Results 12,981-13,000 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Topical Issue Debate: Beef Prices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Every time I go abroad I talk about beef access.

Topical Issue Debate: Beef Prices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Last year we got Japan, Lebanon and the Gulf states open. We got live exports to North Africa, which is a difficult market to manage. Even today, I spent half my meeting with the Chinese ambassador talking about beef access into China. In addition, we are pushing to get access into both the United States and Canada this year. We are expanding the spread of beef markets that we can access...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Issues (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: By virtue of the provisions of Section 10 of the Land Act, 1965 my Department, as successor to the former Irish Land Commission, does not retain responsibility for the construction, cleansing, maintenance, repair or restoration of embankments, or other works in relation to lands purchased under the Land Purchase Acts. Responsibility for these works normally rests with the property owner. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Inland Fisheries (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions No. 610, 632 and 648 together. On 12 February 2014, I informed the House that as part of its overall co-ordinated response to the impact of the recent unprecedented weather conditions, the Government had decided to allocate an additional €8.8 million for the repair of the publicly owned pier, harbour and slipway network linked to fisheries and aquaculture...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The 2013 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility/cross compliance inspection. The cross compliance inspection identified breaches in relation to cattle identification and registration requirements resulting in a 1% penalty being applied to the 2013 payments. The ground eligibility inspection identified...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department received a 2013 Single Farm Payment Application for Consolidation of Entitlements from the person named on 10 May 2013. This application was successful and was processed on 19 Oct 2013. An acceptance letter showing the entitlements position following Consolidation was issued to the person named on 19 Oct 2013. My Department received an online 2013 Single Farm Payment...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Under the provisions of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 the regulation of coursing is chiefly a matter for the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) subject to the general control and direction of Bord na gCon, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the improvement and development of the greyhound industry, greyhound racing and coursing. The National Coursing meeting was organised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in March 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. These checks have now been completed and the 75% Year 6...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table: DURATION 0 – 6 mths 6 – 12 mths 1 – 2 years 2 – 3 years 4 -5 years 5 + years 0 4 9 18 13 8

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following Table: REQUESTED SICK LEAVE STATISTICS 2009 – 2012 IN RESPECT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND THE MARINE Sick Leave Statistics 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total number of uncertified sick days taken in Year 2,700 2,259 2,168 1,861 Average number of uncertified sick days per employee in Year 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Programmes (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department is involved in a number of schemes/initiatives aimed at addressing food poverty and will continue to do everything it can to combat food poverty in the future. This year my Department will be distributing 280 tonnes of cheese, 121 tonnes of butter and 250 tonnes of rice to the value of €2.6m to 563 registered charities, under the EU's food distribution programme for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: There is an ongoing review at EU level of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. DAS (now to be known as Areas of Natural Handicap) is to be delineated by Member States using soil and climatic criteria, as proposed by the Commission, as follows: - Climate, including Low Temperature and Heat Stress; - Soil, including Drainage, Texture & Stoniness, Rooting Depth and Chemical Properties; -...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Offices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The table sets out the requested information. As regards further changes to our offices in 2014 my officials are currently in consultation with other Government Departments regarding offices in Tralee, Roscommon, Galway, Tullamore, and Drumshambo. County Name of office Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Address 4 Year closed, reduced Number of staff affected Costs of maintaining affected...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Equipment Scheme Applications (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned is an applicant under the TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme and submitted an application in the final tranche which closed on 31 December 2013. My Department has already acknowledged the receipt of the application. The processing of the application is continuing and my Department will endeavour to allocate such priority as is possible to the application concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Russian market for Irish pork is extremely important with exports in 2013 of approx. 20,000 tonnes (66.5% higher than 2012) and a value of €55m. It is one of our largest non-EU markets and the strong 2013 sales performance contributed greatly to the rise in value of overall pigmeat exports by 3% in 2013 to €525m. In January 2014 the Lithuanian authorities discovered two...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheepmeat Sector (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: In developing the shape of the new system of Direct Payments in Ireland, I have been very conscious of the needs of sheep farmers, in particular those who farm on hill and commonage land. In general this group holds low value entitlements under the current Single Payment Scheme and will benefit significantly from the model of convergence that is to be applied in Ireland where those with a low...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry Issues (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Aggregate cattle supplies at Department-approved meat plants in early February 2014 are running at 12,000 head (or 7%) ahead of the corresponding period in 2013 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 requirements of their retail customers....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tax Code (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have ensured that key taxation measures that promote earlier lifetime transfer of holdings have been retained and have, in conjunction with the Minister for Finance, introduced some amendments to the taxation code to assist young farmers to take over family run farms from their parents, which I will detail briefly. Agricultural Relief Agricultural Relief is a relief from Capital...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Census (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The requirement for flock owners to submit the annual census details to my Department came into effect on 29 January 2004 in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 21/2004, which is directly applicable in Member States.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Security Checks (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: None of my Departmental or Ministerial offices have been swept for electronic or any other type of surveillance or bugging equipment since I came into office in March 2011.