Results 10,481-10,500 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: As processing of the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is not yet finalised, it is not possible at this stage to give precise figures as to the overall level of savings that will be achieved on foot of the various changes introduced to the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Scheme. However, to date, payments worth in excess of €208 million have issued to 95,302 beneficiaries; a total of...

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

Simon Coveney: The 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, as already announced, is focussed on the protection of the smaller and most disadvantaged. It must also be borne in mind that the minimum stocking density requirement is equivalent to one ewe per eligible forage hectare and can not in any way be regarded as onerous. It will be recalled that, in response to budgetary realities, it was decided to re-focus...

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

Simon Coveney: The Fodder Transport Subsidy Scheme had played an important role in contributing to the efforts of recent weeks, with the transport costs of sizeable quantities of fodder being significantly offset by my Department's contribution. While the Scheme itself ended on Friday, 24 May, as an exceptional measure, I announced that any definite purchases that had been placed by that date, but which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (30 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Following what I think were extremely useful and productive informal discussions between the Council, European Parliament and Commission in Dublin earlier this week, my attention is already firmly focused on what I hope will be the final phase of the CAP reform negotiations over the coming weeks, culminating in an overall political agreement between the three institutions at the end of June....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sugar Industry (30 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: I would like to give the Deputy the background to this issue. The EU Sugar Regime underwent a radical reform in 2005 following major EU decisions to restructure the industry. A temporary restructuring scheme was introduced with the aim of reducing EU sugar production. Greencore, the holder of the entire Irish sugar quota, availed of this voluntary scheme, dismantled its facilities and...

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

Simon Coveney: On 24 April I established a €1 million transport fodder scheme to help alleviate the difficulties being encountered by farmers. Following consultation with Met Eireann, Co Ops, the farming organisations, Teagasc and the advice of officials working on the ground, the decision was taken to allow a further two weeks for fodder to be imported into the country with a doubling of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Budgets (30 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has asked my Department to identify options for savings which will ensure that there is a sufficient range of proposals to assist the Government in making informed choices about spending priorities and allocations in the preparation of the 2014 Estimates. The scale of the adjustments for 2014 were set out in the Comprehensive Expenditure Report...

Order of Business (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: That was because we could not get speakers from the other side of the House.

Order of Business (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Fianna Fáil wanted to abolish the Seanad, too.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, EU funds were used to support a number of measures. However, horse breeding and equestrian sports and activities were not in receipt of EU funds.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I wish to reiterate that the sale of the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests is under consideration, not the land, and no decision has been taken on this matter as yet. Further to the Government decision that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be considered for sale, NewERA, Coillte, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and this Department...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, holdings of eligible applicants were required to have met a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of six consecutive months, in addition to maintaining an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. The person named was unable to meet this requirement, but...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Marine Resources (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: In recognition of the under-utilisation of our vast marine resource, the Inter-Departmental Marine Coordination Group (MCG), on behalf of the Government, developed Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth - An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland. The Plan launched by the Government in July 2012, provides a fresh momentum for growth in the marine area and seeks to ensure Government departments work together...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 30th November 2012. Under the selection criteria regarding farm size, only farms of 22.06 hectares or less were into admitted into the scheme. During the pre approval validation checks on the application of the person named, it was found that the farm size was in excess of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 6th December 2012. The application of the person named successfully completed the pre approval validation checks. On 27th May 2013 a letter issued to the person named informing him that his application to join the AEOS Scheme was successful and notified him of his contract...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The persons named submitted a Consolidation application to my Department on the 29th May 2013. The closing date for receipt of such applications was the 15th May 2013. Officials from my Department have reviewed the circumstances surrounding this application and are willing to accept the application at this late stage. An official from my Department made direct contact with the persons...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Application Numbers (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The table sets out the number of persons in each County who have been approved in the Agri Environment Options Scheme III. A total of 9,703 AEOS III applications were received by the closing date and have now been fully processed. Based on the annual budget of €20 million and following the ranking and selection process, a total of 6,000 applicants have been approved for participation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The principal purpose of the fodder transport scheme that I announced in April was to contribute to the transport costs of importing fodder into the country and to provide assistance to farmers to secure adequate fodder to feed their animals. The Scheme provided financial assistance to farmers for the purchase of fodder and was operated through the Dairy co-operatives. The scheme operated...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tax Code (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: As part of Budget 2013 I announced a new initiative to facilitate the restructuring of farm holdings. This initiative will take the form of a relief on Capital Gains Tax. Relief will be available to farmers who undertake the sale and purchase of qualifying agricultural land(s). The relief will also be available for qualifying land exchange transactions. Qualifying transactions must occur...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (11 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Having recently received the requisite application from the sponsoring company concerned, my Department issued an exceptional, interim, authorisation for a Schmallenberg virus vaccine for cattle and sheep on 7 June 2013. An application for a full marketing authorisation for the product concerned, which, if approved, would replace the interim authorisation, is currently under examination in...