Results 3,421-3,440 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 74 and 81 together. The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Minister, Deputy Roche, made regulations giving legal effect to Ireland's national action programme under the directive on 11 December 2005. My Department, in consultation with Teagasc,...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 26 and 60 together. The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, recently made regulations giving legal effect to Ireland's national action programme under the directive....
- Written Answers — Veterinary Service: Veterinary Service (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Veterinary practices are primarily commercial entities and their locations are driven by commercial realities. However, in so far as State involvement is concerned, I can point to a number of recent measures which will alleviate difficulties which may arise in certain parts of the country. First, under the new Veterinary Practice Act which came into effect on 1 January 2006, provision is made...
- Written Answers — Sugar Beet Production: Sugar Beet Production (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The EU sugar reform package agreed in November provides for compensation to beet growers of up to 64% of the reduction in the minimum price for beet. This compensation, which will be paid as part of the single farm payment, will be worth approximately â¬123 million to Irish beet growers over the next seven years. I announced recently that, subject to adoption of the regulations on the...
- Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 33 and 49 together. The position is that there are four main categories under which farmers have applied for entitlements from the 2005 national reserve. Category A applies to farmers who inherited or otherwise obtained a holding free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who retired or died before 16 May 2005 where the holding was leased out to a...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 Feb 2006)
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. The Minister, Deputy Roche, has recently made regulations giving legal effect to Ireland's national action programme under the directive. There has been much comment and speculation in recent days and weeks about the effect of the nitrates...
- Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 40 together. My Department has been and is continuing to review and modify its contingency arrangements to, in the first instance, minimise the risk of an outbreak of avian flu in Ireland and, thereafter, to control and eradicate any disease outbreak should that occur. In this regard, my Department is informed by the most up-to-date expert scientific...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 Feb 2006)
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. The Minister, Deputy Roche, has recently made regulations giving legal effect to Ireland's national action programme under the directive. The regulations were finalised following difficult negotiations with the European Commission's scientific...
- Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The food and feed hygiene legislation which came into effect from the beginning of this year brings together, updates and consolidates EU food and feed legislation. The legislation covers all food business operators throughout the food chain from farmer to retailer and the controls involved are operated by a number of Departments and official agencies in Ireland. With regard to those coming...
- Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: An enabling provision to allow for the extension of our comprehensive beef labelling regulations to include a requirement for information on the country of origin of beef to be provided to the consumer at the point of choice, by establishments in the retail, restaurant and catering sectors, including food business operators, is at present before the Oireachtas by way of a proposed amendment...
- Written Answers — Sugar Beet Production: Sugar Beet Production (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 36, 39, 44, 53 and 62 together. A decision on sugar beet growing in 2006 and future years is a matter for beet growers and Irish Sugar Ltd., having regard to the reformed EU sugar regime which will apply from 1 July. The production of ethanol is a possible alternative use for sugar beet. A major extension of the excise duty relief for biofuels was...
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The Food Agency Co-operation Council has met on 20 occasions since its inception in 2000. During 2004 and 2005 priority was given instead to meetings of the food development agencies directly concerned with the food programme components of the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Two such meetings took place in 2004 and one in 2005 to assess progress on the plan in preparation for meetings of...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 Feb 2006)
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, who signed regulations giving legal effect to Ireland's national action programme on nitrates on 11 December 2005. Ireland is proceeding with its request for a derogation designed to allow certain farmers to operate, under appropriate conditions...
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: A range of actions have already been undertaken by my Department in implementing the recommendations of the food labelling group which examined in detail the complex area of food labelling. One of the more important recommendations which has been implemented is the centralisation of overall responsibility for the enforcement of food labelling legislation in the Food Safety Authority of...
- Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 73 together. The Irish dairy industry continues to contribute very substantially to the national economy, with an annual output value of some â¬2.3 billion. Last year Irish dairy exports performed exceptionally well totalling â¬1.82 billion, despite downward adjustments to market management supports brought about by the implementation of the...
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has overall responsibility for energy policy and is primarily responsible for the promotion and development of renewable energy, including biofuels. Nonetheless, the development of the biofuels sector is a matter that impinges on several other policy areas, including agriculture, transport and taxation, and involves various...
- Written Answers — Sugar Beet Production: Sugar Beet Production (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 199 together. The political agreement on reform of the sugar regime reached last November provides that in the event of a decision to cease sugar production in Ireland, a restructuring fund of up to â¬145 million would become available for the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring the Irish sugar industry. The fund is subject to the...
- Written Answers — Animal Cruelty: Animal Cruelty (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 70 together. I have outlined in detail to the House on a number of occasions the circumstances surrounding this unusual case. I wish to restate the key aspects. First, the actions by my Department at the time were designed to protect public health by ensuring that animals treated with a prohibited substance did not enter the food chain. Second, my...
- Written Answers — Export Subsidies: Export Subsidies (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The framework agreement for the next WTO round which was concluded in Geneva in August 2004 committed member countries, including the EU, to negotiate detailed rules, including an end date for the parallel elimination of all forms of export subsidies and for the introduction of disciplines on export measures with equivalent effect. At the WTO Hong Kong ministerial conference, which took place...
- Written Answers — Social Partnership: Social Partnership (16 Feb 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I very much regret the decision of some of the farmers' organisations to suspend their involvement in the partnership talks. They retain the option of re-joining the discussions, and I would urge them to do so, but this is a matter for them to decide. The Government believes the farming pillar has a significant and useful part to play in the partnership process. In addition, it is very...