Results 5,941-5,960 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 83 together. Following the political commitment made by WTO Ministers from the main negotiating partners at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, the WTO Director General announced the full resumption of formal negotiations across all negotiating areas of the current WTO round at the meeting of the WTO General Council meeting on 7 February....
- Written Answers — Sheep Industry: Sheep Industry (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Sheep Industry Development Strategy Group issued its report in June 2006. This is a comprehensive study of the sheep industry that 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...
- Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The first Milk Quota Trading Scheme ran successfully in January and my Department provided the Co-ops with full details of the results of the exchanges run for their areas. The Co-ops themselves have in turn been communicating those results to successful and unsuccessful applicants, as well as engaging in the necessary administrative follow-up. The second stage of the scheme has a closing...
- Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The gap between the British and Irish price for beef has, over recent weeks, narrowed since its peak in the first week of December 2006. A number of factors contributed to the differential in prices including lower prime cattle supplies within the UK, lower prices on the continental market and higher supplies here. To support the beef sector in responding to the very real challenges it faces...
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Wood biomass is one of the most versatile of renewable energy sources and has the potential to play a major role in Ireland's future energy strategy. Wood energy, in the form of logs, chip and pellet, is renewable, carbon neutral, sustainable and can be produced locally. Solid biomass, mainly in the form of solid wood, is already the largest source of renewable energy in Ireland, accounting...
- Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The process of simplification of the CAP has been under way for some years and is on-going. Achievements to date include simplification in the areas of State Aids, the CAP financing system, the removal of obsolete legislation, the CAP reforms of 2003 and 2004 which brought together a large number of direct income supports into the single farm payment and the Rural Development Regulation...
- Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The technical specification for farm buildings operated by my Department for the purpose of the Farm Waste Management Scheme require the installation of adequate arrangements for the separation of clean and dirty water as part of the conditions of any new investment. This would include rainwater. In addition, I extended the terms of that Scheme in March 2006 to include the provision of...
- Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Notwithstanding the fact that very small amounts of rice bran are used in certain animal feeds, accounting for less than 1% of total feed imports, officials of my Department took samples in two consignments of that product during 2006 in response to the EU Commission Decision setting down measures to detect imports of the unauthorised GM event LL601. These samples were analysed by the State...
- Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme provide that Member States shall set up a system of advising farmers on land and farm management to be known as the farm advisory system. The system is to be operated by one or more designated authorities or by private bodies. The advisory activity must cover at least the Statutory Management Requirements and Good Agricultural and...
- Written Answers — Meat Plants: Meat Plants (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: In keeping with commitments given in the Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan, I announced last November a Capital Investment Scheme, totalling some â¬50 million, for the beef and sheepmeat processing sectors. 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,...
- Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Responsibility for enforcement of labelling and traceability legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland through its service contracts with the Department of Agriculture and Food, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the Health Services Executive, the Local Authorities and the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs. Following on an investigation...
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Food Agency Co-operation Council (FACC) met on 20 occasions between 2000 and 2003 to promote co-operation between the State Agencies involved in the food industry. In subsequent years the food development agencies directly concerned with the National Development Plan 2000-2006 met periodically to assess progress under the Plan. Two meetings were held in 2004 and one each in 2005 and 2006...
- Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The total number of food premises under the supervision of my Department was 771 in 2005 and 794 in 2006. The total number of inspections carried out in 2005 was 2,759 and 16,663 in 2006. The apparent dramatic increase in inspections is mainly due to changes in the reporting formats over the two years in question. Up to 2005, statistics were compiled on a basis of inspections by regional and...
- Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Deputy is referring to control operation carried out by the Border Inspection Post Services (BIP) of the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). The incident referred to has been the subject of notification through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and consultation between DARD, the EU Commission, the Northern Ireland Food Safety Agency...
- Written Answers — Dairy Sector: Dairy Sector (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: My officials met with representatives of the National Milk Rights Group recently to discuss their submission under the EU Rural Development Programme for support towards a voluntary improvement scheme for dairy herds. I am having the proposal examined, together with other submissions that have been made in respect of the dairy herd.
- Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The first Milk Quota Trading Scheme ran successfully in January and resulted in 120 million litres of quota being offered for sale, with 73 million litres traded. My Department conducted a review of the first stage in early February, which included consultations with the main farming organisations and ICOS. Following this, the second stage of the 2007/08 scheme was announced with a closing...
- Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: I do not accept that the outcome of the vote in the Environment Council on the EU Commission proposal requesting the Austrian authorities to lift their ban on the cultivation of two authorised GM maize crops alters the current EU legislative position on the arbitrary banning of the cultivation of authorised GM crops in Member States. The rules governing the production and use of GM crops...
- Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: My Department has certain statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals under the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984, and the European Communities (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations 2006 (SI 705 of 2006). In addition there is specific legislation in relation to pigs, calves and laying hens. Welfare matters are...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: I decided to increase the maximum pension payable under the 1994â99 Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming from â¬12,075 to â¬14,075 per annum and the maximum pension payable under the 2000-2006 Scheme from â¬13,515 to â¬15,000 per annum with effect from 1 November 2006. These increases, which will be funded entirely from the Exchequer, formed part of the undertakings in the social...
- Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (8 Mar 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Following are details of written complaints received over the past 5 years by my Department arising from inspections carried by the Special Investigation Unit: Year Number 2002 None 2003 1 2004 2 2005 None 2006 None Each of the complaints was investigated and did not give rise to the need for any action. Since February 2004, the SIU has operated under a written Code of Practice which...