Results 7,601-7,620 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Pig Sector: Pig Sector (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am very aware of the difficulties facing the pig sector and will continue to pursue appropriate actions to alleviate them. The problems are attributable to a number of factors such as the cyclical nature of the industry, the high cost of feed and the strength of the euro, which adversely affects exports to non-EU countries. The cost and availability of feed are critical considerations. At...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Farm Improvement Scheme was suspended to new applications on 31 October 2007 as the applications had reached the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. That agreement provides for a formal review of its terms in 2008 in which all parties to the agreement will be involved.

Written Answers — Animal Identification Scheme: Animal Identification Scheme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department reviews the methods of cattle identification available within the terms of the EU requirements and keeps in touch with developments in the marketplace in relation to eartags to ensure that the tag most suited to the needs of Irish farming is available. I am satisfied that the current system of double tagging bovine animals with plastic tags is the most efficient and practical...

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

Mary Coughlan: I intend to visit Co Kilkenny in April.

Written Answers — Plant Closures: Plant Closures (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: On 8 February the company in question announced its intention to transfer its packaging operation from Athy to a new consolidated Dublin facility. The company has stated that it is committed to continuing to source its requirement for peas for its canning plant from farmers in the Athy region. I understand that the company has entered into negotiations with the growers on handling and...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The current requirement that all bovine animals over 30 months of age, slaughtered for human consumption, must be tested for BSE is provided for in Regulation (EC) No.999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (The TSE Regulation). Accordingly I do not have the...

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

Mary Coughlan: At present, farmers can choose to have their payments made by cheque or electronic funds transfer directly into their bank account and this situation will continue during the 2008 EU financial year which ends on 15 October. However, as and from the 2009 EU financial year commencing on 16th October 2008, payment by cheque will no longer be permitted under EU rules. My Department is obliged to...

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

Mary Coughlan: The adventitious or accidental presence of unauthorised GM events in imported animal feed became an issue last year when it became known that a small area of the 2006 US maize crop was sown with a GM maize variety, referred to as Herculex Rw. The GM event in this crop was authorised in the US but while an application for its approval had been made to the EU, it had not yet obtained...

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

Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently developing a herd health initiative to deal with non-regulated diseases in a comprehensive and integrated manner. The initiative has been proposed to enable Ireland achieve international best practice in the area of animal health which seeks to complement existing programmes and focus on non-regulatory issues in this area. My officials have met with the principal...

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

Mary Coughlan: The revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced in March 2006 in order to assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive closed for new applications at end-December 2006. Farmers who had not submitted a complete application by that date had until 29 June 2007 to submit all required drawings, etc., including confirmation that planning permission had been...

Written Answers — Food Prices: Food Prices (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Changes in food prices are primarily a function of market forces operating at international, EU and national levels. Consistently strong economic growth in developing countries is the main driver of changing world food demand towards high-value agricultural products and processed foods. Slow-growing supply, low stocks, and supply shocks at a time of increasing demand for feed, food and fuel...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The agri-food sector is a source of many of the raw materials for the production of biofuels. To encourage the cultivation of crops for energy purposes I have introduced a number of incentives including a new National Energy Crop Premium of €80 per hectare, which supplements the EU Premium available under the EU Energy Crops. I also launched a new Bio-energy Scheme in February 2007 to...

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

Mary Coughlan: 12,675 applications were received by my Department under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007. A county-by-county breakdown of these applications is as follows: County Number of Applications County Number of Applications Carlow 176 Longford 218 Cavan 675 Louth 209 Clare 510 Mayo 740 Cork 1,863 Meath 272 Donegal 931 Monaghan 362 Dublin 29 Offaly 282...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In my capacity as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food I have not made representations to the Minister for Transport. As a T.D. for Donegal South West I have made a number of representations on the matter to the Minister for Transport.

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

Mary Coughlan: In relation to quota allocations, the position is that Ireland's shares of the main fish stocks were set in the early 1980s when fish stocks were being shared out between Member States. The share allocations were based on catch records and reflect the fishing levels by the Irish fleet at that time. The percentage shares held by each Member State have generally remained the same for over 20...

Written Answers — Legislative Controls: Legislative Controls (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the designated Control Authority responsible for implementing EU and national fertiliser legislation. Under this legislation products placed on the market must comply with specifications laid down in the relevant legislation and must be in accordance with the declared nutrient contents on the labelling. Compliance with the relevant...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I had further discussions with Commissioner Fischer Boel in Brussels on Monday last 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...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The reforms of the CAP and Common Fisheries Policy have been undertaken with a view to ensuring the viability of these sectors in the EU. The 2003 Reform of the CAP has provided farmers with certainty about income support levels through the Single Farm Payment, while freeing them to increase their income from the market by responding to consumer demands and guaranteeing a supply of safe food,...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Government decision on the decentralisation of my Department is that our headquarters will move to Portlaoise, involving some 600 staff; the local offices in Cork city will move to Fermoy, involving some 100 staff; and the laboratories in Cork and Limerick will move to Macroom, involving up to 100 staff. These are all currently scheduled for completion in 2009. The move of the Fisheries...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Responsibility for enforcement of labelling legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) through its service contracts with my Department, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), the Health Services Executive (HSE), the Local Authorities (LAs) and the...