Results 5,121-5,140 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Some â¬45.
- Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I thank the Senators who have spoken on this debate and wish to reflect on some of the key issues raised. A number of schemes are not permitted to be index linked under EU rules, including the single farm payment and the farm retirement scheme. I gave my consideration to the issues raised in a report on early retirement produced by Deputy Wilkinson on behalf of the Joint Committee on...
- Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I am glad to learn the Senator reads The Irish Times. According to Teagasc, the average farm income in 2005 was â¬18,000 rather than â¬15,000. The average age of Irish farmers is 11% below the EU average of 35 years. Although there has been a move away from land in the European farming sector in general, we have done comparatively well in this country. I did not refer in particular to...
- Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: It will work with a Minister for Finance from the Labour Party who will not be of the same calibre as the present Minister, who has been wholly supportive of the farming sector and rural life. How will Fine Gael work with the Green Party's agenda, some aspects of which I agree are good? I agree in respect of organic food, labelling and consumer foods but not in respect of the proposals that...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: In keeping with commitments given in the Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan, I recently announced a beef and sheepmeat processing sector investment package totalling some â¬50 million. This grant assistance, which should trigger investment of some â¬120 million, is yet another clear indication of the Government's commitment to the continued development of a modern, competitive, innovative and...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application under Category C of the 2005 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve which caters for farmers who sold their milk quota into the Milk Quota Restructuring Scheme and converted their enterprise to a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid Schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002....
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: My Department has in recent years made ex gratia payments to a number of bodies involved in the actual delivery of animal care and welfare services throughout the country. The funding available to any individual organisation is dependent on resources available and the level of demand and is therefore intended only as a contribution to the overall costs of the organisations. Until 2004, these...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The persons named submitted applications under the Single Payment Scheme in April 2006. The outstanding issues in relation to the transfer of Entitlements are currently being resolved. An official from my Department has made arrangements to meet the persons named to discuss these issues.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: An application under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 2 May 2006. Following computer validation, the 19.65 hectares declared by the applicant is confirmed as eligible under the Scheme. However, an issue in relation to the required minimum stocking level was identified and an official from my Department will make direct contact with the person named in the...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 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 B. Category B 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. The position is that processing of the 2006 National Reserve...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: An application for the Transfer of Entitlements to the person named under the Single Payment Scheme was submitted on the 26th of October 2006. The application was accepted even though the closing date for receipt of completed applications to transfer entitlements was 16 May 2006. The application was examined and further documentation is required. An official from my Department contacted...
- Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I am aware of a list compiled by some environmental groups claiming that a number of companies in eight different countries should not benefit from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. The FSC, which is an international network promoting responsible management of the world's forests, certifies forest companies not countries. In Ireland, Coillte and a number of privately owned...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The majority of staff in my Department are recruited through competitions held by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). PAS also hold special competitions for people with a disability from which candidates may be assigned to my Department. My Department conducts interviews for direct recruitment in respect of a small number of unestablished grades from time to time. People with a...
- Written Answers — Animal Breeding Regulations: Animal Breeding Regulations (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: In 2005 (the most recent year in which full year statistics are available) there were a total of 2.350 million cows in Ireland and between 35 and 40% of these cows were bred to artificial insemination (27% via AI technician service and the remainder via DIY AI). These figures are low by international standards, with AI usage figures of greater than 80% being reported in other developed...
- Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The requirement that all bovine animals over 30 months of age, slaughtered for human consumption, must be tested for BSE is provided for in Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Under the Regulation, as it currently stands, I have no...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Applications were received from 5,232 Cavan herd owners under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme and, to date, the 50% advance payment has issued to approximately 95% of these applicants. In common with the coupled schemes, which the Single Payment Scheme replaced, delays in processing can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and discrepancies...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Applications were received from 4,357 Monaghan herd owners under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme and, to date, the 50% advance payment has issued to approximately 95% of these applicants. In common with the coupled schemes, which the Single Payment Scheme replaced, delays in processing can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: My Department had raised the possibility of an increase in the rates of pension payable under the Early Retirement Schemes with the European Commission on a number of occasions. The Commission's consistent response was that increases for existing participants would not be eligible for EU funding and that index linking was ruled out by the EU Regulations. I therefore decided to explore the...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Single Payment entitlements to the value of â¬970.34 have been transferred to the person named by way of inheritance. However, Single Payment applications were not received in either 2005 or 2006 from the person named. Payment for 2005 can only be made to the representatives of the person who transferred the entitlements by inheritance, as they had submitted a Single Payment application...
- Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (21 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Table 1 sets out the number of inspections carried out and infringements detected in the past five years under the egg marketing standards regulations. The breakdown by county is not immediately available and will be supplied to the Deputy as soon as the information is compiled. Infringements of the regulations are always dealt with by a letter to the relevant operator requiring corrective...