Results 7,581-7,600 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — School Fruit Scheme: School Fruit Scheme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: At its meeting on 12 June 2007, the Council of Agriculture Ministers invited the Commission to come forward with a proposal for a school fruit scheme as soon as possible based on an impact assessment of the benefits, practicability and administrative costs involved. On 18 December 2007 the Commission launched a public consultation procedure and that process will continue until the end of...

Written Answers — Fur Farming: Fur Farming (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Fur farming is a legitimate farming activity in this country. Under the Musk Rats Act, 1933 (Application to Mink) Order 1965, the keeping of mink is prohibited except under licence, obtained from my Department. Licences are issued under this legislation only if the applicant, following an inspection, is found to be compliant with a number of key conditions. Licensed fur farms are also...

Written Answers — Crop Losses: Crop Losses (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Since the brown rot outbreak was found on Irish produced potatoes in September 2007 my Department officials have implemented the contingency plan for brown rot outbreak and has worked tirelessly to control and eradicate this dangerous bacterial disease. Disease prevention notices have been served on growers where the disease has been confirmed and this results in limiting the movement of...

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware, I have been lobbying the EU for some time to agree to a milk quota increase in order to allow milk producers to respond to the positive signals on the dairy market. I was in contact with a number of my counterparts in the weeks leading up to last September's Council of Agriculture Ministers to build support for just such an increase, as it had been clear for some...

Written Answers — Animal Feed: Animal Feed (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of any specific requirements being placed on small animal feed merchants, other than those required of any small business enterprise, that could be considered burdensome red tape. The Deputy may be referring to the EU requirement under the EU Feed Hygiene Regulations on all operators to register as Feed Business Operators in 2006. The Regulations also require my Department to...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The 18 member Agri-Vision 2015 Committee was established in January 2004. The purpose of the committee was to review the strategy and recommendations in the Agri Food 2010 Report in the context of developments, both external and internal, since that report was completed. While the review itself was broad ranging, it focused on a number of particular issues including the enlargement of the EU,...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Climate change has potentially serious implications not just for agriculture but for all sectors of the economy. Agriculture has already made a significant contribution to Ireland's efforts to meet the targets set down under the Kyoto Protocol, achieving a reduction of 2% in greenhouse gas emissions from the sector in the period 1990 to 2005. The decision to opt for full decoupling of...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The countries I intend to visit during the next six months are as follows: February — Trade and Investment Mission to Japan March — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Brussels April — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Luxembourg May — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Brussels June — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Luxembourg July — Council of...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The matters referred to which come within the remit of my Department are currently being examined. I understand that the aspects which come within the remit of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, have been dealt with in his reply of 14 February to Parliamentary Question No. 59 from Deputy Sherlock.

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The CAP Health Check was discussed most recently at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 18 February. There was a wide-ranging discussion with all member States outlining their priorities. The main elements of the Communication on the Health Check relate to simplification of the single payment scheme, the expiry of milk quotas in 2015 and how to address the emerging challenges of climate...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As indicated in my reply to the previous Parliamentary Question referred to, 12,675 applications were received under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007. These applications are currently being processed up to the level of funding made available for the Scheme under the 2006 Partnership Agreement Towards 2016. It is not possible at this stage to indicate...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As you are aware a strategy for a Restructured, sustainable & Profitable Irish Seafood Industry 2007-2013 — Steering a New Course, was launched on January 28th 2007. The strategy sets out a visionary road map towards achieving an Irish seafood sector that is sustainable, profitable, and most of all, truly competitive and market-focused. The strategy is based on a comprehensive report...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The number of inspections carried out by officials of my Department under the cross-compliance arrangements (which include nitrates directive requirements) attaching to the Single Payment Scheme in 2006 and 2007 was 1,309 and 1,330 respectively. I do not have information on inspections undertaken by local authorities. Staff allocations within local authorities are a matter for the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I had further discussions with Commissioner Fischer Boel in Brussels on Monday about the difficulties with the European Commission in relation to the established practice of paying REPS 2 and REPS 3 participants at the beginning of each contract year. I am very glad to say that I obtained the Commissioner's agreement that Ireland can continue to receive REPS payment claims and make payments...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments relating to animal health and welfare including an undertaking to introduce a new Animal Health Bill to consolidate and amend previous legislation to reflect the changed disease status of our nation's animals. Drafting of the legislation relating to animal health (and also to take account of the commitments to introduce a...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Fish landed in Ireland is currently traceable through a variety of means including sales notes, landing declarations data, and labelling requirements. My Department has introduced a comprehensive regime for the collection of sales notes in Ireland since the 1st of January 2007, as required under Council Regulation 2847/1993. Sales notes detail the origin, size, weight, price and date of...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The next meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on 17 March. We do not, as yet, have an agenda for this meeting but items of interest to Ireland likely to feature include the Health Check of the CAP and the proposed increase in Milk Quotas for 2008. On the Health Check I understand that the Slovenian Presidency will present conclusions to the discussions to date to...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: On Monday 18th February, 2008, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, John Browne T.D., announced details of the Fishery Harbours and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for 2008, which is worth over €23m. Funding was allocated to projects that were identified as priorities by both the Local Authorities and the Department's Engineering Division....

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 45 together. The Farm Improvement Scheme was launched by my Department in July 2007 with a funding provision of €79 million as agreed under the Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. As applications under the Scheme had reached this level of funding, the Scheme was closed to new applications on 31 October 2007. I have no plans at present to reopen...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The national forest estate extends to some 700,000 hectares or 10% of the total land area. This figure is less than one third of the EU average. The Strategic Plan for the Development of the Forestry Sector in Ireland, 'Growing for the Future', sets a target of 17% of the total land area for forest cover. Over the period of the National Development Plan, the immediate objective is for...