Results 9,661-9,680 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Severe Weather Events Response (28 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: The Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, recently announced the introduction of a once-off targeted Voluntary Homeowner Relocation Scheme. As part of the announcement the Minister outlined that further examination is ongoing by the OPW,  Local Authorities and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in evaluating, on an individual...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (28 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department is not involved in the initiative referenced by the Deputy.  Therefore, I am not in a position to comment on their current or future intentions. I can say however, that Coillte has not and do not have any current plans to sell land to the company concerned. This initiative provides an option for forest owners who do not want to wait until the end of a full...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (28 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department's plans to increase broadleaf planting and in particular to increase native woodlands is currently being undertaken within the context of the midterm review of the Forestry Programme 2014 - 2020. In March 2017 a public call for submissions was made to look at how the afforestation scheme can be improved to increase broadleaf planting.  A total of 26 submissions were...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (28 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department’s afforestation scheme comprises 12 different planting options, from commercial Sitka spruce to native woodland to agroforestry.These options can be applied for side-by-side within the same application, to create a farm forest that serves several functions, e.g. forestry for fibre to supply domestic fuelwood to the household, new native woodland to help buffer a sensitive...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (28 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: The Forestry Act 2014(the Act), which was commenced on the 24 May 2017, already includes provisions regarding the protection of the environment, creating closer integration with the Habitats Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the EIA Directive and transposing legislation.  Under Sections 5 and 11 of the Act, the role of the Minister in safeguarding the environment is set out....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (28 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department's Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme includes a number of measures that ensure that afforestation is carried out on appropriate sites, and that any environmental considerations that might exist are taken into account. Where specific environmental considerations are identified, the application is simultaneously referred to one or more statutory consultees,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme Data (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: There are a total of 194 Organic Farming Scheme participants in Co. Cork of which 23, or 12%, have not yet received a payment for 2016. The main reason that a payment has not yet issued is due to the fact that they were selected for an on-farm inspection, the report of which has to be finalised before payment can be processed. Once this has been finalised for each participant,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Waste Management (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: I am aware of recent media coverage and at the outset, it is important to note that the lead on this issue is the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment (DCCAE) as it relates to  the National Clean Air Strategy consultation which was open during March and April this year. Within this context, the consultation document identified the main issues in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of the 1 October 2015 and has been paid the First Instalment Payment for 2015. During the 2016 prepayment checking process an issue presented on the computerised crosscheck of Department databases with regard to the finalisation of a GLAS on-farm inspection. Department officials are actively working on the issue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the EU Regulations governing the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment 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.  All applications which pass all of the regulatory checks are processed for payment.  Over 96% of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Appeals (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: It is not possible within the short timeframe to provide the detailed information requested by the Deputy. I will respond to the Deputy once the information has been collated.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bullying in the Workplace (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: With regard to an anti-bullying policy, my Department implements the Civil Service wide anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy ‘Dignity at Work’ and I am satisfied that the policy is being implemented effectively throughout my Department. All staff in my Department are reminded annually of their responsibilities under the Civil Service Code of Standards and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: Formal discussions on the future of CAP Post-2020 have not yet commenced. A Commission communication on the future shape of CAP post-2020 is expected in late 2017 and this will inform discussions on the design and content of the next RDP. In relation to the specific point on the review of the action based approaches, Ireland's RDP 2014-2020 is subject to on-going monitoring and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Programmes (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025, the new ten year strategy for the agri-food sector published in July 2015, is the successor to the Food Harvest strategy. It identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Subsidies (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: Article 14 of EU Regulation No. 1307/2013 (Direct Payments Regulation) and Article 58 of EU Regulation No. 1305/2013 (Rural Development Regulation) allow Member States to transfer up to 15% of Pillar 1 funds to Pillar 2 and vice versa on an annual basis.  Member States with direct payments per hectare less than 90% of the EU average may transfer up to 25% from Pillar 2 to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: I and my officials have been very active in highlighting the potentially very damaging impact of a Mercosur deal on the European agriculture sector, and on the beef sector in particular. At political level, I have raised the issue with my Member State colleagues and with Commissioners Hogan and Malmström, both within the Council of Agriculture Ministers and in written form. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: The Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme, launched in December 2013, was developed in cooperation with milk producers, processors and the regulatory authorities, including my Department. The Scheme gives the dairy sector the capability to both benchmark Irish milk production internationally and to demonstrate the commitment of Irish dairy farms to sustainable farming practices. The Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the RDP support for animal welfare is programmed under Measure 14.  Seventeen Member States, including Ireland for the sheep sector, have activated Measure 14 as of May 2017. However, information on the specific livestock supported and average payments in each Member State is not readily available. There are a range of supports under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Courses (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department has been working closely with Teagasc to address staffing issues in relation to delivering the adult Green Cert programme. In conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Teagasc was approved to appoint 70 temporary education officers in the period 2014 to 2016. A further request for 15 new temporary education officers was approved early this year to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (29 Jun 2017)

Michael Creed: The CSO published four Quarterly National Household Surveys (QNHS) for 2016, the fourth of which was released in February 2017. These showed that employment in the agri-food sector overall, including all its component parts, averaged 173,400 throughout the year. The agri-food sector represented circa 8.6% of national employment as measured by the QNHS.