Results 6,581-6,600 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Other Questions: Agriculture Scheme Payments (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: To be fair, the Department did succeed in addressing the entitlement to treatment from the national reserve for the group referred to as "old young farmers". This is a less clearly defined group. They are the forgotten farmers. They are not a homogenous group; their circumstances vary. Some of them may not even have the fundamental prerequisite of the green certification. It is a...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The UK remains by far Ireland's most important trading partner as far as the agrifood sector is concerned, with a trade surplus of €1.3 billion last year. There are also significant levels of trade in agri-sector products between North and South. In 2015, we exported almost €750 million of agrifood sector products to the North, of which beef represented €133 million;...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Very briefly, reassurances are difficult to find because there are so many moving parts to the Brexit scenario, and until the UK puts its cards on the table in terms of what its ask will be, one would be wise to take with a grain of salt any reassurances given. However, in respect of my meetings at the North-South Ministerial Council and other meetings I have had with my Northern Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department has recently invited all rural Local Authorities to submit applications for funding under the CEDRA Rural Innovation and Development Fund for innovative agri-food tourism projects, which advance rural and coastal economic development. Proposals for these agri-food tourism projects may also include support for local food and artisan markets. My Department proposes to allocate a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Funding (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Since taking up office, one of my priorities has been to address the impact on farmers of the sustained period of lower commodity prices. I am conscious that this has caused cash flow difficulties for farmers in several sectors and I am committed to using all efforts to address this issue.  The €150 million fund for "Agri Cash Flow Support" announced on budget day is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: I am acutely aware of the downward pressure on beef prices at present. Looking at the market outlook for the remainder of the year it is estimated that the total number of cattle available for slaughter at export plants for the year 2016 is expected to be between 60,000 and 80,000 greater than 2015. Figures for the year so far to the week ending 23rd October 2016 show that approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Afforestation of both native and non-native species can contribute towards the protection and enhancement of water quality and can also help in reducing the risk of flooding in lower lying areas of the catchment. In relation to water quality, new, well sited forests help reduce sediment mobilisation and runoff into nearby watercourses thereby protecting the quality of the water for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The National Forest inventory of 2012 estimated forest cover at 731,650ha or 10.5% of the total land surface of the country. In terms of total forest cover the target is 18% by 2050. The inventory is repeated every 5 years and the 2017 inventory is currently underway. The current Forestry Programme, covering the period 2015-2020, ensures continued state support for the two key objectives...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Employment Rights (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department does not have a role in the enforcement of employment or immigration law and therefore did not participate in the recent multi-agency inspections led by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) with the assistance of An Garda Síochána.  The report of the Government's inter-Departmental Task Force on Non-EEA Workers in the Irish Fishing Industry recommended the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Data (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Last year a suite of six measures were announced under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme known as TAMS II. These measures were launched under the new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and are co-funded under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The measures announced were the: 1. Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme 2. Dairy Equipment...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Offences (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Under Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 (the Common Fisheries Policy basic regulation), changes to fisheries policy involving access or restriction to fishing opportunities or fishing areas come within the sole competency of the EU.  Only the EU Commission may propose changes and any such proposal must be adopted under the co-decision process by the EU Parliament and EU Council. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Harvest 2020 Strategy (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The main targets set out in the Food Harvest report published in 2010 were, by 2020, to increase the value of primary output by 33% and agri-food exports by 42% (both from a 2007-09 average baseline); and to increase value added production by 40% (from a 2008 baseline). In addition to these value increases, the dairy industry targeted a 50% increase in milk production by 2020, to be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The UK's decision to leave the EU has undoubtedly given rise to enormous challenges for the Irish agri-food sector.  We have seen that the most immediate impact has arisen from changes to Euro-Sterling exchange rates, and that the horticulture sector has been particularly affected.  A number of actions are being taken to try to mitigate these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Compulsory beef labelling rules have been in place for many years and require food business operators to be able to trace fresh or frozen with specific information to enable the product to be traced back to the batch of animals from which it was derived.  This applies to pre-packaged and loose beef sold in the State. Under mandatory beef labelling rules, food business operators...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Competition Law (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: I am very much aware of the crucial importance of competition in the beef and lamb sectors. In this context, it is critically important to have a robust and transparent legal basis for the evaluation of proposals for mergers and acquisitions. This helps maintain the continuing viability of the beef farming industry in Ireland. I note the outcome of the European Commission's recent...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Plan (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The total allocation of funding in the 2016 estimates for measures covered by the Rural Development Plan (RDP 2014 – 2020) is €494.16 million and expenditure at the end of September 2016 amounted to some €230.6 million. The majority of the remaining expenditure will take place in December and a full drawdown is expected on most schemes.  The scheme where an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The current afforestation scheme is governed by the European Union Guidelines for State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas 2014 to 2020 which themselves must be consistent with the Rural Development Regulation 2014 -2020.  The current Rural Development Regulation does not provide for a reduced premium payment for non farmers, a condition which existed under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Quotas (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas - ICES, determined that there were two herring stocks in the north western waters and, correspondingly, two separate ICES Total Allowable Catch or TAC areas. In previous years, ICES gave separate advice for herring in 6A North and 6A South. Since 2015, ICES has found that while there are two separate herring stocks it was not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Some 25,800 farmers are actively participating in Tranche 1 of GLAS.  Of these, some 1,500 have a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016 and a further 2,000 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 did not select any actions qualifying for a 2015 part year payment leaving 22,300 participants entitled to a part year payment.  Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Quotas (27 Oct 2016)

Michael Creed: Ireland has received unequivocal advice from the EU Commission that a recreational angling fishery, even on a catch and release basis, in Ireland for bluefin tuna is not legally possible in the absence of a national bluefin tuna quota. We do not have such a quota and it is extremely unlikely that we could obtain one as it would involve reducing the share of the Total Allowable Catch of those...