Results 6,541-6,560 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I am very conscious that I have been talking about putting an AEOS III in place for some time. Therefore, I am pleased, in the week that is in it and given the focus on farming this week, to be able to announce an AEOS III today. It will be modelled on last year's AEOS II. I understand and appreciate the value of environmental schemes to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I will give an exact figure for the estimated expenditure on REPS in response to a later question. I do not want to give a figure off the top of my head. We are ahead of schedule in terms of getting payments out across all schemes this year. I am conscious that farmers have had a difficult summer. We want to get the money that is due to them out as quickly as possible. That is why...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have already said it will be €4,000.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: With respect, the Deputy did not table that question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: If the Deputy knew how the schemes were structured, he would know that REPS payments are always made in the last three months of year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: It is also normal in multi-year schemes such as the REPS that payments are carried over from year to year. We will be trying to ensure we make significantly more REPS payments this year, including in overall value terms, than we did last year. If the Deputy is going to start quoting figures to me, I would make the point that the budget I was handed when we took over in government needed to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this very significant issue. We have had the worst summer rainfall on record since 1962. Rainfall for most of the country was twice the average for the months of June, July and August. This has caused significant problems and pressures for farmers, even on the most fertile of farms. We have tried to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: They are getting it this week.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Many of those farmers are getting their disadvantaged area payments this week.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I wish to give the House some figures on the schemes, because Deputy Ó Cuív raised the issue earlier and sought such data. Payments worth some €154 million under the disadvantaged areas scheme will begin tomorrow, 26 September. This funding will provide a boost to the rural economy and will benefit all areas of the country. It is too early to estimate, at this stage, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I did not make a virtue out of it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I had nothing to do with it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Ó Cuív asked a lot of questions. I totally reject that we have done nothing. It is quite the opposite. I have met all the banks in this country and I met a number of them on more than one occasion. Extra funding has been made available. Ulster Bank, for example, launched a specific food harvest fund. In the past fortnight Bank of Ireland launched with me a €250...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: -----when we need to support real farmers in disadvantaged areas. That is why we also have a fair derogation system, which is being applied at present, and will have a fair appeals system with an independent chair, who is currently the chair of Connacht Gold. I say that in case anybody is concerned that the west of Ireland is not being represented - it is. This has been a very difficult...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I will not start to give assurances one way or the other in regard to schemes for next year because that is a budget debate and I will not make early budget promises. However, I am very conscious of the importance of schemes for farmers' incomes and will try to protect them as best I can. I will not make absolute claims at this stage, however, three months away from the budget. In regard...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: -----and farmers, and the amount of money being spent in terms of the percentage of loans being made. The amount being spent on agriculture, agrifood and farming is considerably above what it would have been in previous years. In answer to Deputy Ó Cuív's question, we are doing a great deal on live exports. We have opened up an entire series of new markets, the most recent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Aquaculture Licences (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Fleming's question relates to a real frustration I have, namely, to try to issue aquaculture licences as quickly as possible. I have a long answer here to his question which he will receive but I do not wish to read all of it out, thereby taking up the time allocated and perhaps not answering some of the specific questions he might have. Essentially, what has happened in this...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Aquaculture Licences (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: We are doing many things to answer the issues raised in the Deputy's questions. The Minister, Deputy Deenihan, has been very helpful on this issue and the Minister and myself have put extra resources into trying to get the assessments done in the Natura bays so we can make determinations on licence applications in those areas but we are required to do that by law. There are no shortcuts in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Aquaculture Licences (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I agree with the Deputy's final comment but it must be remembered that not every licence application will be successful. Some of them will be inappropriate and others will relate to areas which are too sensitive in the context of the ecosystems and marine resources which exist there. However, I hope that many of these licences will be granted. It is my job to provide the necessary and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Aquaculture Licences (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: We are determined to do both.