Results 4,521-4,540 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As a member of the EU and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ireland is in a position to avail of opportunities for trade that are essential for the development of our open economy. Membership of these organizations also brings reciprocal trade obligations. All imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries that have been approved by the EU authorities for export to the...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced last March. A total of 4,378 applications under that Scheme have been received in the Department up to the end of last week.

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Funding for research into the control of Varroa in honey bees has been the main element of my Department's apiculture programme. From 2002 to 2005, a total of €195,996 was provided to Teagasc towards the development of integrated biological control methods under Irish conditions. Expenditure of a further €150,000 has been approved for 2006 and 2007 for this research programme. The...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As a member of the EU and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ireland is in a position to avail of opportunities for trade that are essential for the development of our open economy. Membership of these organizations also brings reciprocal trade obligations. All imports into the EU must come from third countries or areas of third countries that have been approved by the EU authorities for...

Written Answers — Energy Crops Scheme: Energy Crops Scheme (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Chapter 8 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004 provides for the payment of aid to applicants under the Scheme of Aid for Energy Crops, before the raw material is processed. The aid, which is payable in addition to the Single Payment entitlements due to the applicant, is granted in respect of areas where the production of the raw material is covered by a contract between the farmer and a...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The decline of the avian influenza epidemic in wild birds, which has affected a total of 13 Member States since last February, has continued this month, with no cases in wild birds being notified throughout the European Union to the 21st June. In May there were 17 cases, compared with 200 cases in February, 362 cases in March and 162 cases in April, giving a total of 741 notifications since...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The WTO panel has recently issued its Final Report to the parties to the dispute (the EU, Argentina, Canada and the US). According to WTO rules, the Final Panel Report remains confidential until it has been translated into all the official languages of the WTO and has been publicly circulated. The Report does not become binding until it has been endorsed by WTO Membership at a meeting of the...

Written Answers — Fruit and Vegetable Sector: Fruit and Vegetable Sector (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In August 2005 I announced a new scheme of investment aid for the development of the seed potato sector under the National Development Plan. The scheme aims to speed up improvements in the marketing infrastructure and to improve efficiency and productivity of the seed potato sector. Grant assistance to seed potato producers towards the capital costs of equipment and facilities for the...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As regards dairy products, I am very pleased to report that this sector has enjoyed a number of successful years on international and EU markets and exports of dairy products and ingredients accounted for €2 billion of total agri-food exports in 2005. Over 80% of Irish Dairy Production is exported to world markets across a broad range of products including butter, milk powders, cheese,...

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In April the Council of Agriculture Ministers adopted Regulation 679/2006 which provides a legal basis for exceptional market support measures for the poultry sector where there are serious market disturbances directly attributed to a loss in consumer confidence arising from the avian influenza situation. I submitted a proposal to the Commission requesting co-funding and approval for a range...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: A strategic study of the Irish Dairy Industry, now known as the Prospectus Report, was commissioned by my Department in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and the dairy industry itself and published in 2003. The Report made very clear recommendations on the response required from the dairy industry to meet international competitive challenges as well as the change in emphasis from market...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department keeps under regular review the implementation of Directives for which it has primary responsibility. The implementation of the Nitrates Directive is a matter in the first instance for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to inform the Deputy that Teagasc has an ongoing programme of research that investigates the potential risks and benefits associated with the growing of GM crops in Ireland including, inter alia, the economic implications. Preliminary research completed by them to date does indicate that the cultivation of certain crops with certain modifications may provide a financial incentive to...

Written Answers — Farm Incomes: Farm Incomes (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I have no plans to call together a further Steering Group on Farm Household Incomes. The recent introduction of the EU survey of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) conducted by the Central Statistics Office has assisted greatly in the collection of information on farm household income. It should be noted that Chapter 2 of the Department's Annual Review and Outlook 2005/2006 contains...

Written Answers — Beef Imports: Beef Imports (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As a member of the EU and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ireland is in a position to avail of opportunities for trade that are essential for the development of our open economy. Membership of these organizations also brings reciprocal trade obligations. All imports into the EU must come from third countries or areas of third countries that have been approved by the EU authorities for...

Written Answers — Farm Inspections: Farm Inspections (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The rate of on-farm inspections for cross-compliance in Ireland in 2005 was 1% of farmers for each Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) other than identification and registration of bovine animals where 5% of producers were inspected as this level is prescribed under the relevant Regulations. The inspection visits are integrated with ground (eligibility) inspections with a view to ensuring,...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Food Agency Co-operation Council was established in 2000 under the aegis of my Department to promote the fullest practical co-operation between the State Agencies involved in the food industry, in the interests of the optimum development of the industry. The Council met on 20 occasions between 2000 and 2003. During 2004 and 2005 priority was given instead to meetings of the food...

Written Answers — Food Imports: Food Imports (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The personal import into the EU for one's own consumption of meat, meat products or milk products by passengers coming from third countries has, since January 2003, been prohibited under Community law. Officers of my Department are deployed to carry out passenger interviews and bag searches on a random basis at ports and airports where travellers from third countries arrive. The interception...

Written Answers — Agrifood Sector: Agrifood Sector (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My key priorities for the agri-food sector are to increase its competitiveness, strengthen its emphasis on innovation and research and improve its consumer focus. The actions to achieve these priorities are set out in the Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan which I launched recently. This Plan is based on a well-founded belief that the Irish agri-food sector, including our farmers, and our food and...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The 'Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Modern Biotechnology' published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in October 2000 established the Irish Government's positive but precautionary position on biotechnology. This position was based on the potential that biotechnology offers in the fields of medicine, health, agriculture, etc., while at the same time recognising...