Results 9,701-9,720 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 222, inclusive, together. The long-term ambition for the agriculture, forest and land use sector is to move towards an approach to carbon neutrality which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production. This effectively means that we are aiming to achieve neutrality by reducing agricultural emissions, increasing carbon-sequestration,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme Payments (5 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named has received the first instalment of his Organic Farming Scheme payment in respect of 2016.  However, payment in respect of parcels that were originally in the Agriculture Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) could not be processed at that time.  The payment due on these parcels will be included in the balancing payment due to the person named. 

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farms Data (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: Off-farm employment opportunities are crucial to economic sustainability for many farm families. That has always been the case, and I am pleased that the economic recovery has generated additional employment opportunities in many rural areas. On almost half of all farms, either the holder and/or spouse has off-farm employment. Teagasc released the preliminary results of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Action Programme Implementation (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) is designed to prevent pollution from agricultural sources and to protect and improve water quality. EU Member States are required to review their NAP at least every four years. In 2017, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (DHPCLG) which is the lead authority, assisted by the Department of Agriculture, Food...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry Data (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: Figures for fish landings in Ireland are retained by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority(SFPA), Ireland's competent authority for Seafood Safety and Sea-Fisheries Protection. I have asked the SFPA to send the requested landings figures directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together. The action by the UK in announcing its withdrawal from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention was not unexpected. The UK Government had been intimating this decision for some time now. It is nonetheless unwelcome and unhelpful as it suggests a signal of the UK intent to take a hard line on fisheries in the context of Brexit. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: Article 33 of the Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 provides for measures under animal welfare. Article 33 (2) provides that any payments shall be granted annually and shall compensate farmers for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from the welfare commitment made. Where necessary, these costs may also cover transaction costs to the value of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The Report the Deputy is referring to is the European Commission’s JRC Report, titled “Evaluation of the livestock sector's contribution to the EU greenhouse gas emissions (GGELS)”. The Report recognised that Ireland, with Austria, had the lowest cow milk emissions at 1 kg per kg of product, with the highest in Cyprus (2.8 kg) and Latvia (2.7 kg).  The EU average...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Inspection Service (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) Laboratories are an integral part of the Department, providing critical scientific evidence and expertise (in animal health, food safety and plant sciences) which allows the Department to function effectively as a regulator, to deal with new and emerging risks and to rapidly respond to disease outbreaks and food safety incidents. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Regional Development Funding (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The current Rural Development Programme is fully funded for its duration and I have no plans to increase the funding at this time. Our focus now is on full implementation of the existing schemes. Any changes to the Rural Development Programme's financial plan would be made by way of an amendment following consultation with the RDP Monitoring Committee. The procedure for amending the Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: There are 118 Rural Development Programmes across the EU for the 2014-2020 programme period implemented via 20 measures and 67 sub-measures.  The breakdown of specific measures per Member State as sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, information on  individual Rural Development Programmes are accessible on the European...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The Quality Assurance Schemes operated by Bord Bia have been developed over a period of years and extend beyond the farm gate as vertical industry integrated schemes. They are voluntary in nature. The Beef Quality Assurance Scheme commenced in 2004, and a Lamb Scheme commenced in 2007.  A combined Beef and  Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme commenced in January 2011....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (6 Jul 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: Agriculture Scheme Data (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The Quality Assurance Schemes operated by Bord Bia have been developed over a period of years and extend beyond the farm gate as vertical industry integrated schemes. They are voluntary in nature. The Beef Quality Assurance Scheme commenced in 2004, and a Lamb Scheme commenced in 2007. A combined Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme commenced in January 2011. Both beef and lamb feature...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Expenditure (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The payment for cattle and sheep slaughtered in Ireland is a commercial matter between meat processors and farmers. The operation of a quality assurance bonus including the eligibility criteria for such a bonus is also entirely a commercial matter between meat processors and farmers. The payments of bonuses to cattle and sheep under quality assurance schemes is not or never has been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Quality Assurance Scheme (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The sum of €6m allocated in Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Bord Bia Agency Statement) for the beef quality assurance scheme for 2017 is to cover the costs of independent on-farm inspections and associated Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) certification. The scheme is run by Bord Bia.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has been paid in full in respect of the 2015 scheme year. The 85% payment for 2016 has been processed and payment has issued to the person named. Payment of the balancing 15% in respect of 2016 will commence shortly to all participants who pass the required pre-payment checks and who have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Payments (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The approval letter to commence investments under the Young Farmer Capital investment Scheme of TAMS II issued to the applicant in this case on 4 July 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The situation the Deputy refers to relates to the judgment by the Supreme Court on 26 October 2016 in a case taken by a number of mussel seed fishermen.  In the judgment, the Supreme Court found that fishing by Northern Ireland boats within the 0 to 6 nautical mile zone of the territorial waters of the State is not permitted by law.  The background to this issue is arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (6 Jul 2017)

Michael Creed: The London Fisheries Convention deals primarily with the right of a number of countries to fish in each other's 6 to 12 mile fishing zones based on historic fishing activity. Most of these rights were later incorporated into the Common Fisheries Policy. The Convention allowed that each Coastal State could assert exclusive fishing rights within 6 nautical miles from its baselines (Article 2)...