Results 12,301-12,320 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The information requested by the Deputy can be found in the attached table. The IT consultancy engagements concerned relate to quarterly independent assessments of the Department’s IT security measures as required for EU accreditation purposes and biannual independent security review of the Department's IT infrastructure. An independent review of all the Geographical Information...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Legal Costs (17 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The information sought by the Deputy can be found in the accompanying table. The figures listed include the costs and damages incurred by my Department in legal actions. Year Amount paid (€) 2011 1,195,299 2012 1,454,457 To date 2013 1,230,856 The Department is mindful of keeping all associated legal cost to a minimum.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts (17 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department awards a contract for ICT Security consultancy services on a two year basis. The service consists of quarterly independent assessments of my Department’s ICT security measures and a biannual independent security review of my Department's ICT infrastructure as required for EU accreditation purposes. In addition, services for independent web application testing are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (17 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: In response to the Deputy’s question, I have detailed below the Special Advisers that have been/are employed in my Department for which a salary increase was requested, based on the substantially higher salaries each earned in the private sector. The salaries were approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. There are currently no exemptions granted to staff of my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Garda Investigations (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: My officials have been in touch with An Garda Síochána in this matter. I understand that investigations are on-going, that good progress has been made and that a file is being prepared for submission to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the New Year.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry Development (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: A range of supports are available to the seafood sector through the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013, which may continue to operate up to the end of 2015. A new development programme for the period 2014-2020 is presently being developed by my Department to implement the proposed EU Regulation for the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The principal measure under the present...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first five 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 applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification Review (LPIS) an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2009 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 applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification Review (LPIS) an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Quotas (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The current management arrangements in place for the Celtic Sea fishery, were recommended by the Celtic Sea Herring Management Advisory Committee (CSHMAC). Quota allocations with weekly catch limits are set following consultation with the CSHMAC for each management period, taking consideration of numbers and size of vessels booked-in. These arrangements were put in place having regard to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Stocks (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Marine Institute does not carry out surveys of salmon stocks around the coast. The status of salmon stocks in Ireland is assessed and reported by the Standing Scientific Committee for Salmon (SSCS) which provides annual stock assessment and catch advice on numbers of fish to Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), which falls within the remit of the Minister for Communications, Energy and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be fully aware of the value of the EU funded Direct Payment Schemes to Ireland. Each year farmers in Ireland benefit from funding of over €1.5 billion under Schemes such as the Single Farm Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Agri-Environment Schemes, etc. This comprises the entire net income of many thousands of Irish farmers. The European Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Fleet Protection (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The issues raised by this Question overlap substantially with the ongoing High Court proceedings which have been allocated High Court Record No.'s 2006/2687P and 2012/11047P. Both of these cases are returnable in the High Court on 28 January 2014. In the circumstances, I am advised that it would be inappropriate to respond to this Question during the currency of these proceedings, which are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application under the 2013 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Area Schemes on 26th April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases, land eligibility inspections, be completed before any payments issue. In order to meet the EU requirements, the application...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with EU regulations a review of all land declared on applications for payment under the various direct payment schemes is being undertaken to ensure that ineligible features have been excluded from the land declared. During the review of the land declared by the person named it was identified that ineligible features, namely roadways and scrub, had been included on the land...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in November 2008 and received payments for the first five 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 applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification Review (LPIS)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application on 24 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of the schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a ground...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Development (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The development of this small craft harbour in Killybegs is seen as a much needed addition to the facilities provided within Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre, offering many benefits to harbour users as well as a welcome spin-off for the local economy. In 2013 I provided funding for this project under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development programme which is administered by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: While Coillte reforests some 6,000 ha annually after a crop of timber is harvested the company is not actively involved in afforestation of bare land. Current Government incentives for afforestation include grants generally to private farmers to cover the cost of afforestation and premiums to compensate the landowner for the loss of income. Under EU rules, Coillte is not entitled to receive...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Lands (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Department is currently seeking information from Coillte regarding the background to these sales. Contact will be made directly with the Deputy when the relevant information has been received.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Following a review of the eligibility of land declared by the person named on his 2013 Single Payment Scheme application it was identified that ineligible features were included in the areas claimed. The applicant was informed of the outcome of the review and of his right to seek a review of the decision. An application for a review was submitted and is currently under consideration by my...