Results 7,801-7,820 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established in 1958, under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The matter of closing Shelbourne Park on the various dates referred to by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Eligibility (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: TAMS is funded under Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020. The  relevant EU Regulation governing Rural Development states that applicants wishing to qualify for the higher rate of aid for capital investment must be set-up for the first time within five years of the date of receipt of an application for aid.  This requirement is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I was pleased to announce the launch of the “Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme” on 31st January. 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, which was developed in co-operation with the Strategic Banking...

Seanad: Annual National Transition Statement on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I thank Senators for giving me the opportunity to address the House on the important matter of climate action. We have a thriving agrifood sector which includes the forest sector, and one that is efficient and environmentally conscious. However, everyone in this room will be aware that we face one of the greatest dual challenges of our time, namely, ensuring food security for all and...

Seanad: Annual National Transition Statement on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I thank all Members who contributed to this debate. Everyone is sincere about where we need to go on this. The most important point is that we have a capacity to bring people with us. On Senator Kevin Humphreys's point about the farming organisations, I do not believe it is a case of facing down anybody. It is about recognising who has done what to date and what more we need to do....

Seanad: Annual National Transition Statement on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: In terms of actions in this area that this and the previous Government have taken, they are numerous, and I would cite the introduction of the green, low-carbon, agri-environment scheme, GLAS, and the beef data and genomics programme, which are critical in protecting groundwater sources etc. We have much more to do. I am focusing in on the argifood side and I acknowledge the point made by...

Seanad: Annual National Transition Statement on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I thank colleagues for their contributions and we will take them on board because we acknowledge we must bring people along with us in this debate.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Severe Weather Events Response (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: In response to the serious flooding last winter a comprehensive package of supports was put in place for farmers most affected including the introduction of a Fodder Aid scheme (replacing damaged fodder) and an  Emergency Flood Relief Scheme. In addition emergency feed was provided where there was a risk to animal welfare on farms. The Emergency Flood...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Severe Weather Events Response (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Details of a one-off targeted and prioritised scheme to provide relocation assistance to assist those properties worst affected by the floods of 2015/2016 and for which there are no alternative solutions will be brought to Government shortly by the Minister for State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and flood relief. Legal advice has been received from the office of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry Development (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, signed The Irish Grocery Goods Undertakings Regulations 2016, which came into effect on 30 April 2016 (S.I. No. 35 of 2016). The Regulations apply to food and drink retailers and wholesalers/group of related companies with a worldwide turnover of over €50 million. They prohibit a number of practices and are enforced by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I am acutely aware of the issues currently being faced by Irish beef farmers. My Department currently provides a range of supports across a number of schemes for Irish beef farmers. One example is the Beef Data and Genomics Programme which forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and will provide suckler farmers in Ireland with some €300 million...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme were introduced under the reform of Direct Payments in 2015. These schemes were designed to provide financial support to young farmers and new entrants to farming during the crucial early years immediately following the setting up of a farming enterprise.  The National Reserve provides for an allocation of entitlements at the national...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department’s role on labelling of products is focussed on ensuring that such labelling conforms to a number of regulatory requirements such as mandatory country of origin labelling (COOL) where it applies to food products on sale in retail outlets here. In 2011 the European Union passed the Food Information to Consumers (FIC), Regulation 1169/2011, which has updated the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the governing EU Regulation No 889 of 2008, organic farmers are permitted to use pig manure in organic production.  This Regulation however prohibits the use of pig manure which is of factory-farming origin.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Safety Scheme (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Farm safety is a critical issue facing farming today. Statistics show that accidents on farms cause more workplace deaths than all other occupations combined. In 2016 there were 21 work related fatal accidents on farms compared to 19 in 2015, this while the overall fatal accident rate fell between 2015 and 2016 from 56 to 44. The 21 fatal farm accidents account for more than 47% of all the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Payment issued to almost 27,400 farmers on the 29 December 2016. On the 1 January 2017 some 10,100 files remained to be processed and this work has been completed in respect of 2,736 cases leaving 7,357 cases to be processed. Department officials are working through all outstanding cases on an individual basis with the intention of processing payments which meet all required...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: All GLAS applications must pass regulatory controls and validations before payment can issue. Following the initial GLAS payments which issued on the 29 December 2016 the priority was to assess remaining files and clear them for payment in a systematic manner. The first payrun in 2017 issued on 27 January 2017 and details of 2017 payments issued are set out in the following table. GLAS...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The conditions under which circus animals are kept and managed come under the scope of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which contains rules relating to the welfare of all animals and requires a person having an animal under his or her control to safeguard and not endanger the health and welfare of the animal. My Department has received general complaints from members of the public...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme Payments (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named has not yet received his Organic Farming Scheme payment as he was subject to a Department inspection in 2016. The Inspection report has now been finalised and I am pleased to say that his application is being processed for payment. I expect this to issue shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Payments (16 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted an application under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme 2016 on 07 May 2016 and returned his Sheep/Goat Census return on 30 May 2016. The Terms and Conditions of the scheme set out that, under EU Regulation 21/2004, all flock owners’ and sheep keepers are obliged to count the sheep in their flock, record this number in...