Results 7,561-7,580 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Ireland (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I know the Deputy has some form in terms of questioning the outcomes of court proceedings. I do not propose to trespass on the findings of the courts on such matters in recent days other than to acknowledge the outcome. There is separation of powers, which the Deputy may not wish to recognise but I do. There are 13 members of the board of HRI and the board is representative of all...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Ireland (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I told the Deputy, who chose to ignore it, about the not insignificant fact of the outcome of a court finding last week in respect of this matter. In respect of the appointees, a clear skill set requirement was communicated to the Public Appointments Service as to the appropriate people required in respect of the industry. I am absolutely satisfied that the people who were appointed are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishery Harbour Centres (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated fishery harbour centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under statute. I am happy to advise the Deputy that between the years 2011 and 2016, as part of my Department's fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme, in excess of €6.7 million has been invested in maintenance,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Fishery Harbour Centres (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The FLAGs have independent jurisdiction over how they allocate the funds. I do not wish to prejudge their take on this but I suspect that the expenditure in respect of dredging would be far in excess of the funding they have available - I think it is €2.7 million all across all the FLAGs for 2017. They are making a call for projects. I met with representatives from all the marine...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I was pleased to announce the launch of the agriculture cashflow support loan scheme on Tuesday. One of my priorities has been to address the impact of the change in the sterling exchange rate and lower commodity prices in some sectors, which have caused cash flow difficulties for farmers. The scheme was developed in co-operation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I am satisfied that this will be a really good scheme. The Central Bank reported that the cost of credit in the first quarter of 2016 was significantly out of kilter with our EU counterparts. That is a significant input cost. This scheme is a response to that and it also addresses some Brexit-related challenges. I am somewhat taken aback by the volte-facefrom the Opposition benches. Two...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I very much welcome the volte-face. I point out to Deputy Cahill that it is available in high-street banks such as AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. In reality there is no other way to deal with it other than on a first-come, first-served basis and I advise farmers to engage. The terms and conditions of the scheme are as constructed. For farmers paying high interest in overdraft...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: There is sufficient flexibility to deal with that. That is the point Deputy Heydon mentioned.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I say to Deputy Deering that we will have to wait to see the success of it. I think it will be successful and success generates its own problems. That is something we will revisit at a later stage.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: It critical that we protect the Irish countryside for the benefit of all and agri-environment schemes such as GLAS and the earlier AEOS provides support to farmers to do this. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, have to be completed...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I was pleased to announce the launch of the “Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme” on Tuesday. One of my priorities has been to address the impact of the change in the sterling exchange rate and lower commodity prices in some sectors, which have caused cash flow difficulties for farmers. The Scheme was developed in co-operation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, have to be completed before any payment can issue.  GLAS The number of farmers in Co. Meath active in the GLAS 1 scheme is 442 and a further 211 are active in GLAS 2.  A total of 327...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the EU Regulations governing the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue.  The position in relation to Co. Carlow is that 283 farmers are active in GLAS 1 and 131 farmers in GLAS...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Article 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 requires all member states to implement a new system for designating eligible areas under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme from 2018 at the latest.  At present, eligible land under the scheme is designated by reference to criteria such as stocking density, family farm income, population density and the percentage of the working...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I am acutely aware of the potential risks and challenges that arise in the agri-food sector from the Brexit vote, and have been taking steps both to mitigate the short-term impact and to prepare for the longer-term implications that are likely to arise in areas such as tariffs and trading arrangements, and border controls and certification requirements.    The question...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry Development (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Brexit is obviously foremost in our minds and in Government it is very much a priority. It poses enormous challenges for the Irish agri-food sector as a whole including the fisheries sector. However, potentially, depending on what the UK seeks to do, there are additional and unique challenges for our fishing industry. Fish stocks are a shared resource managed under the Common Fisheries...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Framework Plans (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I recently appointed a new chair of the independent Commonage Implementation Committee.  Since that appointment on 23 November 2016 the committee has met twice - on 21 December 2016 and on 27 January 2017.  A date for the next meeting of the committee will be fixed by the chairperson, in consultation with committee members, in due course to ensure timely responses to such...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: EU regulations governing the administration of the Basic Payment Scheme and other area-based schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including Ground or Remote Sensing (Satellite) inspections where applicable, are fully completed to ensure eligibility with the various schemes requirements, before any payments issue.  A total of 6,214 cases were...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Eligibility (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Article 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 requires all member states to implement a new system for designating eligible areas under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme from 2018 at the latest.  At present, eligible land under the scheme is designated by reference to criteria such as stocking density, family farm income, population density and the percentage of the working...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pesticide Use (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Deputy Wallace will be reassured to learn that my officials monitor all such regulatory activity in relation to all pesticides.  With respect to the US EPA’s review of chlorpyrifos, and its most recent publication in November of 2016, I can inform the Deputy that my officials had already taken action, resulting in an immediate cessation of its use in Ireland by 31 March 2016....