Results 12,781-12,800 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (5 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2013. Subsequent to the 50% advance payment issuing to the named person on 16 October 2013, one of the land parcels declared by the person named was found, during review of the Land Parcel database, to have been over-claimed. With processing of the application recently completed, the balancing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Ireland Operations (5 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Tote Ireland Limited (Tote Ireland) is a subsidiary of Horse Racing Ireland. The principal activities of the company consist of the operation of the totalisator at race meetings, the operation of a tele-betting service and an internet service. Tote Ireland’s income derives from the amount retained from those wagers placed into Tote Ireland pools and the commission earned on bets placed...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Operations (5 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon, a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, operates a totalisator on greyhound racing in accordance with the terms and conditions of a licence granted by the Minister for Finance under the Totalisator Act, 1929. Bord na gCon does not operate the totalisator as a separate company. The financial transactions associated with the Bord na gCon...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (5 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an appeal in respect of land declared on his Single Payment Scheme which following a review by the Department was found to have contained ineligible features. This case was one of a number selected for ground verification checks. The file is currently with the Inspectorate and a reply will issue to the applicant outlining the results of the review as soon as the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Horses (5 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Control of Horses Act, 1996 sets down the powers available to local authorities for the control and welfare of horses in the local authorities’ functional area. My Department provides financial support to local authorities to assist their work in implementing the Act. In 2013 my Department provided funding to local authorities amounting to €3.054 m. The Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 November 2010 and full payment has issued in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota Applications (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Allocations of milk quota from the National Reserve are granted on the basis of recommendations made by an independent Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal examines and makes recommendations on applications for additional quota, from individual producers, on the grounds of animal disease. The Tribunal considered an application for additional quota from the person named at its meeting on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Applications (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in October 2008 and received payments for the entire six 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 administrative check in 2013 an area...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Framework Plans (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Commonage lands form an important part of the farming enterprises of many farmers, particularly along the West Coast. They also form an important part of the local environment from the point of view of bio-diversity, wildlife, amenities and economic returns e.g. tourism. However, there is a substantial risk of land abandonment as under-grazing becomes more of a problem. Under-grazing leads to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Direct Payment Scheme Eligibility (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Any farmer who received a direct payment in 2013 (Single Payment, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Burren Life Scheme, Beef Data Scheme) is automatically eligible to receive an allocation of entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015. As the Minister announced recently, the number of entitlements that will be allocated to a farmer under the new Basic Payment Scheme will be based on the number...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Farmers who hold low value entitlements under the current Single Payment Scheme will benefit significantly from the process of convergence that will apply under the Basic Payment Scheme. The purpose of the convergence model adopted by Ireland is to achieve a phased redistribution of payments between those who currently hold high value entitlements and those who hold low value entitlements. It...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Eligibility Overclaims (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: A review of the land declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme revealed that three of the land parcels declared on his application contained ineligible features. The applicant has sought a review of the decision, which is currently being processed. In order to clarify the position regarding the area of the ineligible feature this case will be the subject of a ground...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: As part of the ongoing implementation of the CAP Reform in Ireland, I announced yesterday that the number of payment entitlements to be allocated to a farmer in 2015 under the Basic Payment Scheme will be based on the number of hectares of eligible land declared by the farmer in 2013 and 2015, whichever is less. The numbers of eligible hectares taken into account in this calculation are those...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Direct Payment Scheme Eligibility (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Most farmers will have an automatic ‘allocation right’ based on their receipt of a Direct Payment (Single Payment Scheme, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Burren Life Scheme, Beef Data Scheme) under the 2013 scheme year. I have also decided to implement the optional provision whereby a Member State can allocate entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme to persons who never held...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Premium Payments (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: While grant aid for establishment of plantations was available to landowners in 1989 when the person in question afforested his land under the Western Package Scheme, there was no entitlement under that scheme to annual forestry premiums. Therefore, as the applicant had no entitlement under that scheme and has not planted any further land under any subsequent afforestation schemes, he has no...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Eligibility Overclaims (6 Feb 2014)

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: Beef Industry Issues (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Market conditions in the cattle sector are monitored on an ongoing basis by my Department and I am aware of reports that some sellers are experiencing difficulties in trading and moving stock particularly those animals that do not qualify for the industry’s Quality Payment System. Prices for prime steers and heifers have remained relatively stable but the young bull trade is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Slaughtering Data (6 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department has put procedures in place to facilitate the humane disposal of unwanted and at-risk horses on farm by way of licensed knackeries and has also indicated that it is in a position to provide emergency funding to assist horse owners who cannot afford to pay for their humane disposal. Farmers who are facing a critical horse welfare issue over the coming months can contact the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Eligibility Overclaims (6 Feb 2014)

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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 89 together. Aggregate cattle supplies at Department-approved meat plants to the end of January 2014 are up almost 10% on the corresponding period in 2012 with strong increases recorded in the steer, heifer and cull cow categories. This higher throughput has led to factories giving preference to certain types of stock that are better suited to the...