Results 4,181-4,200 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: A number of initiatives have been made available through my Department and Enterprise Ireland. We will continue to work with the sector to enhance and increase the research and development capability. That will be an absolute priority for me.

Dairy Sector. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: It is vital that certain issues in the dairy sector are dealt with. The issue of cost and how it is to be removed from the sector is one on which I have worked continuously and will continue to work. We will achieve delivery on that. Other issues arise such as that of the world trade talks and their impact on the dairy sector, which is serious. I will work to the best of my ability to ensure...

Sugar Beet Industry. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The decision by Greencore to discontinue sugar production and close the Irish Sugar plant at Mallow was a commercial decision by the company, having regard to market forces and the agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime. Throughout the negotiations on reform of the EU sugar regime, my primary objective was to seek to modify the Commission's proposals to ensure the continuation of an...

Sugar Beet Industry. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The golden share only comes into play if a certain percentage of the company's sugar assets are sold. It does not allow me to interfere with the day-to-day management of the company or to influence decisions on severance pay. However, a number of my colleagues expressed their concerns to me about the Labour Court agreement. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, and...

Sugar Beet Industry. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister, Deputy Martin, and I have publicly expressed the opinion that the company should agree to the Labour Court recommendations. The process will be completed shortly and I will meet union representatives again on this matter.

Food Safety. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: That is not our office. It is the European office to which the Deputy refers.

Food Safety. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The next time the Deputy travels, we will have him arrested.

Noxious Weeds. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: What was the Deputy doing on the side of the road?

Farm Retirement Scheme. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The report of the joint committee covered a range of issues and I responded to it in detail. A number of the committee's recommendations are precluded by the EU regulations under which the current scheme and its predecessor operate. I saw some merit in certain other aspects of the committee's report, specifically those relating to income limits and the maximum age of transferees in the...

Farm Retirement Scheme. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As I indicated, the issue of indexation is a principle that is not accepted by the Commission. However, a new scheme will be introduced. The decision on the scheme's emphasis will be based on the outcome of the partnership negotiations and overall funding for the rural development package. There are concerns about the issue of the clawback. There were cases where some farmers may not have...

Farm Retirement Scheme. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Under the EU regulation, there is a ceiling at which a payment is allowed to be made. That ceiling will be considered for the new rural development package. The Commission does not believe in indexation. I agree the anomaly can cause some serious issues. The other issue of concern is that once the Commission's auditors and the Comptroller and Auditor General examine the schemes, they put...

Export Subsidies. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The framework agreement for the current WTO round which was concluded in Geneva in August 2004 commits 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. The framework agreement covers export refunds, export...

Export Subsidies. (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I will be raising this matter at Monday's Council of Ministers meeting. An agreement has been made by the Council on the parameters in which our negotiators can work. I believe we cannot go beyond what is on the table. When I was recently in the United States, I stressed that what is on offer by the Irish and EU negotiators will have to be paralleled by the other negotiating partners. I want...

Written Answers — Farmers' Markets: Farmers' Markets (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Casual Trading Act 1995 gives local authorities responsibility in matters of market rights. Section 7 of the Act provided for a 10 year time-frame within which market rights could be revived, even if these had not been used for some time. Some have been exercised recently. I do believe that farmers markets represent an important route to market and a real growth opportunity for farmers...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (18 May 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. In December, the Minister made Regulations giving legal effect to Ireland's National Action Programme under the Nitrates Directive. These Regulations were finalised following difficult negotiations between the European Commission and officials of...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Following receipt of the required EU approval, the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme was launched by my Department on 24 March 2006. Application forms, together with the accompanying terms and conditions, are available from the local Agricultural Environment and Structures (AES) offices of my Department and are also available on my Department's web-site. The principal changes to the Scheme...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: There is no TB-vaccine licensed anywhere in the world for use in a food producing animal and therefore there is no possibility of introducing a bovine vaccination programme for TB. Indeed, the position is that vaccine trials in the past demonstrated that vaccination did not prevent disease. Apart from the foregoing, cattle vaccinated against TB could not be traded because they would be unable...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The compensation package negotiated in the context of reform of the EU sugar regime is worth over €310m to Irish stakeholders. There are three elements to the compensation package. The first element is the compensation to beet growers of up to 64% of the reduction in the minimum price for beet. This compensation, which will be incorporated in the existing Single Payment Scheme and will be...

Written Answers — Farm Management: Farm Management (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is aware of this recently published research that was carried out in the UK and its findings are being evaluated. It should be noted that this study rates to a small number of farms and therefore some caution is required in relation to the findings. My Department is currently considering running a similar study in Ireland. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department operates a...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (18 May 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In March I announced my intention to move to a more open market system for transferring milk quotas, which will come into effect on the 1st April 2007. My Department and I have made solid progress in the continuing consultation process on the detailed arrangements to give effect to my decision. This comprised of meetings with the relevant farm organisations and with representatives of the...