Results 5,901-5,920 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Fur Farming. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I do not see the necessity for a ban. We have a market share and it would only lead to a direct replacement of that market share. The Deputy knows my views on animal welfare. I am strict and stringent on such issues. I was assured welfare legislation is adhered to, inspections take place and licensing is in place. It accounts for only a small number of farms. On the basis that people...

Fur Farming. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Many of my European colleagues who are vociferous on matters such as live exports have a great deal of fur farming in their countries. Sometimes we should ask the right question to see what comparative analysis exists. On the basis of the statutory requirements set down and any reviews which must take place, it is not my intention to ban fur farming. Other member states can make up their...

Food Safety Standards. (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Yes.

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I am strongly committed to the development of the organic sector in Ireland. While the total area under organic production is still small by European standards, 2006 was the second year in succession in which the Irish sector showed significant and encouraging growth. Nationally, the total area in conversion or with full organic status rose by 15% in 2005 and by a further 14% in 2006....

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware an interdepartmental/ interagency Working Group was established within my Department in 2003 to develop proposals for a national strategy and best practices to ensure the co-existence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming. That Group presented me with their Final Report and Recommendations in December 2005 which, inter alia, recommended that a...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: In her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 352 of 20 February 2007 the Minister for Health & Children stated that the European Commission is currently reviewing food labelling legislation. Ireland's submission to the Commission on this subject was co-ordinated by that Department and included comments on the use of symbols and signposting on food labels. Central to the concept of food...

Written Answers — National Bovine Herd: National Bovine Herd (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Over the last ten years, the National Bovine Herd has gone from 6.6m animals in 1996 down to 6.2m animals in 2005 having peaked at 6.9m in 1998. The number of dairy cows has decreased from 1.2m to 1.1m, but beef cows during the corresponding period have remained relatively stable at 1.1m. Beef Sector Consistent with the Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan and to support the beef sector in...

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: There are no proposals at present to increase the rate of modulation to 15%. Commissioner Fischer Boel has signalled the possibility that an increase in the current rate of modulation may be proposed in the context of the forthcoming "Health Check" of the Common Agricultural Policy. I am not aware that a decision has been taken in this regard. The Commission's proposals are not expected to...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The Food Labelling Group was established in July 2002 to examine issues surrounding food labelling in the context of consumer expectations about the food they buy. The Group which was widely representative of the major stakeholders in the food chain, consumer interests, industry, Government Departments and Agencies — presented its report to the Department in December 2002. As regards the...

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Last year I approved substantial funding of €1.5m for a three-year Organic Marketing Plan, which was produced by Bord Bia in consultation with the Organic Market Development Group, a sub-group of the National Steering Group for the Organic Sector. The objective of the Marketing Pan is to develop the organic sector in Ireland both for existing suppliers and for new entrants. Central to the...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: A group representing retired farmers lodged a petition with the European Parliament Committee on Petitions in May 2003, alleging that Ireland had not implemented correctly the Council Regulations governing the 1994 and 2000 Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming. The Committee requested information from the European Commission. In reply, the Commission made it clear that in its considered...

Written Answers — Alternative Farm Enterprises: Alternative Farm Enterprises (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the establishment and management of willow trees on a short rotation cycle. Nothing in the Forestry Act 1946 creates any impediment for landowners who wish to grow such a short rotation crop and who subsequently wish to return such lands to agricultural production. My Department has introduced a new Bioenergy Scheme to provide establishment grants to...

Written Answers — Farm Records: Farm Records (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006 contain a number of requirements in relation to record keeping. Much of this information, such as stock numbers and farmed area, is already maintained by farmers on their herd registers or contained in their declarations for the Single Payment Scheme. To assist farmers in complying with their...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The next meeting of the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers is scheduled to take place on 19 and 20 March. At this stage, the provisional agenda for the meeting indicates that there will be policy debates on Commission proposals to amend the Common Organisation of the market in Cereals and to amalgamate the 21 existing Common Market Organisations into a single CMO. Political...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: REPS 4 will form part of the new Rural Development Programme for the period from 2007 to 2013. The Programme was sent to the European Commission in late December 2006 and has to go through a formal approval process. I cannot be definite as to how long this process will take but I continue to pursue early approval. My officials are in ongoing contact about it with their counterparts in the...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Health & Children has responsibility for the European Communities (Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2002 (S.I. No. 483 of 2002 — as amended) which is the main legislation in Ireland dealing with the general labelling of pre-packaged foodstuffs. It also requires information on food labels to be given clearly, accurately and in a language...

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: There are adequate poultry processing facilities in this country having regard to such criteria as the overall volume of poultry being 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 other countries...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: My Department, in the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme, is required to carry out on-the-spot inspections on a number of farms covering such issues as eligibility under the Scheme, compliance with EU legislation in the areas of the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health and ensuring that the farm is maintained in good agricultural and environmental...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has regular ongoing contact with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on a whole range of matters including labelling. The Food Safety Authority's Chief Audit Manager and three Audit Managers conducted the audit of the 90 food premises in question. Following this audit, the FSAI provided each of the official agencies with a copy of the report on those premises under their...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (8 Mar 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...