Results 2,301-2,320 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Payments under the single payment scheme are scheduled to commence on 1 December 2005, in accordance with EU rules. An application under the single payment scheme was received from the person named on 26 April 2005, with a declared net area of 7.92 hectares. The application is being processed for payment on this basis.

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: One of the provisions of the current EU regulations governing REPS requires inspections to be unannounced. The scheme is 75% funded by the EU, and any failure to comply with this rule could result in serious financial disallowances being imposed on Ireland by the European Commission. My Department is committed to pursuing the question of a 14-day advance notice for all on-farm inspections....

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In October 2004, Ireland submitted proposals for a derogation from the general organic nitrogen limit of 170 kg per hectare per annum laid down in the nitrates directive. The proposal was designed to allow farmers to operate, under appropriate...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 396 together. To assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the nitrates action programme, I have announced details of a proposed revised farm waste management scheme for which EU approval is being sought. I am hopeful that early approval of the scheme will be forthcoming so that it can be introduced next January. Subject to the required EU...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 394 together. The Council of Agriculture Ministers agreed, at its meeting in Luxembourg on 20 June 2005, a new framework for rural development for the period 2007 to 2013. The agreement provides for the maintenance of the existing arrangements for the less favoured areas until 2010. In the meantime, the Commission will present a report and proposals to...

Written Answers — Farm Household Incomes: Farm Household Incomes (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Oireachtas joint committee report on the early retirement scheme recommended the removal of the off-farm income limit for transferees and I am considering the matter.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The keeping of fertiliser records is already part of Good Farming Practice, published in 2001 in agreement with the farming organisations. Good Farming Practice states that farmers must keep documents such as invoices and delivery dockets showing the date, type and quantity of chemical fertilisers and organic materials brought onto or leaving the farm. The records farmers will be required to...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Code of Good Agricultural Practice to Protect Waters from Pollution by Nitrates, published jointly by my Department and the Department of the Environment in 1996 with the agreement of the farming organisations, advised that as a general practice slurry and other concentrated organic fertiliser applications to land should be avoided during the non-growing season. The non-growing season...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Throughout the discussions on the action programme, the European Commission took a firm position on the minimum storage capacity required for pig producers. It also insisted that such storage facilities must be put in place at the earliest...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The requirements relating to the storage of organic fertilisers are set out in the nitrates action programme submitted to the Commission on 29 July 2005. I expect the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to publish for public consultation shortly draft regulations to give effect to the provisions of the action programme.

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Only processing plants applying the highest standards in relation to veterinary controls equivalent to those applicable in the EU, particularly in terms of legislation, hygiene conditions, animal health status, veterinary medicines controls, residues programmes, zoonoses controls and other food law will be issued with an EU approval number by my Department, and as such are the only processing...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The draft regulations on veterinary medicines which were circulated by my Department in August for consultation are designed to give effect to EU Directive 2004/28 and to reform aspects of the existing national regime. I am aware of the views that have been expressed about the possible impact of the draft regulations on competition in the supply of veterinary medicines, in particular, from...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department carried out a comprehensive expenditure review of the early retirement scheme in 2004. Under the scheme, joint management applications involving married couples and partners cannot be retrospectively treated as joint ownership applications unless new evidence emerges which shows that they were wrongly classified in the first place.

Written Answers — Deer Farming: Deer Farming (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: There are approximately 300 deer farms in Ireland with an estimated population of nearly 50,000 animals. The structure of deer farming has altered over the past ten years. While the number of units has decreased from some 450 in 1994, the average enterprise has increased in scale with resulting growth in the farmed deer population in the past ten years. Although there are fewer enterprises...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Notwithstanding the fact that my Department is involved in the major undertaking of implementing the new single payment scheme, the current system of payments to the farming community is operated in both an effective and efficient manner and conforms with the obligations outlined in the protocol on direct payments to farmers, as negotiated with the farming organisations.

Written Answers — Crop Production: Crop Production (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The results of the 2005 census of potato production will not be available until later this year. The area of potatoes grown fluctuated between 13,173 hectares in 2000 and 13,725 hectares in 2003. In 2004 the area fell by 8% to 12,604 hectares. Despite the reduced area, exceptionally high yields resulted in over-supply and depressed prices to producers. As 2004 was the second successive year...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Agreement was reached in Geneva in August 2004 on a framework setting out the structure and general content of the new World Trade Organisation, WTO, agreement. I am satisfied that the framework agreement secured the benefits to Irish farmers of the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy and represented a satisfactory outcome from Ireland's point of view. The detailed...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The total area applied for under the energy crops scheme in 2005 is 1,390 hectares, while the total area for non-food crops grown on set-aside land is 875 hectares. Following the introduction of the single payment scheme, the production of crops for energy purposes will, in common with all agricultural production in future, be demand-driven. Farmers will only produce crops for bioenergy if...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Promotion and marketing of Irish beef, lamb, pigmeat and chicken comes under the remit of Bord Bia. The key element of its strategy in the catering industry is to promote beef, lamb, pigmeat and chicken through its Féile Bia programme. This is a voluntary programme for hotels, restaurants, pubs and workplaces that was developed by Bord Bia in conjunction with the Restaurants Association of...

Written Answers — Animal Carcase Disposal: Animal Carcase Disposal (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Coughlan: All animals acquired under the purchase for destruction scheme operated by my Department in 2001 were rendered and the resultant meat and bone meal and tallow incinerated. Hides from these animals were processed at tanneries in Ireland. All disposal activities were controlled strictly in accordance with the relevant EU regulations.