheme under TAMS. Will the Minister advise whether he will seek to review the eligibility criteria for the scheme given the very low number of approved applications and given that concerns had been raised by the Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group about the criteria set out for the knowledge transfer and for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is welcome that 68 of the 259 applications that have been submitted have been approved and letters have been issued. Obviously there is a long way to go with the remaining applications. I presume the Department is getting through them as quickly as possible. This is important. I want to raise again the issue of the limiting eligibility...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I appreciate that schemes such as TAMS are constantly examined with regard to eligibility criteria. Again I make the point that the Women in Agriculture Stakeholders Group has raised issues for months about the eligibility criteria for TAMS and for knowledge transfer. Given that it has raised these concerns, I ask that specifically the payment under TAMS for the women farmers' capital...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Turbary Rights (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: Concerns have been raised about Department plans to impose buffer zones around areas where turf cutting is permitted in commonage areas and the very real impact this may have on scores under the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, and possibly reduced ACRES payments. Will the Minister give us an update on the Department plans on this?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Turbary Rights (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: It is the case then that a proposal has been made for this 100 m buffer zone around where turbary activity is taking place and turf is being cut on common areas. Many farmers on commonage areas may not be cutting turf but they will be impacted if such a buffer zone actually comes to pass. The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, INHFA, said it had discussions with the Department last...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Turbary Rights (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I ask that this work is completed as quickly as possible. In the Minister's reply he clearly outlined at the very start that they would be scored separately and then, by the sounds of things, the co-operation project teams implemented the buffer zone anyway. This appears to have been implemented and it should not have been. The INHFA is very concerned. Its representatives met with the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister for the update. Along with many others, including many of the farmers concerned, I welcomed that funding, which I acknowledge. Does the Minister have any idea of the timeline for dealing with the 64 requests for review that have been made? Farmers are obviously under great pressure. I refer to financial pressure in particular but this has also had a substantial impact...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: A farmer whose land was separated from another farmer's land got an expression of interest form, his land having been identified by the AMS, and got compensation. The farmer whose land was separated from that first farmer's land by a drain did not. That tells me there is an issue with the monitoring system. I again ask the Minister to look at that because it is not fair to farmers to have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: 46. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the Shannon Callows flood scheme; if he is aware of ongoing issues raised by those affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8505/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I ask the Minister for an update on the Shannon Callows flood scheme and the ongoing issues raised by farmers there, particularly by the Save Our Shannon Organisation, which has corresponded with the Minister about these issues. He will be well aware that from Athlone to Meelick, farmland has been destroyed by flooding and farmers are under huge pressure concerning fodder, which is costly...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: 44. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the delays relating to payments under the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8332/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: Will he provide an update on the delays relating to ACRES payments, in particular on when the interim payments he announced will be made? These have been welcomed broadly. When will those be paid?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (22 Feb 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister. That confirmation of payment at the end of the month is very welcome. As I said, we welcomed the interim payments. All the farm organisations welcomed them as well. This is a scheme that we all want to see work. It is, as the Minister described it, the flagship environmental scheme. There was huge demand for the scheme, and it was welcome that all 46,000 applicants...