Results 781-800 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Agri-food Sector: Motion. (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy should know the difference between beef and a wee bit of poultry. However, I know what he is saying. On the food labelling issue in general, I emphasise that my primary aim is to protect consumer interests and to ensure the consumer is properly informed. Ireland is a major exporter of food and food products and there is a considerable volume of imports. Therefore, it is imperative...

Agri-food Sector: Motion. (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: At least I was not in the pub in the airport at the same time. I was there.

Agri-food Sector: Motion. (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I also raised the question of the lifting of the Chinese ban on beef products in my official discussions with both the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for the Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. During these discussions I emphasised that the control and supervision of food safety is afforded the very highest priority in Ireland and that the Government...

Agri-food Sector: Motion. (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: We are facing a period of major change at farm and processing levels and in the administration supporting the sector. The Government will continue to lead the change agenda to ensure the agrifood sector can continue to develop to its maximum potential. While the 2005 budget did much to enhance the well-being of every person in society, it was an extremely good budget for farmers. In addition...

Agri-food Sector: Motion. (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Last year was positive for agriculture. The Central Statistics Office estimates agricultural income increased by 1.3%, reflecting improvements in cattle and sheep prices and steady milk output and value.

Agri-food Sector: Motion. (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: These improvements are based on continuing positive trading conditions in EU markets with beef consumption exceeding production, good demand for sheepmeat and steady demand on international markets for milk commodities. Direct payments by my Department to the farming sector in 2004 amounted to more than €1.6 billion, 75% of aggregate farm income. The House has debated the proposals put...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: There was no change in forestry premium rates over the period referred to. However, the person in question is in receipt of the non-farmer rate of forestry premium, which is lower than that paid to applicants who qualify for the farmer rate of premium.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: When considering the public interest, the FOI unit of my Department, in accordance with the guidance of the FOI central policy unit of the Department of Finance, advises all decision-makers to consult any third parties informally when deliberating over the release of records involving these parties.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: As the record referred to by the Deputy involves a private citizen, consideration of its release would require prior consultation with the person involved. As the Deputy will be aware, the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 set out a procedure for the release of Departmental records, including records of the kind referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department does not keep records of the number of times in which informal third party observations are sought by phone in respect of FOI requests or FOI internal reviews.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Details of the five outstanding forestry-related appeals with the Office of the Information Commissioner are as follows: Dept. Ref. No.: FOI/135/2002 Summary of Request Office of the Information Commissioner Ref. No.: 020523 Requester sought: copies of the annual report and accounts of 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 in respect of each Christmas tree farm partnership between Coillte Teoranta...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by this Deputy is as follows: Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Ref. Nos. Information Commissioner's Ref. Nos. Appeal 1 FOI/14/2001 010181 Appeal 2 FOI/23/2001 010140 I understand that the Office of the Information Commissioner has been directly provided by that Department with copies of all the records relevant to...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: According to my Department's records, P1230873 is a valid herd number. It is registered in the name of the spouse of the person named. This record, which was disclosed under an FOI request, was part of a forestry grant and premium application by a person who purchased land from the person named. It would appear that the herd number and the phrase were inserted on the application by the person...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named reduced the size of his holding and a penalty was imposed on him in November last. He appealed the penalty directly to the Agriculture Appeals Office. At the request of the appeals office, my Department is reviewing the penalty. My Department will shortly convey its decision to the appeals office, which will make a final determination. The Agriculture Appeals Office is...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 to 242, inclusive, together. Various scientific investigations into the role of badgers in the spread of bovine TB have concluded that there is a link between infected badgers and the transmission and spread of the disease. The first study of the effect of the removal of badgers on the incidence of bovine TB took place in east Offaly in the 1980s and early...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The application from the person named was received in my Department on 3 December last and is being processed in accordance with the targets set out in the protocol on direct payments to farmers.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: A certificate of provisional entitlements under the single payment scheme was issued to the person named on 8 October 2004. The statement included a detailed breakdown of how the provisional entitlements were calculated. Farmers who are not satisfied with their provisional entitlement statement may seek a review on a form which is available from all local offices of my Department and from my...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988, and day-to-day operational matters are the responsibility of the company. Coillte is aware of the problem referred to by the Deputy. It has not yet approached my Department directly on the issue but I understand that it is examining the matter.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The local district veterinary office is not in a position to process this payment until required documentation, which was forwarded to the person concerned, has been completed and returned to the local office. The office will contact the person concerned directly and advise him again of these requirements.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (1 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Both schemes of early retirement from farming are governed by EU regulations and my Department must implement the schemes in accordance with the provisions of those regulations. It is a requirement of the schemes of early retirement that participants, whether they join the scheme because of ill health or for other reasons, must never return to farming. If a retired farmer wanted to return to...