Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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389. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full-time and part-time staff working directly on the environmental sustainability committee in his Department; the yearly running costs including staffing costs; the number of committee meetings held since it was established; and the current committee membership. [52782/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides the secretariat to the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) as part of the work of the Climate Change and Bioenergy Policy Division.

The ESC is chaired by an official from my Department at senior management level. In total, eight Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) staff are represented on the Committee, drawing together expertise from across Department divisional work areas. Additionally, representatives of DAFM agencies ( Bord Bia and Teagasc) and from other Government Departments ( DPHLG/EPA, DCCAE) participate in the Committee alongside an external expert. The committee meets on an ongoing basis and not through a permanent cohort of staffing.

There have been seven meetings since the inception of the ESC. There were also two workshops held under the aegis of the ESC: a grassland workshop entitled The Role of Sustainable Grassland in Food Wise 2025, which was held in September 2017, and a workshop entitled Adaptation to Climate Change in the Agriculture and Forest Sector, which was held in November 2016.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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390. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full-time and part-time staff from his Department that are working directly on the sustainability support and advisory programme; and the annual Exchequer funding that will be allocated to this programme. [52783/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The ‘Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme’ is a new approach to achieving improvement in water quality involving the establishment and joint funding of a resource of 30 Agricultural Sustainability Advisors.

This 4 year Programme supports the goals of the Food Wise 2025 strategy, facilitating increased productivity hand in hand with a more sustainable sector. This sustainability and efficiency will be achieved through improved nutrient management with more targeted use of fertiliser, better farmyard practice, more widespread use of sustainability approaches developed by Teagasc and the development of new approaches to reducing nutrient losses in critical source areas.

Through a commitment from both the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and support by industry, the 30 Advisors will work within a unified partnership structure which encompasses Teagasc, the Co-ops and the local authorities Water and Communities Office (LAWCO). The new Sustainability Advisors will proactively advise and work with farmers to protect and improve water quality. The Programme will draw on the experience and resources of key sectoral and industry stakeholders including the two Departments, the local authorities, the Dairy Co-ops, Teagasc, Bord Bia and the farm organisations.

Under the Programme, the new team will promote on-farm sustainability best practice to all farmers.  In addition, local authorities - with the technical support of the Environmental Protection Agency - will identify risk areas at local level.  Teagasc and the Co-ops will then provide advice and support to farmers in managing on-farm risks, working also with local farm organisations. The Co-ops will support sustainability best practice through their structures, promoting best farm practice and nutrient management processes across all their suppliers.

The Programme has the potential to strengthen delivery of Ireland’s obligations under the Water Framework Directive. It is part of a new approach to River Basin Management Planning for the 2018 – 2021 cycle. This new approach includes the development of a much-strengthened evidence base to understand the full range of pressures affecting water quality and the development of the programmes of measures needed to deliver improvements. Over time, the Programme will also address on-farm climate change and biodiversity strategies.

The Programme will be jointly funded by both Departments, Teagasc, local authorities and the Dairy Co-ops on a trial basis for four years to 2021. My staff are incorporating oversight of this programme as part of their existing work programme.