Results 6,641-6,660 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Agrifood Industry: Motion (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Approximately 90% of all soya is genetically modified. Does the Deputy want pigs to starve?

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has received correspondence from the person referred to by the Deputy. The correspondence raised a number of issues which require legal examination. Accordingly, the matter has been referred to my Department's legal advisors for advice. As soon as this is received, my Department will be in further communication with the person in question.

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393, 406 and 413 together. Draft regulations requiring the origin labelling of pigmeat, poultrymeat and sheepmeat were prepared in my Department and forwarded to the Department of Health and Children as the Regulations will be made under the Health Act 1947. A public consultation on the proposed regulations took place during the past month via the website of...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Following detailed consultations that resulted in the introduction of a Management Plan for the Waterford Cockle Fishery the Fishery was opened under S.I. 531 of 2007 (Cockle (Fisheries Management and Conservation) (Waterford Estuary) Regulations 2007) with effect from 21 July 2007. This precautionary and planned approach, that restricts the areas which may be fished and limits harvesting to...

Written Answers — Pesticide Residues: Pesticide Residues (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Thirteen samples of mushrooms were analysed in 2006 to check that they complied with the legislation controlling pesticide residues in food. The only pesticide residue found in the samples analysed was prochloraz and there is no evidence to suggest this is a carcinogenic substance. The prochloraz residues found in four of the samples analysed were present at levels less than or equal to...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Appeals require individual examination and are dealt with in the order in which they are received. The appeal was received in the Agriculture Appeals Office 2nd August 2007 and was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 30th August 2007. The Appeals Officer has previously been in contact with the appellant to arrange an oral hearing, however the appellant was unavailable to attend. The Appeals...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The 2007 Annual Output Statement was published on my Department's website on 28 June 2007.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The Annual ICES advice was released on Friday 19th October 2007 and is available on the ICES website, http://www.ices.dk/advice/icesadvice.asp. I will carefully examine this advice which will inform the Commission's proposal for the 2008 TAC and Quota Regulation. I will be working with Industry representatives over the coming weeks to deliver the best possible TAC'S, for stocks of...

Written Answers — Departmental Travel: Departmental Travel (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour advises that benefits under frequent flier schemes may be retained by individual civil servants in recognition of the fact that official travel is disruptive to personal and family life. Accordingly, my Department permits Officers travelling on official business on behalf of the Department to retain any frequent flyer points earned.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The Single Payment Appeals Committee considered the case and requested the appellant to provide evidence that exceptional circumstances of Force Majeure precluded him from submitting his application prior to the closing date for receipt of applications. Despite several requests, no response has been received by the Committee to date, in support of his claim. In the absence of the evidence...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The person named is an applicant for grant-aid under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. Payment will be made by my Department to the person concernedshortly.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 408 together. In accordance with the government decision taken on the 9 October and on foot of the Sea Fisheries, Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2007, responsibility for the following legislation and associated functions has been transferred to my department: Sea-Fisheries and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Payment dated 11 October 2007 has issued in this case.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: To date in 2007, my Department, through contracts arranged by the Government Supplies Agency, expended some €590,000 on all forms of stationary and office supplies including paper product, of which €135,000 was in respect of recycled paper/paper products.

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware that the price of feed materials worldwide has increased significantly in the last 12 months and that this is putting serious pressure on pig producers. The EU Council of Agriculture Ministers has, in response to the pressures on the international cereal and feed markets, agreed to suspend the obligation to set 10% of arable land aside. This will ensure that more arable land is...

Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Bord Bia receives a Grant-in-Aid to assist it in fulfilling its statutory marketing and promotion functions in relation to food, drink and horticulture. Decisions on the sectoral allocation of funds are made by Bord Bia taking account of EU state aid rules. In the case of pigmeat, Bord Bia is working closely with producers to promote Quality Assured Pork and Bacon on the home market and I...

Written Answers — Beef Imports: Beef Imports (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Approval of countries to trade with the EU is a matter for the EU Commission and the EU Commissioner for Health has assured me that the Commission will not hesitate to take the appropriate protection measures if a product, imported from a third country represents a risk for the health of EC consumers, livestock or plants. In this context the EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) is to carry out...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, the mechanism through which milk quota was transferred in 2007 was the Milk Quota Trading Scheme, which I launched at the end of last year. The Scheme is operated at Co-op area level, and is comprised of a market exchange and a priority pool. It facilitates a more market-oriented transfer of quota than had previously been the case under the Milk Quota...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Grant applications under the various on-farm investment schemes operated by my Department are being processed in accordance with the standard administrative procedures in place for such applications.

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware that the price of feed materials worldwide has increased significantly in the last 12 months due to a combination of factors which include (i) the increased demand from the feed industry generally and from the biofuel industry and also increased freight costs; (ii) unfavourable weather conditions in many of the major cereal growing regions of the world; and (iii) in certain cases,...