Results 10,741-10,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: No payments have been made as yet under the Transport Fodder Scheme as participating Co-ops, Marts, etc. are in the process of assembling their documentation for submission to my Department. With regard to the levels of Emergency Assistance that has been provided to farmers, some €170,000 has been paid to approx. 475 farmers.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Commission proposals on reform of the CAP 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 the Council on 18/19 March. The three institutions (Council, Commission and European Parliament) have been involved in the trilogue process of negotiations...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Exports (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Irish seafood industry has been very successful in growing exports to Asia. Exports in 2012 were valued at €26 million, 83% up on 2010 (€14 million) including an 86% increase in the value of exports to China (from €4.1 million to €7.7 million). South Korea, China, Japan and Hong Kong together accounted for 95% of export value in 2012. My...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Discussions on the methodology for designating areas of Natural or specific constraint, currently known as Less Favoured Areas, has been ongoing for some years. In conjunction with the Joint Research Centre, the EU Commission has proposed a system for designation for the next round which is based on eight biophysical criteria which must be met at a certain threshold level. These criteria...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Council of Ministers Meetings (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: In my capacity as President of the EU Council of Fisheries Ministers, I chaired all of the Council of Ministers meetings which took place during the Irish Presidency. As Minister with responsibility for sea fisheries in Ireland, I directed and co-ordinated the Irish position on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and other issues that were considered by Council. The Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fallen Animal Statistics (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The number of fallen bovine animals for the period requested is as follows Month 2012 2013 January 17,742 24,376 February 29,928 35,959 March 36,307 49,758 April 31,753 47,974 May 25,740 32,256 Note: Information on deaths of other species is not recorded. As will be seen from the data provided, mortality figures are generally higher this year than in the same period last year. This...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: 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 my Department examined the financial and other implications of developing the potential of Coillte's forest assets. This examination included the identification of the forestry assets involved, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Since the Council of Agriculture Ministers agreed the general approach of the Council on 19 March last, negotiations have moved to the final phase with so-called trilogue discussions between the three EU institutions. We have therefore moved from a narrower focus on the finalisation of a Council position to the point where the Council position is itself just one of three different...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: 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 my Department examined the financial and other implications of developing the potential of Coillte's forest assets. This examination included the identification of the forestry assets involved, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (19 Jun 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 application to be completed before any payments can issue. Under the terms and conditions governing the Scheme the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Data (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Agri-Environment Option Scheme (AEOS) 3 Terms and Conditions specifically states that existing AEOS applicants together with participants of both the Rural Environment Protection Scheme and the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Farm Plan Scheme are ineligible to participate in AEOS 3. The total number of applicants under AEOS 3 who were deemed ineligible on the basis that they...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (19 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 largely through the Dairy co-operatives. The scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Proposed Legislation (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Directive in question was transposed into Irish legislation by way of Statutory Instrument 155 of 2012. The principle aim of these regulations is to achieve a more sustainable use of pesticides in both the farming and the amenity/landscaping sectors. With regard to the “testing and use of agricultural sprayers”, these regulations enable me to establish a register of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Lands (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of the State’s forestry estate, are the responsibility of the company. I understand that Coillte welcomes responsible users who practice ‘Leave No Trace’. Since its establishment in 1989, Coillte has operated an Open...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (19 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. The process of ranking and selecting all AEOS applicants was clearly set out in the scheme documentation. Acceptance into the scheme was established using the pre-determined selection criteria as follows: 1. farmers in the Boora region of Co. Offaly who...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences Appeals (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board is an independent authority for the determination of appeals against decisions of the Minister on aquaculture licence applications. In view of its independent status it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the work of the Board.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183, 184 and 189 together. Recent months have seen very positive developments in the negotiations on reform of the CAP. The agreement by the European Council on the Multiannual Financial Framework on 8 February provided the necessary clarity to enable the CAP discussions to move forward. This was followed by the adoption by the European Parliament of its...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 187 together. Food production and labelling in the countries of the European Union operates in accordance with harmonised rules and member states controls are subject to audit and supervision by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) under the aegis the Minister for Health has overall...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Food production and labelling in the countries of the European Union operates in accordance with harmonised rules and member states controls are subject to audit and supervision by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) under the aegis the Minister for Health has overall responsibility for the enforcement of food safety and labelling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: It is important that we do as much as we can over the next few months to ensure that Irish farmers are not faced with the same issues and difficulties next Winter as experienced earlier this year in sourcing adequate fodder for their animals. Accordingly, Teagasc’s Interagency Fodder Committee is currently monitoring the fodder situation while also examining and co-ordinating the next...