Results 6,981-7,000 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: I am very aware that following a positive start to 2016,beef farmers have faced a number of challenges as the year has progressed. The immediate impact of Brexit has been seen in our currency exchange rates and has affected our primary major export market. Beef production is also up here and in the UK in 2016. Looking at the market outlook for the remainder of the year it is estimated that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Natura 2000 (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: My Department has a limited role in relation to this matter. The baseline data referred to by the Deputy in respect of designated Natura 2000 areas (i.e. areas protected under EU Birds-Habitats Directives) is prepared by the Marine Institute in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service which comes under the remit of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (30 Nov 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: Organic Farming Scheme Eligibility (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: The new Organic Farming Scheme has proved extremely successful, attracting more new applicants than any scheme before, and encouraging a significant number of Irish farmers to convert to organic farming systems. This is a co-funded scheme, supported jointly through the Rural Development Programme by the EU and the Irish Exchequer. At this point in time, the budget allocated to the new...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: A high level inter-departmental Task Force was set up by Government in November 2015 following reports of alleged abuses of migrant workers on board Irish fishing vessels. The remit of the Task Force was to examine the issues raised by these reports and to formulate a co-ordinated and effective cross-Government response. The Task Force delivered its report on this matter in December...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Severe Weather Events (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: I fully acknowledge and accept that there are ongoing difficulties being experienced by the farming community, not least by our tillage farmers. This sector is a very important area in the agricultural economy but it has been a challenging year both in terms of market returns and variable weather conditions experienced during the harvest. Only last week, I corresponded in detail with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: Brexit poses enormous challenges for the Irish agri-food sector as a whole but there are additional and unique challenges for our fishing industry potentially, depending on what the UK seeks to do. Reciprocal access to fishing grounds and shared stocks is one of those key issues. Fish stocks are a shared resource managed under the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union. Nearly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Quotas (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: The EU Commission’s proposal for the 2017 fishing opportunities was published on 27 October and a number of updates to the proposal have been issued throughout November. The levels of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and the quotas for Ireland will, as usual, be determined at the Council meeting, held on 12 and 13 December. This will involve intensive negotiations with Member States and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: In the course of its analysis to date, my Department has identified a number of medium-to-long term issues that the UK decision to leave the EU gives rise to. Among these is the question of how the EU budget will be affected by the loss of the UK contribution. It is estimated that the loss to the EU budget will be of the order of between 5% and 10%. This could have implications for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: Almost 15,000 farmers declare commonage annually on their Basic Payment Scheme application. To date 6,578 of these farmers have been approved into the GLAS scheme and I expect this figure to increase when GLAS Tranche 3 applications are submitted, assessed and approved into the scheme. GLAS is a voluntary scheme and is ideally suited for farmers with commonage as they are assured...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Cereal Sector (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: I fully acknowledge that there are ongoing difficulties being experienced by the farming community, not least by our tillage farmers. This sector is a very important area of the agricultural economy but it has been a challenging year both in terms of market returns and variable weather conditions experienced during the harvest. The Deputy already raised a similar matter in the Dáil...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. I can confirm that the recent appointments to the HRI Board were made in accordance with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards and that they were advertised on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (30 Nov 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. Accordingly, I have not received, nor would I expect to receive, a report on the inspections. The report of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Household Incomes (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: Ireland is a small open economy which exports the vast bulk of its main agricultural commodities. Therefore producer prices in Ireland are largely determined by commodity prices on world markets, rather than by production levels within Ireland itself. We have seen significant commodity price volatility on world markets over the last few years. However, there are measures in place to help...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: The Agricultural Markets Task Force was established in January 2016 to consider the functioning of the supply chain and the position of farmers within it. Its report was published in November and its contents and recommendations deserve careful consideration. The relatively weak position of farmers across the European Union in the supply chain is generally acknowledged.The issue is an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025, the new ten year strategy for the agri-food sector, was published in July last year. It identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: We are all well aware of the extraordinary challenge facing Ireland’s agri-food sector in the wake of the UK’s decision to leave the EU, given the vital importance of the UK market for the sector. The potential impacts are being given the highest priority by my Department and its agencies, and by the Government as a whole. My Department has been engaged for quite some...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: GLAS is an agri-environment climate measure under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. Its aim is to deliver environmental benefits which will protect and enhance our biodiversity and water quality and which will raise awareness of and encourage actions which mitigate the effects of climate change. The scheme contains actions which will deliver the expected environmental dividends and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: A high level inter-departmental Task Force was set up by Government in November 2015 following reports of alleged abuses of migrant workers on board Irish fishing vessels. The Task Force received presentations and submissions from a number of relevant stakeholders including the Fisheries Producer Organisations. The key outcome of the work of the Task Force is the establishment of a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Court of Justice Rulings (30 Nov 2016)

Michael Creed: The matter raised by the Deputy refers to legal proceedings taken by a number of vessel owners against decisions taken by the EU Commission to refuse applications for safety tonnage under Article 4(2) of Council Decision 413/97 of 26 June 1997. The Commission has sole responsibility in regard to these decisions and the State had no involvement in the adjudication process. Between 1...