Results 641-660 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the majority of appointments to my Department are made through the Public Appointments Service. However, the following appointments were made since the Cabinet reshuffle in September 2004 to my office and the Ministers of State's offices. Minister Coughlan Minister of State Smith Minister of State Browne 1 Press Adviser 1 Personal Assistant 1 Personal...

Written Answers — Agricultural Schemes: Agricultural Schemes (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The reductions reflected in the single payment provisional entitlements are those provided for in the European Council Regulation 1782/2003, which introduced the single payment scheme. There is no provision in the regulations to allow a corresponding reduction in land mass. However, there are provisions to allow farmers to consolidate their entitlements on fewer hectares than they declared on...

Written Answers — Genotype Programme: Genotype Programme (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The question of defining sheep flocks of high genetic merit for the purpose of the genotype programme is under examination in my Department with a view to introducing, by April, a breeding programme to select for resistance to TSE's in each of our native sheep breeds, and other breeds which form a significant population here.

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry: Motion. (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Tá lúcháir orm bheith anseo le cúpla focal a rá faoin tionscal siúcra in Éirinn agus faoin díospóireacht atá idir láimhe san Eoraip. Sugar beet growing and sugar processing have a long tradition in Ireland dating back to 1926 when the first sugar factory was established in Carlow. The Government has always been very committed to the industry, both to sugar beet growing and sugar...

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry: Motion. (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In summary, the special share prevents the disposal of the controlling interest in Irish Sugar Limited or the sugar assets and prevents a single shareholder or group of shareholders acting together from gaining control of Greencore plc. The special share does not allow me to interfere in the commercial decisions of the board. The issue of the ownership of the quota has been raised in the...

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry: Motion. (26 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Moreover, for the facilitation of farmers in the area represented by the Senator, I urge the holding of discussions between the community and the factory to ensure that the collection process and the transportation issues are dealt with to the satisfaction of the farming community.

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Ireland submitted an action programme for the further implementation of the directive to the European Commission on 22 October 2004. In parallel with the submission of the action programme, Ireland also submitted a derogation proposal setting out a...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Both the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I are disappointed that the compromise position of the Brosnan report was not accepted. As the Deputy knows proposals were made in 2003, which were not acceptable to the bodies and therefore further discussions took place. The use of zoning is accepted in principle by the Commission. However, unfortunately it regarded...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The action programme wasnot rejected on the basis of the scientific data. It was rejected mainly because it failed to create binding rules for farmers, the prohibited periods for spreading fertiliser needed to be extended, the minimum storage capacity needed to be increased and clear rules needed to be established on nutrient management by reference to crop needs. It was not rejected on the...

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I refute the Deputy's first insinuation that the Government failed to provide a national action plan.

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Members on the opposite side of the House have pontificated too much about ensuring that we had-——

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Yes, 1992. I do not recall at any time in the past 20 years any Opposition Members calling for a nitrogen action plan.

EU Directives. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: They know we had difficulties in preparing it. Many of the Opposition Members present were previously members of local authorities, which introduced by-laws not similar to the proposals made by Teagasc. This will cause some serious problems for people like me and my colleagues on this side of the House who wish to ensure that we get acceptance of the plan.

Bovine Diseases. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I assume the research on BSE referred to by the Deputy is that reportedly conducted by Swiss, British and US researchers and recently published in the journal Science. My understanding is that this research is ongoing. Decisions on food safety, including questions related to BSE, are constantly kept under review in the European Union and include, where necessary, referral of the results of...

Bovine Diseases. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: This is ongoing research that has not been fully evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority, which will make recommendations to the Commission for consideration. It would be imprudent of me to pre-empt the outcome of the research. We will adhere to any recommendations from the European Food Safety Authority to the Commission. I have not been in touch with the authority but the Food...

Bovine Diseases. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Last year there was a 30% reduction in the number of cases and this month, in comparison to January 2004, there has been a considerable decrease in the number of animals with BSE. The small number of those who tested positive since the restrictions, cause concern and a thorough investigation is being carried out by Department officials to ascertain the cause of young animals contracting, BSE....

Animal Transport Regulations. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The EU regulation to which the Deputy refers is Council Regulation (EC) No. 1 of 2005. Most of the requirements of the regulation will not come into effect until 5 January 2007. A small number of other provisions will have effect from 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2009. The regulation is designed to improve the welfare of animals being transported within member states and throughout the...

Animal Transport Regulations. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I agree with the Deputy's suggestion that farmers are not abusing their animals at present. The Deputy will appreciate that this is a controversial animal welfare issue in the European context. The changes will have a minimal effect on farmers transporting animals less than 50 km. There will be no change in that regard, in comparative terms, because the new regulation is in line with what is...

Animal Transport Regulations. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: No, it is not.

Animal Transport Regulations. (27 Jan 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I do not know how many hours it would take to drive from Malin Head to Mizen Head. I suppose it would depend on how fast one was driving.