Results 4,861-4,880 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Animal Welfare Bodies: Animal Welfare Bodies (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has certain statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals. The legislation governing this is the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984 and the European Communities (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations, 2000. In addition there is specific legislation in relation to pigs, calves and laying hens. Welfare...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Regulations governing the provision of country of origin information on beef sold at the catering stage of the food chain were introduced by the Minister for Health and Children earlier this year. Responsibility for enforcement of the Health (Country of Origin of Beef) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 307 of 2006) is with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. There are over 44,000 food businesses in...

Written Answers — Forestry Industry: Forestry Industry (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In terms of incentives, the current forestry grant and premium package is without doubt the most attractive that has ever been available. Farmers and land-owners can avail of an establishment grant of 100% of costs, a tax free premium of up to €500 per hectare per annum for 20 years, at present, and under the Single Payment Scheme, farmers can plant up to 50% of their eligible claimed area,...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: A revised Farm Waste Management Scheme was launched by my Department on 24 March 2006 as part of the arrangements to enable farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive. The principal changes to the Scheme include— (a) an increase in the standard grant-rate from 40% to 60%, with 70% being available in the four Zone C counties; (b) an extension of the Scheme for the...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Food Safety Authority represents Ireland on this issue at the relevant EU meetings. The information requested contains technical details and I am arranging with the FSAI to have it forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture published its report on the Early Retirement Schemes in February 2005. The report dealt with a range of issues and I responded to it in detail in September 2005. As I explained in this response, certain of the Committee's recommendations are precluded by the EU Regulations under which the current Scheme and its predecessor are operated. I saw...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Ireland's national policy on GMO's was officially set out in the October 2000 Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Modern Biotechnology which was endorsed by the Government. The overall conclusion of this report was summarised as 'a positive acceptance of the potential benefits of biotechnology tempered by a precautionary approach to the potential risks — and to ensure that as far as is...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 151 together. Dairy farmers' incomes are made up of the market price paid for milk and direct income support from the EU. The price paid to milk producers is determined by a number of factors including the international market for dairy products, the product mix and the efficiency of the processor as well as the overall operation of the EU price...

Written Answers — Farm Household Incomes: Farm Household Incomes (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 175 together. Earlier this year, the Commission produced a draft revision of the Community Guidelines for State Aid in the Agriculture sector for the period 2007 to 2013. The Guidelines will be agreed later in the year within the competence of the Commission following a consultation process with Member States and will then be binding on Member States....

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The concept of substantial transformation is the basis used throughout the EU and elsewhere to define the origin of goods as being from the country where the last substantial economic change was made to them. In my view it should not be used to disguise the origin of certain products or to mislead the consumer as to the origin of raw materials. I have made my concerns in this respect known to...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Wood biomass is one of the most versatile of renewable energy sources and has the potential to play a major role in Ireland's future energy strategy. Wood energy, in the form of logs, chip and pellet, is renewable, carbon neutral, sustainable and can be produced locally. Solid biomass, mainly in the form of solid wood, is already the largest source of renewable energy in Ireland, accounting...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The introduction of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), falling disease levels, the introduction of new computer systems and efficiency gains means that staff numbers within my Department are currently on a downward trend. My Department is actively managing the orderly redeployment of staff that become available to other work areas and, in conjunction with Department of Finance, to other...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Following the introduction of the Single Payment Scheme last year, farmers now have the freedom to choose whatever farming enterprise is most appropriate to their circumstances. Under the agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime, the Single Payment Scheme is being extended to cover sugar beet compensation. The sugar reform agreement also provides for the introduction of aid for...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (17 Oct 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. The European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006, signed by Minister Roche on 18 July, 2006 give legal effect to Ireland's Action Programme under the Nitrates Directive. Local authorities and the...

Written Answers — Animal Health Issues: Animal Health Issues (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 188 and 201 together. There is already a long history of co-operation between the administrations north and south on animal health issues. The administrations have traditionally shared information at local and national levels on disease control and surveillance issues and have worked together to combat illegal movements of animals and animal products....

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Under Council Directive 96/23, each Member State is required submit an annual Residue Monitoring Plan to the European Commission by 31 March each year. Ireland has complied fully with its obligations in this regard. Ireland's Plan for 2006, having been considered by the appropriate EU technical group on 5 October last, is scheduled for formal EU approval on 18 October.

Written Answers — Animal Health Issues: Animal Health Issues (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: An EU Directive on criteria for exempting veterinary medicines from a veterinary prescription requirement was adopted by the relevant EU Standing Committee on 10 October. The Commission has indicated that it intends to have the measure published so as to have legal effect before the end of this year. While decisions on the classification of veterinary medicines are ultimately a matter for...

Written Answers — Land Transfers: Land Transfers (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In order to encourage land mobility, and to reduce the costs of land transfer, the Government already has put in place a number of incentives, these include: An Early Retirement Scheme pension of up to €13,515 for a period of 10 years on farms transferred by gift, sale or lease. An installation aid grant of €9,520 for young trained farmers. Capital Gains Tax — Retirement Relief for...

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Food and Veterinary Office mission to complete Ireland's country profile is not due until 2007. The Food and Veterinary Office have embarked on a series of missions to Member States with a view to completing a country profile for each Member State. These missions commenced in 2005 when 8 Member States were visited, continued in 2006 during which 10 further Member States were/ will be...

Written Answers — Importation Restrictions: Importation Restrictions (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 168 together. Following the outbreak of avian influenza in late 2003 in south-eastern Asia, the European Commission adopted a series of protection measures in relation to the disease. These measures included, in particular, additional movement controls on birds accompanying their owners coming into the EU from third countries and the prohibition of...