Results 21,361-21,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The seafood sector continues to be a high-growth area of the economy and indeed of our food industry. Last week Bord Bia announced that sales in the seafood sector for 2015 soared to €890m and exports had increased by 4% to €560m, a 77% rise since 2009. Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Bord Bia are working with seafood companies around our coast to grow the sector to €1 billion...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The EU Council Conclusions of October 2014 agreed on an overall 40% reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG) for the EU by 2030 compared with 1990. Ireland, like all other Member States, will be required to undertake its share of this overall -40% target. At National level we have been engaged in intensive discussions, in a whole of Government approach, with the European Commission to highlight...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: My colleague the Minister for Health has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation and new EU food information regulations which were adopted by the Council of Health Ministers in December 2011. However, my Department plays an important role in the enforcement of this legislation under service contract to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Primary responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: My role as Minister, in relation to the beef sector, is to create a policy and support environment that allows it to flourish in line with standard market principles. I am guided in this context by the long-term sectoral development strategies as set out in Food Wise 2025 and I am confident that these initiatives, in conjunction with the Rural Development Programme, will lead to continued...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Ireland is strongly positioned as a competitive producer of dairy. It has enviable natural resources, adaptable and resilient producers, a strong international reputation, an effective dairy processing sector and a strong core of research infrastructure and expertise. A recent report from Bord Bia estimates that Irish dairy exports increased by 4% to €3.24Bn in 2015. Some 42% or...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: A strong global demand for meat exists and my role as Minister is to facilitate market access so that Irish exporters can take advantage of market opportunities as they arise. My Department engages on an ongoing basis with many third countries, in collaboration with Bord Bia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Embassies, the meat industry and the European Commission on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farms Data (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The latest figures from the C.S.O. Farm Structures Survey 2013 show the following: Full-time and part-time farmers Numbers Percentage Total Number of Family Farms (000s) 139. 1 100% Sole Occupation 70.3 51% Major Occupation 35.2 25% Subsidiary Occupation 33.5 24% Source: CSO Farm Structures Survey, 2013 Sole Occupation: If an individual engaged in farmwork had no other...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, there are three anti-malarial drugs in use by the Defence Forces namely Lariam (mefloquine), Malarone and Doxycycline. The choice of medication is a medical decision made by Medical Officers in the Defence Forces having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and the individual member of the Defence Forces. I can advise the Deputy that, since 2001,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (21 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, there are three anti-malarial drugs in use by the Defence Forces namely Lariam (mefloquine), Malarone and Doxycycline. The Deputy might note that the Defence Forces purchase pharmaceuticals on a demand basis. The purchasing policy is governed by the number of prescriptions presented, and for the individual overseas deployments. Currently, a small quantity of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I also welcome our guests from Enniskillen. We are delighted to have them here. Hopefully, they will be part of the Irish political system in the not too distant future, and certainly in their lifetimes. I am aware of the Deputy's interest in this issue. Given the times we are living in, I understand why he is seeking an update, so I will outline my understanding of what is happening....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: With respect, the Deputy is rewriting history. We went way beyond the offer of ten acres. We offered the entire site to Kildare County Council free of charge to do with it whatever it wished for the community as well as a housing project. I would ask the Deputy who is looking for ten acres in terms of taking ownership, paying for the running of it and ensuring the development of a proper...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is necessary to read the facts into the record again. On 1 July 2003, the then Government decided that the former Magee Barracks in Kildare town would be among the State lands released to Kildare County Council for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. On foot of this Government decision, Kildare County Council prepared a local area plan for the site that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The council decided, for understandable reasons, that it could not afford to take on that project.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: Kildare County Council has agreed a local area plan for the site. We will put it out to tender and invite developers to develop the plan for the 50 acres.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Army Barracks Closures (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: No one has come to me looking for ten acres.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: The answer is "Yes." If I am the Minister for Defence in a few weeks' time after the election, I intend to put it to the Government that we should send a vessel to the Mediterranean for another rotation. The vessels were on eight or nine-week rotations last year. To be honest, when we decided last May to send a ship, it raised many eyebrows. People wondered whether we had the capacity to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: I spoke to my counterpart in Italy at the last Council of Ministers meeting, which was before Christmas - in December, I believe, although I stand to be corrected. I asked her very directly about this. We made a decision after the rotation of LE Samuel Beckettthat we would take a break, assess the effectiveness of the mission and determine how we could improve. That was the prudent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It is important to put this into context. Various Deputies have raised these issues, and they are right to raise them. There are much bigger political decisions that need to be made in order to find medium- and long-term solutions to mass migration from north Africa and the Middle East towards what migrants perceive to be the safety of the European Union. That is understandable considering...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: It will not surprise the Deputy to hear that I do not agree with her view. I have been to occupied Golan twice to meet our troops, who have been involved in a highly complex and important mission in recent years. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, was a very stable mission until a few years ago. I take my lead from what the United Nations is seeking collectively in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Missions (26 Jan 2016)

Simon Coveney: They play a supervisory role.