Results 4,781-4,800 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: A valid application from the person named was received on 10 April 2006. The application has been approved and payment of the Early Retirement pension will commence at the end of October 2006. Pension arrears, retrospective to 10 April 2006, will be included with the first payment.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The current Farm Waste Management Scheme allows for grant-aid of 40% for simple aeration systems in existing buildings including those over ten years old and new buildings. These systems agitate the slurry thereby obviating the need for an agitation point and no change in the current scheme is necessary.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: An application under the Early Retirement Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 12 May 2006. A number of queries arose in relation to the application; these were communicated to her on 28 July 2006. A reply was received on 6 September 2006 and the person named will be notified of the decision very shortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has already amalgamated the entitlements of the person named established under both his Tipperary and Kerry herd numbers. The applicant's 2005 Single Farm Payment was issued following the merging of the entitlements. However, I have arranged for an official of my Department to make direct contact with the person named, with a view to satisfactorily resolving any outstanding issue.

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The disposal of waste materials generally is covered by the Waste Management Acts 1996 to 2005, which apply to all sectors of society including the agricultural sector, and is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, manufacturers and importers of farm plastics – that is, silage bale wrap and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department issued payments to 121 applicants in respect of the 2005 Energy Crops Scheme, representing 1,447.19 eligible hectares. There are currently 248 applicants for the 2006 Energy Crops Scheme, representing 2,402.68 hectares.

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned is ineligible for aid under the Installation Aid Scheme as he had not earned the required minimum 20 income units from farming owned/leased land within the first twelve months of setting up in farming. He was advised of this on 3 July 2006. Following consideration of a subsequent appeal by the applicant, the original decision was upheld and he was notified of this...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named has been previously notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003. He appealed this decision to the Independent Single Payment Appeals Committee and the Appeals Committee upheld the decision of my Department. The person named was however...

Written Answers — National Herd: National Herd (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The most recent figures for the national herd indicate that the live cattle population in Ireland on July 1st 2006 was 7.089 million comprising 2.435 million males and 4.654 million females. These figures are based on an extract from the live cattle population taken from the Cattle Movement Monitoring System (CMMS) database. The information regarding the number of cows in the country at...

Written Answers — Cattle Identification Scheme: Cattle Identification Scheme (3 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The number of individual cattle tags that had to be replaced in the past 12 month period, from the 1st of September 2005 to the 31st of August 2006, was 311,936. The number of double tags that were replaced in the same period was 99,089. My Department reviews the methods of identification available for cattle within the terms of the EU requirements and keeps in touch with developments in the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payments Scheme National Reserve under categories A and D. It should be noted that the rules governing the Single Payment Scheme National Reserve stipulate that an applicant who is found to be eligible under more than one category may only receive an allocation of entitlements under whichever...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (4 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Joint Oireachtas Committee published its report in February 2005. The report dealt with a range of issues and I responded in detail to it in September 2005. In line with the Joint Committee's recommendations, I have recently increased the off-farm income limit for transferees in the current Scheme from €25,400 to €40,000 and have abolished the income limit for transferors. The...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned applied for grant-aid under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on 18 September 2006. The application is being processed in line with the arrangements set out in the Charter of Rights for Farmers 2005/2007.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: This case has been examined by officials from my Department and the system to be installed by the applicant has been found to be acceptable to them, subject to the old agitation point being made safe by its replacement with slats. Approval to commence work will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Regulation 38 of the European Communities (Milk Quota) Regulations, 2000, as amended, provides that milk producers may transfer quota from their existing milk purchaser to a new milk purchaser in any quarter beginning 1st January, 1st April, 1st July or 1st October, provided a set notification procedure is followed. A producer may, in certain circumstances, apply in writing to my Department...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The forestry programme for 2007 to 2013 will form an integral part of the new Rural Development Programme. A draft of the rural development programme will issue for public consultation shortly.

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The requirement that animals may be sent for slaughter only if they have been tested for TB within the previous 12 months is a necessary component of the Eradication Programme to ensure that individual animals do not go for prolonged periods without test and that the exposure pattern to TB within herds is regularly evaluated. While cattle are routinely tested for TB lesions at post mortem,...

Written Answers — Animal Identification Scheme: Animal Identification Scheme (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: There are no plans to review the decision taken to award the contract following the recent public tender process for the supply of cattle tags. The tendering process was conducted in a fair, open and transparent manner in accordance with EU and national legislation on public procurement. The award criteria were set out in the Invitation to Tender document. This document also outlined the...

Written Answers — Control of Horses: Control of Horses (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Control of Horses Act, 1996 assigns the primary role for dealing with wandering horses to local authorities. The information sought for 2004 and 2005 is set out below and is based on information provided to the Department by local authorities in relation to numbers of horses impounded. Data for 2003 was provided on a different basis and comparable information is not available in respect...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (5 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Technical Working Group referred to was established in 2003 to evaluate the possible introduction into agricultural practice of a number of new structures, including Earth-Lined Stores and Out-Wintering Pads, and to make recommendations as to whether or not such structures should be permitted. Based on the Group's recommendations, I approved the specification for Earth-Lined Stores last...