Results 3,801-3,820 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together. Food production and labelling in the countries of the European Union operates in accordance with harmonised rules and member states controls are subject to audit and supervision by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) under the aegis the Minister for Health has overall responsibility...

Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together. The Government's strategy for development of the agri-food sector, Food Harvest 2020, is built on the premise of sustainable food production by family farms. This is also the basis of the European Model of Agriculture, supported by the Common Agricultural Policy, which combines the goals of sustainable and competitive food production...

Written Answers — National Herd: National Herd (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. Data on the national herd is published twice yearly by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on the basis of two categories; dairy and other cows. The former are kept principally to produce milk for human consumption and the latter is essentially used for beef production. Data to December 2010 is presented in tabular format below. Results...

Written Answers — Sugar Industry: Sugar Industry (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: As part of the reform of the EU sugar regime in 2006, a temporary scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry, was introduced with the aim of reducing EU sugar production in order to comply with WTO and other international obligations. The scheme provided an incentive for sugar processors to voluntarily renounce sugar quota and dismantle the associated sugar processing plant and it...

Written Answers — Purchase for Destruction Scheme: Purchase for Destruction Scheme (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The Purchase for Destruction Scheme was introduced on 1 January 2001 in response to the EU BSE crisis and ran for a period of six months. The scheme was highly successful in removing surplus product from the market, removing a total of 278,000 animals or 90,500 tonnes of carcase beef and contributing significantly to a much more stable international market in 2002.

Written Answers — Sheep Stock: Sheep Stock (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The results of the National Sheep and Goats Censuses for the years 2006 to 2010, which are available on the Department's website, are summarised in the table below (data for 2011 is not yet available). They show that there was a decline in the national sheep flock between 2006 and 2009 but that the decline appears to have bottomed out with a modest increase in 2010. This modest increase also...

Written Answers — Agri-Food Sector: Agri-Food Sector (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. Irish exports of beef and lamb in were valued at almost €1.7 billion in 2010, representing an increase of almost 8% on the previous year, and these figures are continuing to grow in 2011. The vast majority of Irish exports of beef and lamb are directed to other EU countries. However, it is always advantageous to have alternative...

Written Answers — Herd Numbers: Herd Numbers (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: As indicated in my reply to his questions on 20th July 2011 and 27th September 2011, the DVO has been aware for some time that there was a dispute over the ownership of the land and it was decided that no change in registration of the herd number should take place pending clarification of this issue. In the meantime, the herd keeper role, which assigns responsibility for the care and...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: I engaged three consultancy firms on a pro bono basis earlier this year as part of the Departments Comprehensive Expenditure Review. Consultants are not generally engaged on value for money exercises as the Department has trained staff capable of performing these exercises as required.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 18 April 2011, processing of which has recently been completed, thereby allowing payment to issue under the 2011 Disadvantaged Area Scheme on 4 October 2011. The 50% advance payments under the Single Payment Scheme are scheduled to commence issuing as and from 17 October 2011.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The person named was recently informed in writing that they were approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1st September 2011. 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 be completed before any...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The person named was recently informed in writing that they were approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1st September 2011. 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 be completed before any...

Written Answers — Commonage Division: Commonage Division (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: All commonage land declared by applications under the Single Farm Payment and other area-based Scheme was subjected to a comprehensive review by my Department during 2010. The review was carried by way of a detailed analysis of the ortho-imagery for commonages, by on-the-spot inspections or a combination of both. The objective of the review was to exclude ineligible features such as forestry,...

Written Answers — Commonage Division: Commonage Division (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The reports sought under the Freedom of Information request in question were released to the requestor; letters dated 18 May 2011 and 21 June 2011 addressed to the requestor, refer.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted his application for the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme on 12th May 2011. Three 2011 Transfer of Entitlement applications were received consisting of a sale and gift of entitlements to the person named and a sale of entitlements from the person named to another farmer. Each of these applications has been processed and letters of confirmation...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received full payments for the first three years of their contract. Arrangements are well advanced to issue payments in respect of 2011 and I expect that these payments will commence in November once all the necessary checks have been completed. In the event of any queries arising from these checks my Department will be in direct contact...

Written Answers — Fishing Vessel Licences: Fishing Vessel Licences (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: I understand from the National Parks and Wildlife Service that mussel seed was recently harvested by hand by a group of people in the area of a gravel bank that reaches west from Shenick's Island, off the coast of Skerries, County Dublin. Shenick's Island is part of the Skerries Islands Special Protection Area (SPA). In accordance with Determination No. 16 of the Need for an Authorisation...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: BIM is an independent statutory body and hence policy in relation to the operation and management of the ice plants is a matter for the Agency. BIM have, however, informed me that, following a decision by the Board, the Agency is currently reviewing its ice plant operations with the intention of seeking expressions of interest from local operators who may be interested in operating the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 17 May 2010. This application was selected for a Ground Eligibility/Cross Compliance inspection, during the course of which discrepancies were uncovered with regard to a number of parcels, which resulted in the total claimed area of 184.31 hectares being reduced to 62.13...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2011)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 9 May 2011. The payment validation process of this application is now complete and over-claims have been identified on three of the parcels. The applicant has been written to in this regard. On receipt of a satisfactory reply from the person named the application will then be...