Results 8,861-8,880 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Expenditure (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: We do not have plans to introduce a farm drainage scheme, but one may be possible under the new rural development scheme that will be developed under the new Common Agricultural Policy. There is a good deal of lobbying among member states that have the opposite problem to Ireland in that they do not get enough rain. In the Mediterranean belt interests in the south of France, Spain, certain...

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: I do not accept the Deputy’s contention that I have targeted low income drystock farmers in budget 2013. The reality is that in a situation where the schemes concerned were approaching the end of their projected periods of operation and in a challenging budgetary environment, I secured continued significant additional support targeted at these sectors, which will build on the progress...

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: There is a simple answer to that question - there was not enough available. We had been using unspent funds for the dairy discussion groups, on which we were spending approximately €6 million a year. I have taken this money from the dairy sector because it now has proof that such discussion groups work. The approximately 7,000 dairy farmers involved in discussion groups can see the...

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am glad the Deputy asked that question. We actually prioritise in favour of the small farmer in the new beef data transfer scheme we are introducing. We have said that farmers who enter the scheme will receive a payment of €20 per cow for the first 20 in their herd. It is the bigger farmers, who may have from 40 to 80 cattle, for example, who are losing out. They would have been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: It will be recalled that, arising from the 2012 budgetary process, savings needed to be found in my Department’s expenditure for 2012 to keep it in line with government targets. Accordingly, it was necessary to adjust the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. However, rather than simply apply an across the board cut to the rates payable or reduce the maximum payable area, I decided that real...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Slaughter Standards (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: All slaughter plants which are approved under the relevant EU food safety regulations, known collectively as the ‘Hygiene Package’, are entitled to export the meat they produce. EU law provides for the free movement of goods between Member States. On that basis, meat and meat products, such as horsemeat, produced in an approved establishment, can be moved freely within the EU....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Expenditure (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Suckler Welfare Scheme was a five-year Scheme for beef breed animals born during the period 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012 in herds owned by eligible participants. This Scheme was fully funded by the Exchequer. In the context of Budget 2013, I announced that, given the existing Scheme had reached the end of its projected life and achieved its aim, I had secured funding for a new...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Issues (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The most recent estimate of the number of Sport Horses in Ireland is provided by a report commissioned by Horse Sport Ireland and conducted by UCD on the Economic contribution of the Sport Horse industry to the Irish economy. The report was published last autumn and estimated the total sport horse population in Ireland at 124,368. Of these, the Breeding sector comprised 73,349, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the Rural Development Programme 2007 - 2013 [RDP] a total of €2,494,540,590 EAFRD funding was allocated at programme level. This was subsequently allocated at axis level under the programme financial plan. Since the launch of the RDP expenditure under the programme up to the end 2012 amounted to €3.74bn. This represents close on 77.6% of the total value of the Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: We have a long way to go before final decisions can be taken on the content of the next rural development programme, including whether to include an element for forestry development. Although we now know, since Friday last, the amount of EU funding that will be available to Ireland for rural development, the proposed EU framework of rules for rural development in the next programming period...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am, of course, conscious of the financial pressures on many farm families and of the importance of grant and scheme payments to their incomes and cash-flow. Since my appointment I have given the highest priority to the processing and payment of all scheme payments and to the elimination of all unnecessary delays. In a ten week period from late September to early December 2012, the amount...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The proposal tabled by the EU Commission provides for progressive reductions on payments in excess of €150,000 to any one farmer and sets a mandatory cap on individual payments of €300,000 or more. These reductions and caps are net of the greening payment and salary costs and would not have any practical implications for Ireland. The Commission proposal does not provide...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Development (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The European Court of Justice declared in case C418/04 that, by failing to take all the measures necessary to comply with Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43 (Habitats Directive) in respect of authorisation of aquaculture programmes, Ireland had failed to fulfil its obligations under that Directive. In the negotiations to address the judgment a process was agreed with the European Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The financial implications for farmers arising from the MFF, in terms of the latter’s effect on farmers’ direct payments, derive primarily from the overall allocations made to individual Member States. Under the terms of the MFF agreement reached last Friday by Heads of State and Government, the distribution of direct payments between Member States indeed included a provision...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Properties (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department owns and operates, under Statute, six Fishery Harbour Centres at Killybegs, Ros an Mhíl, Dingle, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth. Properties located in the Fishery Harbour Centres are, when appropriate, offered for tenancy under lease or licence agreements. An individual agreement, which is a formal legally binding document on both parties, is voluntarily signed at...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the CAP reform package, the EU Commission has proposed two separate ceilings for coupled payments in the future, linked to whether the Member already operates a fully decoupled payment regime at present or whether it still operates coupled support in certain sectors. The proposed ceilings are 5% in respect of Member States such as Ireland who are fully decoupled and 10% in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The definition of an active farmer has not yet been finalised in the CAP reform negotiations. The original Commission proposal defined active farmers by reference to their receipts from agricultural activity, confining them to those whose annual direct payments are greater than or equal to 5% of the total receipts obtained from all non-agricultural economic activities or, in the case of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, land is designated in three categories: - Less Severely Handicapped Lowland and Coastal Areas with Specific Handicaps, - Move Severely Handicapped Lowland and - Mountain Type Grazing. The rates of aid payable, which are designed to assist farmers to overcome the difficulties for farming in such disadvantaged areas, are graduated, in line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horsemeat Sector (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The number of horses slaughtered in plants approved by my Department in each of the years since 2008 was as follows: 2008 – 2,002; 2009 – 3,220; 2010 – 7,296; 2011 – 12,575; 2012 – 11,402. It is understood from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland that the following numbers of horses were slaughtered in local authority approved slaughter plants...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payment in respect of 6,653 hectares of new planting was made in 2011 under the afforestation schemes with an almost identical figure of 6,652 hectares planted in 2012. These figures were consistent with the annual funding provided in each year for the afforestation programme. The outlook for planting in 2013 is positive with an increased interest in forestry among landowners as evidenced...