Results 4,561-4,580 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Commonage Division: Commonage Division (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 to 381, inclusive, together. Applications under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme were received from the persons named in May 2005. The persons named declared lands at Glenary on their Single Payment application forms. However, there is an over-claim in relation to these lands involving the applicants and various other parties. As grazing rights on Glenary...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category B. Category B caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the Single Payments Scheme National Reserve, under category D. Category D caters for farmers who commenced farming after 31 December 2002, or who commenced farming in 2002 but who received no direct payments in respect of that scheme year. A formal letter setting out my Department's decision issued to the person...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Early Retirement Scheme application of the person named was received in my Department on 25 July 2003. On preliminary examination, this application was found to be incomplete. The outstanding documentation was requested by Department letter dated 29 July 2003, this letter requested a reply within 21 days. As the outstanding documentation was not received within the prescribed time limit...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: 2.6% of the staff of my Department acknowledge having a disability. My Department is committed to the employment of people with a disability and there is no restriction on the percentage of people with a disability employed by my Department.

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

Mary Coughlan: I have not engaged with any company wishing to conduct genetically modified crop trials in Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority for the purposes of EU Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms, including for the purposes of field trialling.

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

Mary Coughlan: EU Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms lays down a binding, community-wide, framework for regulating the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment, including for the purposes of field trials and cultivation. Taking into account the precautionary principle, this framework seeks...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently undertaking a review of existing forestry legislation. A Consultative Group, made up of representatives from various commercial, state and voluntary agencies, was established at the end of 2005. The Consultative Group has been asked to (i) critically evaluate the existing Forestry Acts in light of current and future requirements, (ii) consider what additional...

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

Mary Coughlan: In the context of testing the contingency plan measures foreseen in the event of an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a poultry flock, my Department has undertaken two controlled slaughter exercises. The trials took place in Co Monaghan in November last and in Co Limerick last month and involved the slaughter of 6,500 and 12,000 birds respectively, all of whom had come to the...

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

Mary Coughlan: It should be remembered that the introduction of the decoupling of agricultural direct payments from production only came into effect on 1st January 2005. This is a relatively short time-scale in which to evaluate the impact of such a significant policy shift. Bearing this in mind, it is possible to provide an initial evaluation of the economic effects of this change. Last year proved to be...

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

Mary Coughlan: The 2015 Agri Vision Report recognised the importance of exports to the Irish food industry and the subsequent Action Plan includes a commitment to joint action by stakeholders to identify new markets and promote and improve market share in European and Third Country markets. While our primary objective is to consolidate market penetration within the EU for high value-added products, it is...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Irish dairy sector has enjoyed much success on international and EU markets in recent years and performed solidly again in 2005. Overall, exports of Irish dairy products and ingredients amounted to some €2 billion, as Irish exporters responded to strong market demand worldwide. Despite considerable policy changes at EU level export performance has been very resilient in recent years. We...

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

Mary Coughlan: Irish beef exports are now concentrated in the high value UK and Continental markets. This is a result of the combination of the targeting of these markets by exporters, the promotion work carried out by An Bord Bia and the emergence of a significant beef deficit in the EU. The deficit this year is expected to be of the order of 350,000 tonnes, or 5% of EU beef production. In 2005 we exported...

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

Mary Coughlan: Competitiveness is the major issue for the farm sector. It will dictate the commercial future of our farms and ultimately it will decide farm income. For this reason, the longest Chapter in the Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan is devoted to the issue of competitiveness and there are 93 specific actions to be undertaken. The State's role is to facilitate a climate that assists competitive drive...

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

Mary Coughlan: Information from the Quarterly National Household Survey supplied by the Central Statistics Office to my Department shows some fluctuation within a modest range in the numbers employed in the food and drinks sector during the period. Number employed '000 Annual change % Year 2005 54.0 -0.2% Year 2004 54.1 +2.7% Year 2003 52.7 -0.6% Year 2002 53.0 -1.3% Year...

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

Mary Coughlan: Ireland faces a wide variety of competitors on EU and world markets for the range of products we export. The ability to compete on agricultural markets is based on a number of factors. These include the scale of production, exchange rates, price, points of differentiation and the degree of competition within a particular market. The liberalisation of agriculture has made the market place for...

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

Mary Coughlan: Farm incomes are generated primarily by a combination of returns from the market and direct payments. My Department continues to support farm incomes through the provision of the Single Farm Payment and other major support systems under the Rural Development Programme. Overall, it is estimated that these direct payments and supports account for about 75% of net farm incomes. The important...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The current T.B. eradication programme has brought about a significant improvement in the incidence of bovine tuberculosis, as the following table shows: Year No. of Reactors 1999 44,903 2000 39,847 2001 33,702 2002 28,930 2003 27978 2004 22,967 2005 25,884 There has been a steady decline in the numbers of TB reactors since 1999 when 44,900 reactors were identified...

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

Mary Coughlan: In December 2000 the EU introduced a total ban on the use of certain proteins derived from mammals, including mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM), in the diets of farmed animals. The ban remains in place. Staff of my Department operate a range of controls, some of which have been in place since 1996, to ensure that MBM is not included either deliberately or inadvertently in feed intended for...

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

Mary Coughlan: The year 2005 marks one of the most significant developments in the recent history of Irish farming — as policy shifts from production supports to the decoupled Single Payment Scheme. The new CAP regime will allow greater freedom to farm, giving many producers the opportunity to tailor their enterprises to meet consumer and market demand and to reflect their own strengths, individual...