Results 9,441-9,460 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Legal Costs (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department generally avails of the legal services of the Chief State Solicitor's Office and its own Legal Services Division. However, occasionally it engages private Solicitor firms and Junior and Senior Counsel for external legal advice. The amount spent by my Department on external legal fees for the specified years is set out in the following table. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: Bord na gCon (BnG) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. BnG is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. All Exchequer funding for BnG for the years 2019 and 2020 was provided under the Horse and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Correspondence (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: Investigations and prosecutions are carried out by many Line Divisions in the Department but Investigations Division is the Specialist Division taking the more complex and serious cases through the courts. The Division is a key element of the Department’s enforcement capability, underpinning the quality and traceability standards which facilitate trade and provide reassurance to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The above named is the transferee on five separate Transfer of Entitlements applications for 2020. Four of the transfer of entitlement applications have been completed. Further information is required in relation to the fifth transfer application and officials in my Department have contacted the party concerned. Once the required information is received, the final transfer of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Industry (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to the establishment of a new authority to be called the National Food Ombudsman to enforce Directive (EU) No. 2019/633 on Unfair Trading Practices. My Department has been preparing for the transposition of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive into national legislation before the 1 May 2021 deadline. The preparations included the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The sheep sector is an important element of the Irish economy and I am conscious of the importance that this sector plays in rural Ireland, especially during this difficult period. My officials and I have ongoing contact with all the key stakeholders across the agrifood sector since the start of the pandemic. My Department and I are working to ensure that business and services to farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) provides for six years of payments to participating farmers for completion of actions which deliver accelerated genetic improvement in the Irish national herd and improvement of its environmental sustainability. The application under the 2019 programme year for the person named has recently been finalised and payment will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: An application for a tree felling licence was received for the reference given in November, 2019. Every application for a forestry licence must undergo careful assessment for the potential effects the proposed operations may have, on their own or in combination with other plans or projects in the area. The Deputy will be aware that my Department made changes to the assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has written to mink farms in Ireland to provide information on SARS-CoV-2 infection in mink and to advise on the precautions that should be taken to prevent their mink being exposed to the virus. This advice includes strict adherence to the HSE public health guidelines on COVID 19. It is most important to recognise that COVID-19 is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: I wish to advise the Deputy that the briefing material I received on my appointment as Minister will be published on my Department’s website in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The Irish beef sector is export oriented, with up to 90% of production exported. Almost half of Irish beef by volume is exported to the UK market. The price paid for cattle is a matter for suppliers and sellers. Demand and supply, currency valuation, transport and processing costs, national consumer preferences for domestic product and other external factors such as COVID, the relative price...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The National Farm Survey figures just released by Teagasc reflect an ageng demographic trend in farming that is EU-wide. My Department has a range of measures in place to support young farmers and generational renewal, as part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and nationally. Under the CAP, the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme provides financial support to young...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department will provide a once-off financial support scheme for a number of poultry flocks impacted by an outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza this year. This particular strain of avian influenza (subtype H6N1) has no food safety implications, but does impact on flock productivity. I want to acknowledge that the flock owners in question have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: In order to provide a safety net support scheme to fishermen during a period of market disruption caused by the Covid 19 Pandemic, complementing the income supports available from Government through the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Wage Subsidy Scheme, and at the unanimous request of representatives of fishermen, a Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme was introduced with effect from June 2020....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Cuanta agus Céanna (7 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: Tá sé Lárionad Cuain Iascaigh ainmnithe faoi úinéireacht an stáit (FHC) atá suite i mBaile Chaisleáin Bhéarra, Daingean Uí Chúis, an Dún Mór Thoir, Binn Éadair, na Cealla Beaga agus Ros an Mhíl, faoi úinéireacht ag mo Roinnse agus déanann an Roinn iad a chothabháil agus a chur i bhfeidhm, faoi...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (14 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: I would like to assure the Deputy that I fully understand that fisheries are vitally important in economic and socioeconomic terms for our coastal communities. I met, by video link, with the Fisheries Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius on Friday 10 July last. I discussed with the Commissioner the importance of the agreed EU negotiation mandate that sets down clearly the EU objective to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hardship Grant Scheme (14 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: I visited Drumkeerin on Monday 13th July to see the situation first-hand and to meet local farmers and public representatives. I have asked officials in my Department to undertake preliminary reports on the farming and forestry related impacts on the bog slide and I have been liaising with my colleague Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences (14 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: The Forestry Act 2014 sets out the legislative requirements in relation to tree felling. A tree felling licence must be obtained from my Department and trees felled must be replanted, regardless of whether the trees in question were funded by means of a grant or by the landowner. The person named made an application for a tree felling licence in February 2020.The applicant has not provided...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (14 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bord na gCon and therefore the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (14 Jul 2020)

Barry Cowen: Coillte is operationally independent of my Department and matters such as the day-to-day management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. I have therefore passed the question raised to Coillte for response and direct reply to the Deputy.