Dáil Éireann
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Vol. 978 Wednesday, No. 9 6 February 2019 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 06/02/2019A00100Ceisteanna - Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 885 06/02/2019A00200Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 885 06/02/2019A00400Brexit Supports � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 885 06/02/2019B00450Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 888 06/02/2019C00450Fishing Industry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 890 06/02/2019D00400Fur Farming � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 892 06/02/2019D01200Greenhouse Gas Emissions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 894 06/02/2019E03750Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 898 06/02/2019E03800Beef Environmental Efficiency Scheme Pilot � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 898 06/02/2019F00600Common Agricultural Policy � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 900 06/02/2019G00550Brexit Issues � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 902 06/02/2019G01250Forestry Data � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 904 06/02/2019H01100Fish Quotas � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 906 06/02/2019J00400Inshore Fisheries � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 908 06/02/2019J01200Beef Industry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 909 Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders’ Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 910 06/02/2019N01400Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 923 06/02/2019R03000Healthy Homes Bill 2019: First Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 934 06/02/2019S00750Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 936 06/02/2019Y00100Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 936 06/02/2019Y00200Foreign Policy � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 936 06/02/2019BB00200Respite Care Services Provision � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 942 06/02/2019CC00250Legal Aid � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 944 06/02/2019DD00600Children’s Rights: Motion [Private Members] � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 947 06/02/2019QQ00300National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 982 06/02/2019BBB00600European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Order for Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1010 06/02/2019BBB01000European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1010 06/02/2019HHH00800European Parliament Elections Bill 2019: Referral to Select Committee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1024 06/02/2019HHH01100Greyhound Racing Bill 2018: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1024 06/02/2019VVV00300Greyhound Racing Bill 2018: Referral to Select Committee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1053 06/02/2019VVV00600Message from Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �1053 DÁIL ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 6 Feabhra 2019 Wednesday, 6 February 2019 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Eugene Murphy) i gceannas ar 10�30 a�m� Paidir. Prayer. 06/02/2019A00100Ceisteanna - Questions 06/02/2019A00200Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions 06/02/2019A00300Acting Chairman (Deputy Eugene Murphy): I welcome the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed, the Minister of State, Deputy Andrew Doyle, Deputies and staff as we begin another day’s work on behalf of our people� I remind all speak- ers that there is a six-and-a-half minute time span for each question with 30 seconds for a Deputy to introduce a question, two minutes for a ministerial reply, one minute for a supple- mentary question, one minute for a ministerial reply, one minute for a final supplementary and one minute for a final response from the Minister. I ask all Members to strict rigidly to the time in order that we can get through as many questions as possible� 06/02/2019A00400Brexit Supports 06/02/2019A005001� Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the contingencies being operationalised and the supports that will be in place to safeguard farm- ers and the agrifood sector here in all scenarios, including a no-deal, hard Brexit by 29 March 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter� [5798/19] 06/02/2019A00600Deputy Charlie McConalogue: In light of Brexit being only six weeks away, what con- tingencies and supports are being put in place by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to safeguard farmers and the agrifood sector in all scenarios including, and in particular, a hard Brexit? 06/02/2019A00700Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Michael Creed): I have been 885 Dáil Éireann addressing the immediate Brexit challenges through a range of budgetary measures aimed at improving competitiveness and developing market and product diversification. These measures include a €150 million low-cost loan scheme in 2017 to help reduce farm gate business costs and a dedicated €50 million Brexit package in budget 2018, which included further additional fund- ing to Bord Bia and Teagasc, as well as a contribution to a €300 million Brexit loan scheme, at least 40% of which is available to food businesses� In budget 2019, I announced a €78 mil- lion Brexit package for farmers, fishermen and food SMEs to cover additional costs related to Brexit� My colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, also announced the future growth loan scheme, which will be rolled out in 2019 and for which I had made provision of €25 million in 2018. The scheme will provide long-term unsecured investment finance for farmers and small-scale companies in the food and seafood sectors� On market and product diversification, the additional funding I have provided to Bord Bia has been used, inter alia, to provide targeted advice to individual companies, as well as to conduct a market prioritisation exercise that is now informing our approach to market diversi- fication activities, including the choice of destinations for trade missions. Product diversifica- tion also has been supported through additional funding of €8�8 million to Teagasc to develop its national food innovation hub and funding to support investment in the prepared consumer foods sector� I, and my officials, have been working hard for some time to sensitise other member states and the European Commission to the potentially highly severe impacts of Brexit on the Irish agrifood and fisheries sectors and to the likelihood of specific supports being required to deal with these impacts� Most recently, I held a bilateral meeting with Commissioner Hogan last week to discuss the potential impact of a disorderly Brexit on the Irish agrifood and fisheries sectors� Commissioner Hogan reiterated the EU’s readiness to respond and support Ireland and we will remain in contact on these issues as the situation evolves� As regards contingency planning, my Department has been actively participating in the whole-of-Government approach to preparedness and contingency planning� We have fed into the overall Government contingency action plan, which was published on 19 December, and we have been working closely with colleagues in other Departments and agencies to address, in particular, the requirements that will arise in relation to the implementation at ports and airports of import controls on agrifood products coming from the UK. These requirements are signifi- cant and arise in respect of the carrying out of documentary, identity and physical checks on imports