Results 12,181-12,200 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The control and management of pounds is, in accordance with the Pounds (Provision and Maintenance)  Act 1935, an operational matter within the remit of each local authority within  its functional area and is recorded in the county registrar. My Department works closely with local authorities to ensure that optimum animal welfare standards are maintained.  Should there be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Imports (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: There are currently two entry points to Ireland that have EU Border Inspection Posts which are approved for the import of products of animal origin from 3rd Countries into the European Union, and which have freezer storage facilities – namely Shannon Airport and Dublin Port. The decision to seek approval as a Border Inspection Point is a commercial decision for port and airport...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Horse Racing Ireland is a commercial State Body responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Horse Racing Ireland. I will request officials in my Department to refer the question to Horse Racing Ireland for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry Data (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Bord na gCon is a commercial State Body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bord na gCon. I will request officials in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The above named was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2016 and has received all payments in respect of scheme year 2016. Administrative checks must take place on all GLAS claims. All cases must clear validation checks before payment can issue. My Department is working proactively to complete these checks in this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: As the Deputy is aware, the Irish dairy market, following on from broader EU and International trends, has performed strongly in 2017 and the early months of 2018, following a period of low prices in 2015 and 2016. While the overall dairy sector is now in a much better place overall than it has been in recent years, there is a significant overhang of intervention stocks of skimmed milk powder...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: In response to the problems experienced in parts of the West and North-West in the late autumn and winter I took a number of steps to address issues around the availability of fodder. I introduced a targeted ‘Fodder Transport Support measure’ on 29 January 2018 to provide additional assistance to those livestock farmers in parts of the West and North West severely affected by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Trade within the EU of dogs, including greyhounds, is governed by EU law.  The position is that once animal health and welfare certification requirements, and the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 1 of 2005 on the protection of animals during transport, are met, dogs, including greyhounds, may be moved within the EU or exported to a non-EU country.  The main destination...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Welfare Scheme (25 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: An application was received under the Sheep Welfare Scheme from the person named under both herd numbers on 31 January 2017. Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, applicants are required to submit a Basic Payment Scheme application for each year of scheme participation, and comply with the requirement to be an active farmer. In this case, a Basic Payment application was received...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Review (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The future of the CAP is of enormous importance for the agriculture sector in Ireland and across Europe. The CAP has evolved considerably and very effectively in recent years in response to changing market, consumer and environmental demands. It also plays a central role in delivering the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth sought under the Europe 2020 strategy. It is important that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Review (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: To the best of my knowledge, the outliers, if I might use that term in the context of those resisting a commitment to increasing the budget contribution, include the Dutch, the Danes, the Austrians and, if I am not mistaken, the Swedes. As the Taoiseach stated, we are committed to contributing more to the EU budget. The Deputy's figures relating to the consequences of the UK departure are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Review (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: On the latter point, I ask the Deputy to reflect on the fact that we are absolutely resisting the co-financing of Pillar 1 payments because that would skew the performance of the Internal Market and the commonality of the agricultural policy. We must resist co-financing at every opportunity because it could mean that rich member states could put their hands in their pockets and supplement...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Review (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: If the Deputy were listening, he would have heard me say that we welcome the proposal and are anxious to ensure that it is put in place. The issue of adequate funding for CAP is a current and ongoing debate and, as the Deputy stated, proposals will shortly be published by Commissioner Oettinger, who is responsible for the budget. However, that is not the end of it and these matters will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The framework for the next CAP is set out in the European Commission's paper The Future of Food and Farming, which was published in November 2017. It is critically important that the CAP of the future serves all citizens of the European Union. It must support family farms and underpin the production of food to the highest standards of quality and safety. It will also be required to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: This question goes to the heart of CAP. We will have greater discretion. There is an appealing simplicity to the argument advanced by Deputy Kenny but there are concerns that such a system could skew payments in favour of large landholders who may currently have lower payments, to the disadvantage of smallholders. We must be careful in this area. If a farmer has a couple of thousand...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The opposite. The flat-rate payment would relatively benefit a smallholder in the west of Ireland. We must ensure greater equity. I have heard the argument advanced that the entitlement agreed almost 20 years ago should no longer be relevant but we must bear in mind that in all iterations of CAP since then, we have continued to move away from that. Under the current CAP, through...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: I accept the point and the Deputy's bona fides. I agree with many of the views he has expressed. The question proposes a flat-rate system in lieu of the current entitlements regime, which dates back almost 20 years. However, one must bear in mind that a flat-rate system may further disadvantage many such smallholders. There may be-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: A flat rate implies a flat rate per hectare so one cannot front-load-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: There is. I welcome this exchange because these are the dilemmas we need to address. I think everybody approaches these with good intentions. We need to protect the family farm. We also need to ensure that we protect active farmers. We need to protect the edifice that is the Irish agrifood industry. Production is important. Trying to find a balance between all those competing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: One of my priorities is to improve access to finance for the agrifood sector. Food Wise 2025 identifies competitiveness as a key theme and includes a recommendation that stakeholders work to "Improve access to finance for agriculture, forestry and seafood producers and Agri-food companies". I launched a new Brexit loan scheme on 28 March in co-operation with the Ministers for Business,...