Results 5,581-5,600 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as part of the recent trade delegation there led by An Taoiseach. Saudi Arabia imposed a ban on the importation of beef from Ireland and other EU countries in December 2000, due to concern about BSE. In the years preceding the ban, a substantial trade had developed in the export of Irish beef to Saudi Arabia which was...

Written Answers — Sheepmeat Industry: Sheepmeat Industry (6 Feb 2007)

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 sector 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 relevant...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The deliberate release of genetically modified crops into the environment is legislated for under EU Directive 2001/18/EC which provides, inter alia, for controls governing the assessment and authorisation procedures for GM crop cultivation. The EPA is the competent authority for the implementation of this Directive in Ireland. This Directive is part of a suite of GM legislation, adopted by...

Written Answers — National Climate Change Strategy: National Climate Change Strategy (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Climate change has serious implications not just for agriculture but for all sectors of the economy. The Government is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol and the National Climate Change Strategy published in 2000 sets the framework for Ireland to achieve its targets under the Protocol, i.e. to limit greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 138 together. I decided to increase the maximum in the 1994–99 Scheme from €12,075 to €14,075 per annum and the maximum in the 2000-2006 Scheme from €13,515 to €15,000 per annum with effect from 1st November 2006. These increases formed part of the undertakings in the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016. They will add some €33...

Written Answers — Health Promotion Policy: Health Promotion Policy (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 122 together. I am very aware of the need to promote sensible and healthy eating habits among our young people. Not alone do health, diet and nutrition impact on societal well-being, mental health and life expectancy, it pervades into every area of our economy, from lost work days to increased healthcare costs. The case for targeting the dietary...

Written Answers — National Genotyping Programme: National Genotyping Programme (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The emergence of cloned animals and embryos from these animals raise issues on a number of fronts, which need to be addressed. I have taken this matter up with the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, as it is preferable, I believe, that such issues are dealt with on a community-wide basis. Breeding legislation relating to the trade of animals and their semen, ova and embryos...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: My Department received a total of 249 applications under the 2006 Energy Crops Scheme. To date, payment has issued to 141 applicants. Under the governing EU regulations, payments are required to be made by 30 June of the year following. Of the 108 applicants as yet unpaid, 48 have not yet submitted the required delivery documentation, 21 have furnished insufficient documentation, while in...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare Bodies: Animal Welfare Bodies (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Since 1995, my Department has made ex gratia payments to a number of organisations directly involved in the delivery of animal care and welfare services. 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 organisation. Until 2004, these ex gratia...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of any specific proposal on supports for the establishment of co-operative energy supply companies by farmers. A number of initiatives are underway to support renewable energy deployment across the electricity, heat and transport sectors. As announced in Budget 2007, my Department is providing €14 million in the period 2007-2009 to incentivise farmers to grow energy crops....

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (6 Feb 2007)

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 my response, certain of the Committee's recommendations were precluded by the EU Regulations under which the Scheme and its predecessor were operated. The Scheme...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 134 and 146 together. Under the relevant EU regulations, the restructuring aid for the sugar industry has to be drawn down on the basis of an aid application submitted by the sugar processor. The applications must contain a restructuring plan, including a social plan detailing the actions planned in particular with respect to re-training, redeployment...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Statutory responsibility for legislation on the use of animals for experimental or other scientific purposes as regulated under EU and national legislation (respectively Council Directive 86/609/EEC and the European Communities (Amendment to Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876) Regulations, 1994) falls within the remit of my colleague the Minister for Health and Children. In the past, current and...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have no plans at present to commission any further evaluations on the economic implications of the use of genetically modified organisms. The Deputy will recall that Teagasc, at my request, carried out in 2006, a study on evaluation of the possible national economic implications for the Agri-Food industry from the use of GMOs in crop and livestock...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 195 together. The revised Farm Waste Management Scheme, which was launched by my Department in March 2006, closed for applications at the end of December 2006. A total of 48,580 applications have been received by my Department under the Scheme and these applications are currently being processed. It is my intention to process these applications as...

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: There are adequate poultry processing facilities in this country having regard to such criteria as the overall volume of poultry being reared and produced here. Poultry processing plants must strive to compete efficiently with operators in other countries and volume throughput is essential to this efficiency. Our poultry slaughter plants are small by comparison with the main players in...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 132 together. I am participating in a Ministerial Taskforce on Bioenergy, chaired by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey, TD to develop a strategy on Ireland's bioenergy resources to 2020. The Government has already announced a number of initiatives both on the supply and demand side to develop the biofuels...

Written Answers — Water Meters: Water Meters (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware of the concerns expressed by the farming organisations in regard to this issue and am conscious of the need to ensure that usage of metered water on farms for agricultural purposes is kept to a minimum. Thus, for example, the technical specifications for farm buildings operated by my Department for the purposes of the Farm Waste Management Scheme require the installation of...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The main deficits in the supply of Irish-produced organic food are in fruit and vegetables and in cereals. Whether to convert to organic production, or to step up existing production, is ultimately a business decision for food producers themselves. However I am strongly committed to the development of the organic sector in Ireland and my Department supports it in several ways which, I am...

Written Answers — Forestry Industry: Forestry Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I understand that the Deputy's question is concerned with sale or lease of land owned by Coillte. Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters such as the sale and lease of land are the responsibility of the company. The criteria governing the sale or lease of forestry land by Coillte is a matter for the company...