Results 4,881-4,900 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — EU Conventions: EU Conventions (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The European Convention on the Social Protection of Farmers came into force in June 1977 having received the required minimum number of ratifications within the Council of Europe. The majority of Council of Europe Member States have not ratified this Convention. Ireland is satisfied that its provisions are fulfilled through existing national and EU legislation which provide social...

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is represented on the inter-Departmental teams established to oversee implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy and in this context, is contributing in a substantial way to the review of the Strategy which is currently under way. We have identified a range of potential greenhouse gas reduction measures in the agriculture area for consideration in the review. These...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I recently announced the establishment of a new Milk Quota Trading System to supersede the current Milk Quota Restructuring Scheme. The new system was agreed following extensive consultation with the farm organisations and ICOS and will release larger quantities of quota to active and committed dairy farmers through the combined operation of a market Exchange and a maximum price Priority...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 170 together. Intensive negotiations since the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in December 2005 failed to achieve progress and the current round of WTO negotiations were suspended by the WTO Director General at the end of July 2006. It is unclear at this stage when the negotiations will resume although the earliest date for resumption appears to be...

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

Mary Coughlan: Greencore Group plc closed its Carlow sugar factory in March 2005. A year later, the company announced its intention to cease sugar production in Ireland completely and to apply for aid under the EU scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry which was introduced as part of the agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime. Restructuring, in this context, refers to the abandonment of...

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

Mary Coughlan: A baseline study of the prevalence of salmonella in table egg flocks, conducted in 2004/5, found significant levels of S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium in some EU countries. These salmonella serovars account for a large proportion of known food-borne outbreaks of salmonellosis in humans. No cases of S. enteritidis or S. typhimurium were found in Ireland in the course of the survey. Current...

Written Answers — Tuberculosis Incidence: Tuberculosis Incidence (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The number of TB reactors removed for each year from 2000 to 2005 is as follows: 2000 39,847 2001 33,702 2002 28,930 2003 27,978 2004 22,967 2005 25,884 A key objective of the TB scheme is the prompt removal of reactor animals and animals which are deemed to be reactors are removed from the holding for slaughter as soon as possible after valuation of the animals has taken place via the...

Written Answers — Consumer Liaison Panel: Consumer Liaison Panel (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Consumer Liaison Panel was established in January 2002 to strengthen communication between the consumer and my Department. It is a Standing Panel which operates independently of the Department and meets as it considers necessary to liaise on general consumer issues in relation to the activities of the Department and to comment on the flow of information both to and from the public. The...

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

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152, 163, 197, 484 and 491 together. The Government recently published a Green Paper on energy "Towards A Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland", in which they made a firm commitment to promote renewable energy, as part of a coherent energy policy. In this context, a Ministerial Taskforce has been established to prepare a road map to develop Ireland's...

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

Mary Coughlan: Following my request last December for observations on the recommendations contained in the Interdepartmental Group Report on Coexistence of GM crops and non GM crops in Ireland I received over sixty submissions from the general public. I am currently engaged in the process of considering these submissions in the light of the Recommendations made and I hope to be in a position to bring...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USA annually request a copy of Ireland's national residue monitoring plan and a copy of the 2006 plan was provided to FSIS on 4th April 2006. Third Countries wishing to export animal products to the EU are required under EU law to satisfy the European Commission that their legislation and control regimes provide equivalent guarantees to those in...

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

Mary Coughlan: Since 1991 some 228,159 hectares of new forestry have been planted, an average planting rate of 15,000 hectares a year. The current planting target of 20,000 hectares per annum, including public planting of 5,000 hectares per annum was set in 1996. The reasons why the annual planting target has not been met are complex. In the first place, public planting ceased almost completely in the late...

Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Further to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 377 of 27 June 2006, the investigation referred to in my reply is still ongoing. This investigation is comprehensive and thorough and, pending its completion, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further.

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

Mary Coughlan: The Sheep Industry Development Strategy Group issued its report in June 2006. This is a comprehensive study of the sheep industry which sets out a Development Plan for the industry contained in 37 recommendations. I decided that the best way to implement these recommendations was to set up an implementation body comprised of representatives of all sectors in the industry, including the...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware the current milk quota arrangements were extended until the end of the 2014/2015 milk quota year as part of the 2003 Luxembourg Agreement on the reform of the CAP. While a review will take place in 2008, any further proposals for reform are a matter for the EU Commission, and the Council will make decisions on such proposals. Should the Commission come forward...

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

Mary Coughlan: In accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCOFCAH), the EU Commission, on 13th October 2006 adopted a Decision addressed to Member States prohibiting the placing on the market of all curd cheese manufactured by Bowland Dairy Products Limited, a UK based company. The Decision also required that Member States shall trace, detain and dispose of...

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 — EU Conventions: EU Conventions (17 Oct 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of animals kept for farming purposes only and it does not extend to animals kept as pets. I understand that the matter relating to ratification of Council of Europe Conventions and the responsibility of Departments in that regard are still under consideration.

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

Mary Coughlan: Ireland cannot unilaterally declare itself as a GM free region and as a consequence prohibit the cultivation and use of authorised GM crops and products within the country. EU legislation on GMOs which has been adopted by the European Parliament and the Council under the co-decision procedure is binding on all member states. As outlined to the House on previous occasions, the only way regions...

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

Mary Coughlan: An EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) inspection to evaluate animal health and public health control systems, traceability and certification procedures in place in Brazil was carried out in September of last year. In December the FVO completed a second mission that year to evaluate the control of residues and contaminants in live animals and animal products, including controls on veterinary...