Results 11,361-11,380 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Flood Relief Schemes Payments (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The 2017 Flood Damage Relief Measure is being implemented in response to the localised severe flooding experienced in the Inishowen area on August 22 2017.  The measure aims to provide financial assistance to farmers in approved cases for the direct costs arising from instances of - Loss of livestock, - Loss of/damage to conserved hay or silage - Clean-up of damaged agricultural lands...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The annual premium payment for most forest owners in County Leitrim ends after 20 years at which point forest thinnings should begin to generate a financial return.   The sale of timber at the clearfell stage in particular is significant for most forest owners. The decision on when to clearfell is an important one, the right decision will  maximise potential returns to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The above named was approved into GLAS 1 and has received all payments in respect of scheme years 2015 and 2016. All GLAS claims must clear validation checks before payment can be made.  My Department is working proactively to complete the checks to allow for the issue of payments. This case is expected to clear the validations required shortly and the 2017...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The above named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of January 1 2016 and has received all payments in respect of the 2016 scheme year. All GLAS claims must clear validation checks before payment can be made.  My Department is working proactively to complete the checks required to allow for the issue of payments. Once this case clears the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Data (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: Contingency planning at both a domestic and an EU level is focused on three areas: preparing for a no-deal scenario or so-called “disorderly Brexit”; preparing for a transition period based on the “status quo”; and preparing for the future EU-UK relationship. While the outcome of the December European Council and the move on to Phase 2 has lessened the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Data (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: Since the UK referendum in June 2016, I, in co-operation with Government, have introduced a range of budgetary measures under the two most recent budgets. In Budget 2017, I introduced measures to help reduce farm gate business costs, including a €150 million low-cost loan scheme, new agri-taxation measures and increased funding under the Rural Development and Seafood...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts Data (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has or had the following contracts with the company referenced in the PQ: A contract is in place from 1 September 2014 – 31 August 2018 for the provision of a service for the registration of bovine births, the issuing of bovine passports and the handling and processing of notifications in relation to farm to farm bovine movements...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards Data (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: There are twelve State Bodies under the aegis of my Department and the current board membership is as outlined in the table.  My Department does not maintain records of current or previous service by individuals on other State Boards, as sought by the Deputy. A listing of the current board members of State Bodies is available on www.stateboards.ie  State Body Current...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Appeals (8 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted a 2017 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes application on 4 April 2017. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data and Genomics Programme (8 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The Beef Data and Genomics Programme provides for six years of payments to farmers for completion of actions which deliver accelerated genetic improvement in the Irish national herd and improvement of its environmental sustainability. Processing of the application of the person named has recently been finalised and payment will issue in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Strategic Communications Unit (8 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I have attended one meeting between my Department and the Strategic Communications Unit of the Department of the Taoiseach, along with the Secretary General of my Department, the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Human Resources and Corporate Affairs and my Special Advisor. The meeting took place in Agriculture House on Thursday 5 October 2017.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (8 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: My Department has no record of this individual ever submitting an application for GLAS.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Freedom of Information Data (8 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The number of Freedom of Information requests received by my Department from 2013 to 2017 is set out in the table. My Department does not maintain records in respect of the average time taken to complete Freedom of Information requests and accordingly is not in a position to provide that particular piece of data requested by the Deputy. Section 14 of the Freedom of Information Act...

Priority Questions: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Funding (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputy McConalogue for raising this issue. I am very aware of the importance of the areas of natural constraints, ANC, scheme which issues annual payments in excess of €200 million to more than 95,000 farmers. The ANC scheme has always been recognised as a very important support for rural society and farmers across the country who farm constrained lands. In light of the...

Priority Questions: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Funding (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I find it ironic that Deputy McConalogue can raise this issue month after month and refuse to face up to the logic that what he proposes is robbing Peter to pay Paul. For example, the Deputy is suggesting that I would spend a farmer's entitlement under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, in a different area. I cannot legally do that. The Deputy should reflect on what he is...

Priority Questions: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Funding (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I have repeated my position ad nauseambut it has become something of a dialogue of the deaf between Deputy McConalogue and me. I do not propose to break a contractual commitment into which I have entered with a farmer in Donegal, Cork or any point in between and to reallocate that funding to other areas, be that GLAS, the beef data and genomics programme, BDGP, targeted agricultural...

Priority Questions: Afforestation Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputy Kenny for this question. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, is unavoidably absent today. The current forestry programme does not differentiate between a farmer and non-farmer but targets funding at all landowners who wish to convert lands to forestry. It is important to note that the non-farmer category also includes recently retired farmers and the family...

Priority Questions: Afforestation Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I accept some of the points the Deputy is making. I realise the narrative on forestry in the communities to which he refers is not positive. We all need to work collectively with the communities to explain the benefits. The Deputy represents a constituency in which there is considerable employment downstream from the timber industry. It is very valuable employment. I am sure the Deputy...

Priority Questions: Afforestation Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: There is a tax-free premium for 15 years.

Priority Questions: Afforestation Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The purpose of the mid-term review is to take stock of the forestry programme and analyse why the established targets were not being met, the extent to which they were not being met and the measures necessary to ensure we get back on track in meeting the targets. This is the context of the mid-term review and what it has primarily been about; it is not a fundamental reappraisal of the...