Results 9,881-9,900 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: I thank members for being constructive, which is helpful. It has been suggested that there are two problems, namely, fodder and money. I accept that money is a problem for some farmers, but the main priority for farmers across the country is to feed their animals. That must be the focus of the funds we have available to us to spend. The emergency welfare fund is about feeding animals that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Will the Deputy remind me what he was asking for a couple of weeks ago?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: What was the Deputy asking for in terms of action?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Could the Deputy give me some case studies to follow up on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The focus of a number of questions has been the charge that we have been doing nothing. We have been working through knowing that fodder management was an issue since last September. It is not a question of responding to calls in the Dáil two weeks ago to do something. We have been working with farming organisations and through Teagasc, our veterinary offices, dairy and beef...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Maybe the Deputy was not listening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The charge that we have been doing nothing on the fodder crisis is nonsense. Everybody, including farm organisations and co-operatives, was managing this through a difficult winter but everybody was anticipating that we would have some kind of normal spring beginning about a fortnight ago. When that did not happen, we had to kick into a new response because all of a sudden, there was a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis: Discussion with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Yes. My officials spoke to the CEO of Connacht Gold today. If farmers or buyers groups can source fodder from the United Kingdom, they should do so through their co-op. I understand the co-ops will try to facilitate them in drawing down the subsidy. A two-pronged issue arises in respect of horses. First, horses are left to forage for themselves in fields lacking grass and, second,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases are 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. While the applicant has been informed of the option to appeal to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee, to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Premium (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Our records show that the applicant is registered with the Department’s Online Services. In October 2012, the Forest Service informed its clients who were registered online (including this applicant) that their future premium payment applications would be processed online and that therefore it would not be sending paper Form 4s (i.e. the annual premium application form) for 2013 to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Premium (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Forest Service records show that two forestry premium claim forms (Form 4s) were posted to the applicant in December 2012 and April 2013. Neither of these forms has been returned. In order for the applicant to receive payment, the Form 4s should be signed and posted to the Premium Section, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Johnstown Castle Estate, Wexford.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases are impacted by the requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011 and who applied for and were refused derogation in this regard. While the applicant has been informed of the option to appeal to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am acutely aware of the difficulties being experienced by some farmers as a result of recent unseasonable weather, with difficult conditions experienced on farms last summer having been compounded by an extended winter. In light of the difficulties experienced by farmers in sourcing fodder supplies, last week I announced the allocation of €1 million to fund the Imported Fodder...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The European Commission proposal to restrict the use of neonicotinoid insecticides was discussed at the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health on 14/15 March 2013 and the resulting vote was inconclusive, with 14 Member States refusing to support the measures proposed by the Commission. Accordingly, the matter was tabled at an Appeal Committee meeting held on 29 April...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st November 2010 and full payments totalling €760.06 and €4,560.35 issued in respect of 2010 and 2011 respectively. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 29th November 2012 and an acknowledgement letter has issued to the person named. The processing of all applications is nearing completion and I expect to be in a position to inform all applicants of the outcome very shortly. In the event that any queries arise on the application...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payments in respect of the Single Payment Scheme 2012 issued directly to the bank account of the person named on 16 October 2012 and 3 December 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2012 Single Payment/ Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 27 April 2012. Full payment in respect of the Single Payment issued directly to the nominated bank account in two instalments; the advance on 16 October 2012 and the balance on 3 December 2012. The derogation application of the person named having been successful, payment in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, there are two criteria to be satisfied in relation to equines. Firstly, the holding itself must meet the definition of an Equine Breeding Enterprise and secondly, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Issues (30 Apr 2013)

Simon Coveney: Farms involved in the keeping of pets and trade in such animals must comply with the ‘Balai’ Directive 92/65/EEC which governs animal health controls for intra community and third country trade in certain animals such as elephants, giraffes, deer, alpaca and primates which are not covered under other community Directives relating, for example, to cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry....