Results 861-880 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy is aware that the Department of Agriculture and Food is scheduled to be decentralised to Portlaoise in the first phase of the decentralisation programme. Nine officers have accepted promotion on the understanding that they will have to decentralise to Portlaoise. Eight of the officers were appointed from interdepartmental public appointments service panels. I have no information...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: A minimum of 20 income units from farming is required for grant applications under the on-farm investment schemes. The European Commission has repeatedly opposed any relaxation of the minimum income provision, despite several approaches from the Department of Agriculture and Food on the matter. The conditions of the farm waste management scheme, including the 20-income unit restriction, are...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: European Council Regulation 1782/2003, which governs the single payment scheme, stipulates that payments under the scheme will be made once a year, within the period from 1 December of the year of application to 30 June of the following year. The regulation also provides for advance payment circumstances to be decided by the European Commission, subject to the budgetary position. The Deputy...

Written Answers — Departmental Supports: Departmental Supports (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The group has received assistance from several public bodies. I support close co-ordination between the bodies and the group in making available their full range of expertise and assistance.

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The report of the organic development committee, which was published in April 2002, contained a number of recommendations to develop the organic sector in Ireland. The committee's main recommendations have been implemented, including the establishment of a national steering group. This group has met on eight occasions and continues to monitor the implementation of the other recommendations of...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Some 11,877 farmers in Mayo qualified for payments, totalling €25.6 million, under the area based compensatory allowance scheme in 2004. At present, all of County Mayo is classified as more severely handicapped under the current criteria for designating areas as disadvantaged: low land productivity, low economic returns and low or dwindling population. As part of the suggested rural...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Payment has issued this week in this case.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: A certificate of provisional entitlements under the single payment scheme issued to the person named on 18 November 2004. This statement included a detailed breakdown of how the provisional entitlements were calculated. Farmers are advised that if they are not satisfied that the statement is correct, they may seek a review by completing a provisional entitlements review form, which is...

Written Answers — State Shareholdings: State Shareholdings (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: As Minister, I hold a special share in Greencore plc. That share has the same monetary value as any other share in the company but has conditions attached which prevent the company from engaging in a number of activities without the prior written consent of the Minister. It does not empower me to become involved in operational matters or ordinary business decisions made by the company. In...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An application for afforestation grant aid on behalf of the person in question was refused by the forest service of my Department in February 2003 and again in April 2003 following an appeal by the applicant. The application was refused on environmental grounds.

Written Answers — Milk Quota: Milk Quota (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The statutory basis for a pilot scheme for the allocation of milk quota to farm managers, which requires the formation of a special type of milk production partnership, was put in place in 2003 and refined in 2004, through amendments to the milk quota regulations. I expect discussions on the relevant criteria and conditions will conclude in time to allow for the introduction of a pilot scheme...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An application for consideration under the force majeure or exceptional circumstances criteria of the single payment regulations was submitted by the person named on 7 January 2004. Following consideration by the Department and the independent single payment appeals committee of the circumstances outlined, including additional information submitted, the Department is satisfied that force...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The position with regard to the 2005 single payment national reserve is that all applications are being processed at present. In view of the number of applications received and accompanying documentation submitted, it will be some time before processing is completed. The Deputy will appreciate, therefore, that it is not possible to indicate at this stage whether the person named will qualify...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named received the following payments under the special beef premium scheme for the years 1997 to 2002: â'¬ 1997 3,144.06 1998 3,098.57 1999 2,633.46 2000 2,639.92 2001 2,618.20 2002 2,079 The person named received the following payments under the extensification premium for the years 1997 to 2002: â'¬ 1997 1,503.89 1998 1,026.13 1999 1,259.63 ...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An application for consideration under the force majeure or exceptional circumstances measure of the single payment regulations was submitted by the person named on 22 January 2004. The person named has been notified that the circumstances outlined by him do not satisfy the criteria for force majeure or exceptional circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003. The...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: An application for grant aid on behalf of the person in question is currently being processed by the forest service of my Department. As the site in question is in an environmentally sensitive area, a public consultation process will need to be undertaken before any decision can be taken in the matter.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named had seven animals deemed eligible under the 2004 EU slaughter premium scheme. In respect of four animals slaughtered in November 2004, the 60% advance payment, in the amount of €192.00, issued on 21 December 2004. In respect of three animals slaughtered in December 2004, the 60% advance payment in the amount of €144.00 was processed for issuing on 1 February 2005....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: A certificate of provisional entitlements under the single payment scheme issued to the person named on 30 September 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 — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is not directly involved in initiatives specifically relating to anti-social behaviour. There is, however, one area for which the Department is responsible which does impinge on addressing one particular type of anti-social behaviour. This is the provision by my Department of grant assistance to local authorities towards the cost of implementing the provisions of the Control of...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Ireland submitted an action programme for the further implementation of the directive to the European Commission on 22 October 2004. The likely impacts of the nitrates directive on the various sectors in agriculture were considered at length when the...