Results 9,641-9,660 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: In January 2012, the EU Commission introduced a draft negotiating mandate for a new protocol for the EU Morocco Fisheries Agreement. The mandate sought to conclude a protocol which would oblige Morocco to comply with international law and to report regularly on its use of the funds for the population concerned, including the people of the Western Sahara. A Council decision of 14 February...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The new Rural Development Programme (RDP) will be drawn up under the terms of the proposed rural development Regulation when it is finalised as part of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. We have now entered the second – trilogue - phase of the negotiations between the Council, European Parliament and the Commission with the aim of getting political agreement in June. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Technology Adoption Programme Eligibility (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the difficulties faced by sheep farmers on offshore islands. However funding for the STAP is capped at €3 million for 2013. The Programme was conceived to cater for approximately 3,000 participants with a maximum annual payment of €1,000 per participant. As approximately 4,900 applications have been received for 2013 under the STAP, based on the qualifying...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted by the requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare and who applied for and were refused derogation in this regard. The person named subsequently availed of the option to appeal to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee; that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named registered 5 animals under the 2012 Suckler Welfare Scheme. Essential information relating to weaning dates for these animals was received on 2nd April 2013, enabling the application to be progressed. Payment will issue as soon as possible, subject to confirmation that all of the Terms and Conditions have been complied with.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Remuneration (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: There are 3,454 staff on the Department’s payroll. Since 2006, all Departmental staff that have access to the Department’s computer network view their payslips online and do not have the option of receiving a hard copy payslip. The costs of the payslips and postage in relation to issuing the hardcopy payslips is as follows: Year Cost € 2008 13,389 2009 13,817 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (16 Apr 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 €639.40 issued in respect of 2011. Payments in respect of the 2012 Scheme year are subject to a similar administrative checking process which includes verification of capital investment through checks on receipts. These checks...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: In processing the application of the person named, a number of issues arose regarding commonage parcels declared on the holding. These issues have now been resolved and payments under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and Grassland Sheep Scheme issued on 28 March, 5 April and 9 April 2013 respectively.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in December 2007 and received payments for the first five 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. These checks have now been successfully completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 989 and 1003 together. Earlier review processes in this case having been exhausted, an appeal to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office was the subject of an oral hearing held on 7 November 2012. The appeal was unsuccessful and a letter detailing the reasons issued from that Office on the 12 of March 2013 and set out the further avenue available to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Passports (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The identification and registration of equidae is governed by EU Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008. The latter regulation, which came into effect on 1 July 2009, provides that equine animals registered after that datemust be identified with a passport and a microchip. This regulation also provides that, in the case of equines which are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The new EU Timber Regulation (EUTR – Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 ) is now in effect. It is part of a package of measures aimed at ensuring that all products containing wood placed on the market in the EU are from legally harvested timber. It applies to wood and wood products being placed for the first time on the EU market. It counters the trade in illegally harvested timber and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named registered 12 animals under the 2012 Suckler welfare Scheme. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme, for herds of more than ten cows, the calves must be weaned in more than one group. In this instance, based on information provided by the person named, all 12 calves were weaned on same date and so are ineligible for payment. A letter issued from my Department in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first four 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 the administrative check an area discrepancy was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: To comply with EU requirements, the applicant was one of a number selected for inspection under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme. This inspection resulted in findings of an over-declaration in area of greater than 20%, which under the terms and conditions of the scheme resulted in no payment in respect of 2011. The applicant was notified of this decision on the 16 January 2012. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Technology Adoption Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named was a participant of the 2012 Beef Technology Adoption Programme. Participants were required to attend a prescribed number of discussion group meetings or approved national events, in addition to completing two tasks, chosen from a menu of eight designed to enhance on-farm efficiency. The broad range of available task options allowed participants to choose those best suited...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The report on the ‘Equine DNA and Mislabelling of Processed Beef Investigation’, which I published on 14 March, includes details of the companies that came to my Department’s attention during this investigation and the actions taken by the Department. Operations in a total of four plants were suspended in some cases on a voluntary basis for varying periods arising from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The negotiations on reforms to the CAP are still underway and it is impossible to predict with any certainty what the final outcome will be. Thus, I would counsel against drawing conclusions regarding the final outcome at this point in respect of any aspect of the negotiations. In so far as the value of entitlements is concerned, the Commission has proposed that all Member States move to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The forestry premium payment for this applicant has been processed and the payment will be lodged to his bank account in mid-April 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (16 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The EU Commission proposals on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy have been the subject of negotiations at official and political level in the Council of Ministers over the past 18 months culminating in an agreed Council position which was reached at Council on 18/19 March. Under the proposals agreed by the Council of Ministers, Member States have the option to reduce the amount...