Results 21,281-21,300 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced their AEOS 1 contract on 1stNovember 2010 and has been paid for the 2010-2014 scheme years. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System must take place. As it is their final scheme year, re-checks on payments made for all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named was the subject to a 2013 LPIS review. This review identified over claims on two land parcels. The person named was notified of these over claims on 17 October 2013 and 12 June 2014 . The person named appealed this decision and following a field visit on 3 July 2014 the original decision was upheld. The person named also appealed his case to the Appeals Committee and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. Eligible applicants to the National Reserve qualify for either an allocation of new entitlements on land for which they hold no entitlements, so called 'naked land', or where an applicant already holds existing entitlements which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licence Applications (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I was delighted to publish in December Ireland's National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development. That Plan proposes 24 actions to drive the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector and grow production in the sector by 45,000 tonnes by 2023. This output increase will be derived from a combination of increased and or restored productivity from the existing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licence Applications (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Expenditure by Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Marine Institute in connection with BIM’s aquaculture licence application is an operational matter for the agencies concerned. I have forwarded the Deputy's Question to the agencies and asked them to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Development (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I was delighted to publish in December Ireland’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development. That Plan proposes 24 actions to drive the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector and grow production in the sector by 45,000 tonnes by 2023. This output increase will be derived from a combination of increased and or restored productivity from the existing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department is currently examining possible overstocking in respect of certain aquaculture sites operated by Marine Harvest Ireland and pending completion of this examination it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I was delighted to publish in December Ireland’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development. That Plan proposes 24 actions to drive the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector and grow production in the sector by 45,000 tonnes. One of the actions of that Plan commits my Department to a review and revision of the aquaculture licence process, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Properties (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works (OPW), has engaged in a review of the Department’s accommodation needs in Portlaoise with a view to consolidating our accommodation footprint in the town.  A space audit was carried out by the OPW in Government Offices, Abbeyleix Road and in the Eircom Building in Portlaoise and my Department officials are now...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas’ of Natural Constraint scheme application on 7 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Genomics Scheme (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) 2015 -2020 application form to my Department on the 20thMay 2015. Payments under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme amounting to €30m issued to almost 16,000 participants in December 2015. Payments are resuming now and will continue on an ongoing basis as herds become eligible. Subject to verification of compliance...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (20 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 31 March 2015. Processing of the ANC application has recently been finalised and payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly. The person named also submitted a 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application but, as he has no entitlements established , no...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Farm Household Incomes (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: First, I will clarify the statistics regarding farm income. The Deputy is correct. The average farm income last year, as estimated, is directly related to the fact that in the dairy sector the average income has fallen from nearly €68,000 in 2014, which is a very good income for an average farm income, to €47,000. However, there has been better news in all of the other...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Farm Household Incomes (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have spent a great deal of time with the dairy sector, and the dairy forum is discussing these issues. I speak to representatives of co-operatives and to dairy farmers on a regular basis. To put this in context, in 2013 and 2014 there were exceptionally high global prices for dairy products, and dairy farming was a profitable business with average incomes of nearly €70,000. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Farm Household Incomes (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: First, we have put a €25 million income support package in place. Second, I think the Deputy is underestimating dairy farmers. With respect, most of them understand how the market works. They understand price volatility. They understand that there will be good and bad years as does the banking system and co-operatives who help to finance them. I have had meetings with all the CEOs...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Farm Household Incomes (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: While I will check the number of applications, there was significant interest in the dairy TAMS. Therefore, there is still interest in further investment and expansion but we need to get through a temporary pricing period. We will watch very closely and help dairy farmers as that progresses.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is important that the fishing industry take every precaution to avoid risk of injury or worse during periods of stormy weather and have full regard to local weather warnings before going to sea. Fishermen who may be experiencing financial difficulties while ashore during periods of adverse weather should contact the Department of Social Protection which offers income support payments,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I agree with much of what the Deputy has said. Many people in the inshore fishing fleet are on very low incomes and have had difficulty in accessing supports through the Department of Social Protection, not because it is anybody's fault but because fishermen are in a different position from people who are working in a more structured workplace. Often fishermen work on the basis of a share...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Let us see how that works. I would like to encourage the industry to make the mutual fund work. The idea is that everybody would put a small amount of money into a fund and that the State would match it, so that there would be a pool of money in place from which, during difficult periods, they could take that money out. That would be a sensible approach to hedge against income...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have lived in rural Ireland. I have been to a lot of fishing ports and spoken to a lot of fishermen in the past five years and before. I have a pretty good idea-----