Results 8,901-8,920 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The bays referred to by the Deputy are designated as Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive and/or Special Protection Areas under the EU Birds Directive (Natura 2000 sites). In the case of aquaculture sites located within Natura 2000 areas my Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Application Numbers (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The table below displays the number of active participants in both the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) 4 and Agri-Environment Options Schemes (AEOS) 1 and 2 and the numbers in each scheme that have received payment for the 2012 scheme year. Scheme Number of applicants in Scheme Number of Applicants paid 2012 Payment REPS 4 30,284 26,145 AEOS I 7,500 6,235 AEOS II 6,266...

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

Simon Coveney: Along with other Ministers, I have been pressing for the flexibility to be given to Member States to design payment models that suit their own farming conditions. As the Deputy is well aware, the ‘approximation’ approach, by which all payments could gradually move towards, but not fully to, the average, is one alternative that I believe should be considered in this regard....

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

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 172 together. I have regular meetings with the farming organisations in relation to the common agricultural policy negotiations and these meetings are supplemented by frequent meetings at official level. In addition, the Consultative Committee on CAP reform, established by my predecessor, was set up for the specific purpose of obtaining the views...

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

Simon Coveney: I wish to advise that the purpose of the proposed Forestry Bill is to reform and update the legislative framework relating to forestry in order to support the development of a modern forestry sector, which enshrines the principles of sustainable forest management (SFM) and protection of the environment and is not intended to deal specifically with Coillte. The current legislative framework...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Special Areas of Conservation Designation (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department was informed in December 2012 about the proposed designation of six additional areas as Special Areas of Conservation, in accordance with the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 477 of 2011). The Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht published details of the proposed designations in the national press. As candidate special areas of...

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

Simon Coveney: Ireland moved to fully decoupled payments in 2005. In the period since then, there have been no radical changes to the structure, scale and intensity of Irish farming enterprises. According to the 2010 CSO Census in Agriculture, the number of farm holdings has decreased by 2,000 from 141,527 in 2000 to 139,860 in 2010 and average farm size has been relatively stable with a slight increase...

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

Simon Coveney: Government support for the horse and greyhound racing industries is provided under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund, established under Section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001. In accordance with the Act, 80% and 20% of the monies paid into the Fund each year are distributed between Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon, respectively. The horse and greyhound racing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of State Assets (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Further to the Government decision that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be put forward for sale, the National Treasury Management Agency, via its NewERA Unit, has been actively engaged with Coillte, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department to examine the financial and other implications of a potential transaction. Substantial work...

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

Simon Coveney: In total, my Department wrote to in excess of 10,000 beneficiaries under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme whose holdings had not achieved the minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare, as required under the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Scheme. In response, my Department received 9,635 applications from farmers seeking a derogation from this requirement....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of State Assets (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: With reference to the Government decision, in the context of the asset disposal programme, that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be put forward for sale, substantial work has been undertaken to date on the identification of the forestry assets involved, the determination of their value and the consideration of a number of issues associated with the proposed...

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

Simon Coveney: The documentation sought includes communications with third parties and also considerable personal information. The individual referred to in the letter dated 2nd November 2011 has sought and received the information from my Department in this regard. For the reasons outlined above it would not be appropriate to accede to the Deputy’s request for information.

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

Simon Coveney: Recent analysis shows that there are more farmers over 80 than under 35 in Ireland. I have been working to encourage more new entrants to take up farming as a career. Budget 2013 saw the extension of key reliefs that were already in place for young new entrants (such as the 100% relief from Stamp Duty and the 100% stock relief for Young Trained Farmers). Extending these reliefs is not...

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

Simon Coveney: I wish to stress that it is a concession for the harvesting rights which is being considered for sale. In order to preserve the forest estate, my Department’s long-standing policy is that replanting should take place following harvesting apart from exceptional circumstances. The replanting obligation is one of the issues that have been identified in relation to the possible...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Lands (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of the forest estate including its forest parks, are the responsibility of the company. I understand that, while there is a daily charge of €5, there is also the option of an access card for €35 which provides unlimited access...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Action Plan for Jobs (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 530, the 2012 Action Plan for Jobs included 17 actions which specifically relate to the agri-food and fisheries sectors. With the exception of one area, all of the targets set were met, or are being met on an ongoing basis. The target date of end December 2012 for the determination of the deep-sea organic salmon aquaculture licence,...

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

Simon Coveney: I can confirm that a 2012 Sheep Census form was received from the person named by my Department on 7 January, 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2011. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. During these checks an...

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

Simon Coveney: Payments have issued to the person named in respect of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in respect of each of the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, annually calculated on an eligible area of 25.48 hectares. However, following review, further additional payments are due in respect of 2011 and 2012; these payments will issue shortly. The review, which included an on-the-spot inspection, found that the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in July 2009 and received payments for the first three years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following an on-farm inspection in 2011 an area discrepancy...