Results 8,961-8,980 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware individual fishing opportunities and quotas are determined on an annual basis by the EU Fisheries Council in line with the mechanisms and procedures laid down in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). These take account of best available scientific information and involve all relevant stakeholders. Current proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy process,...

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

Simon Coveney: The pig sector accounts for approximately 6% of the overall agri-food industry and is the third largest individual component of the agri-food sector. During 2012 output, prices and export values continued the growth seen in recent years, growing by 2%, 10% and 16% respectively. Currently pig prices are over 15% ahead of the same week last year. This equates to almost 23c/kg. When compared...

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

Simon Coveney: New EU Animal Welfare rules setting down new standards in relation to the housing of sows came into force on 1 January 2013. A significant number of producers have undertaken the necessary work required in order to upgrade their facilities in order to comply with the new rules. My Department is aware of the scale of the challenge facing pig farmers in respect of the new requirements. To...

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

Simon Coveney: One of my goals as Minister for Agriculture is to promote generation renewal in farming. Achievement of our Food Harvest 2020 strategy is predicated on smart, green growth in the sector with an emphasis on investment and innovation. In this connection, I have concerns about the current age profile of our farming population and I firmly believe we must actively encourage the younger...

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

Simon Coveney: Next year, 2014, will be celebrated by the FAO as the International Year of Family Farming. The EU will prepare for this by facilitating discussion and organising a conference under the auspices of DG-Agri in Autumn 2013. Family farming has always been the main form of farming in Ireland. The key difficulties that I have seen are the lack of succession planning and the lack of...

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

Simon Coveney: Following the findings of the FSAI Survey on the authenticity of meat products (published on January 15), which disclosed the presence of horse meat in burgers and the identification in the follow up investigation of the source, the problem has developed into a pan European investigation of food fraud involving a range of meat products and traders/food business operators. My aim throughout...

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

Simon Coveney: Under EU Food Safety legislation, primary responsibility for the safety of food placed on the market place lies with the food business operator. Controls on the import of food are implemented by a number of agencies, including my Department, through service contracts with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). The main food products within the responsibility of my Department are...

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

Simon Coveney: Under EU Food Safety legislation, primary responsibility for the safety and traceability of food placed on the market place lies with the food business operator. The role of my Department and other agencies working within a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is to verify compliance by the food business operators with this requirement. Whenever a...

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

Simon Coveney: Ireland manages and enforces its Fishing quotas in accordance with the specifications of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). This involves regular consultation with fishing industry interests. Our existing quota management system is designed to ensure the rational management of the available quotas, having regard to fishing patterns and market conditions, the best possible spread both...

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

Simon Coveney: Under EU Food Safety legislation, primary responsibility for the safety of food placed on the market place lies with the food business operator. The role of my Department and other agencies working under service contracts with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is to verify compliance by the food business operators with this requirement. This is done by a combination of inspection...

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

Simon Coveney: In a ten week period from late September to early December 2012, the amount paid by my Department way of direct payments to farmers was in excess of €1.4 billion. By any measure, this is both a very significant sum in itself and a very commendable achievement in terms of delivery. To date, over 123,000 farmers have been paid in excess of €1,210 million under the 2012 Single...

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

Simon Coveney: The seas around Ireland (ICES Sub Areas VII and VI) are among the most productive and biologically sensitive areas in EU waters. Most of the fisheries resource within the area comes under the remit of the EUs Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). In June 2012, the European Commission reported that fish stocks in European waters are improving (EC COM(2012) 278 final). The proportion of overfished...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department does not assess the means of individual citizens and as such does not incur any associated costs.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Equipment Scheme Appeals (12 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned is an applicant for grant-aid under the TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme. An appeal was lodged with the Agriculture Appeals Office on behalf of the applicant in relation to the Department’s refusal to award him grant-aid under the Scheme on 27 August 2012. That appeal was subsequently upheld by an Appeals Officer on 11 December 2012. On 17 January 2013, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Eligibility (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st September 2011 and full payment totalling €338.07 issued in respect of 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first 4 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. The process is nearing completion in this case and I expect...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The National Reserve Scheme caters for new entrants to farming. In order to qualify for entitlements from the National Reserve applicants must have a herd number or have applied to their local District Veterinary office for a herd number prior to closing date of the Single payment application. In addition applicants must have submitted an application under the current Single payment scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payment under agri-environment schemes are made to compensate for income forgone and additional costs incurred by the scheme participants based on the type of commitments undertaken. In addition, an additional payment of up to 20% may be paid, where justified, based on “transaction costs” which are the costs incurred by participants in engaging with the scheme. Traditionally,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person mentioned commenced REPS 4 February 2009 and received payments for the first three years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the 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. During the course of the administrative checks an issue was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals (13 Feb 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, there are two criteria to be satisfied in relation to horses. First, the holding itself must meet the definition of an Equine Breeding Enterprise and second, horses, in order to be taken into account for stocking density purposes, must be aged one to five years and, where older, must be a breeding mare for the purposes of the Scheme. While the person...