Results 5,101-5,120 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Pesticide Residue Monitoring Programme is a risk based programme which is agreed between my Department and the Food Safety Authority on an annual basis. There are detailed discussions between the FSAI and the DAF prior to determining the numbers of samples of each of the different food commodities to be included in the monitoring plan. This plan takes account of the dietary importance of...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The 18 directives to be transposed into national law for which my Department has responsibility are set out in the following schedule. None are overdue for transposition. I intend to have the directives implemented by the due date in each case. Directives to be implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Food: 18 Title of Directive Date by which Directive is to be implemented...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The number of farmers in County Roscommon who have applied for the 2006 Single Payment Scheme is 6,589. A total of 5,867 farmers have been paid the advance payment while 722 farmers have yet to be paid their advance payment. Delays in processing of Single Payment Scheme applications can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and discrepancies...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The number of farmers in County Leitrim who have applied for 2006 Single Payment Scheme is 3,697. A total of 3,162 farmers have been paid the advance payment leaving 535 farmers yet to be paid. Delays in processing of the Single Payment Scheme can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and discrepancies highlighted following computer...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I announced the detailed rules governing the Milk Quota Trading Scheme in late September following a six-month period of consultation with the main farming organisations, each of which represents both buyers and sellers of milk quota. These consultations were extensive and involved a series of meetings with each organisation. I also received submissions from some organisations and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Applications were received from 3,399 Westmeath herd owners under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme, of which in excess of 98% have received payment. Applications were received from 3,163 Westmeath herd owners under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme, of which approximately 88% have already received their advance payment. In common with the coupled schemes, which the Single Payment Scheme replaced,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The number of farmers in Co. Longford who have applied for 2005 Single Farm Payment was 2,745. A total of 2,023 farmers have received their 2005 Single Farm Payment in full and a further 419 farmers were paid a reduced payment. Of the remaining 303 applications, in many cases, payment was not due because these applications were made for entitlement activation purposes only, after which these...

Written Answers — Pesticide Control: Pesticide Control (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Pesticide Residue Monitoring Programme of my Department is aimed at detecting the presence of residues on foods which are for sale on the market. Strategically, food samples are taken for analysis at wholesale/distribution level and effective action can be taken if a problem is detected. The monitoring programme is agreed following detailed consultation between the Food Safety Authority....

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As already announced, I propose to introduce legislation to prohibit the use of electro-immobilisation on live farm animals on animal welfare grounds. In that context, the precise terms of the legislation have yet to be finalised and consequently it is not possible to indicate if the procedure referred to by the Deputy will be included in the ban.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Substantial increases in the maximum pension rates under both Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming will take effect from 1 November 2006. I have decided to increase the maximum in the 1994-99 Scheme from €12,075 to €14,075 and the maximum in the current Scheme from €13,515 to €15,000. These increases will cost some €33 million extra over the remaining period of the two Schemes...

Written Answers — Herd Keepers: Herd Keepers (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: A herd number is an administrative arrangement designed primarily for the purposes of disease control under the disease eradication schemes, which involves the allocation of a number to a herd as provided for under S.I. No. 276 of 1999 (European communities (Identification and registration of bovine animals) Regulations, 1999). The traditional term "herdowner", which required the nomination...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The appointment of Chairman and members of the Board of An Bord Bia are made by the Minister in accordance with Section 14 of the An Bord Bia Act 1994 to 2004. Appointments are made by Warrant signed by the Minister. Teagasc: The First Schedule of the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988 provides for the appointment by the Minister of the Chairman and 10 ordinary members to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2006 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category A. Category A caters for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died by 16 May, 2005 and who had leased out his/her holding to a third party during the reference period 2000 to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The compensation referred to is the EU restructuring aid for the sugar industry, which in Ireland's case is worth €145m approx. The aid, as provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No. 320/2006, is to cover the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring the sugar industry involving factory closure and renunciation of quota. In July 2006 the Government decided on the...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Tá lúcháir orm a bheith anseo idTithe an Oireachtais le cur os comhair na Seanadóirí cad atá ceadaithe anois. Tá súil agam go mbeidh díospóireacht bhreá againn. I thank the Cathaoirleach for the invitation to address this House on the agricultural chapter of the social partnership agreement, which I am happy to say the farming pillar recently endorsed. We often hear talk of the...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Senator would still look gorgeous.

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I did not. The Senator should have the read the charter. I will give him a copy.

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Departmental officials attended a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food recently and they agreed this should not happen. It is grossly unfair to the farming community and such inspections would not take place in any other walk of life. Recently a farmer attended a hospital in Dublin for an appointment, for which he had to wait more than 12 months, and while he...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: It is all about choice.

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: They had every choice in June.