Results 13,381-13,400 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: This is the level playing field question, which is a fair one to ask. We require farmers in the European Union to produce food under very tight regulation. As a result, we also pay them for that through the CAP in the form of direct payments. That is the deal. European farmers have to produce food to a very high standard in terms of traceability, husbandry, controls, inspection and so on...

Other Questions: Beef Industry Issues (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department approves and supervises the operation of rendering plants under the terms of the EU Animal By-Products, ABP, Regulation, (EC) 1069/2009. Such plants are approved to handle different classes of animal by-products, with category three being low risk material and category one being higher risk. There are five category three and five category one approved plants in the State at...

Other Questions: Beef Industry Issues (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: I will respond to Deputy Kyne's point before dealing with the issue raised by Deputy Ó Cuív. I have information on the associations which own the aforementioned companies which might be of use to the Deputy. Munster Proteins and Waterford Proteins are owned by the ABP Group; Dublin Proteins, which runs two facilities, is owned by the Ronan Group; Slaney Proteins is owned by Slaney...

Other Questions: Fishing Communities (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Wallace has raised a point that fishermen have also raised with me. I asked BIM to put together a scheme that could help inshore fishermen who have lost lobster pots, crab pots and so on. The intention was that the Department would pay 40% of the replacement costs. BIM representatives came back to me with a proposal. They asked me how much money was available and I told them the...

Other Questions: Fishing Communities (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have got some feedback and know most of the boats in Wexford are smaller. We will re-evaluate the scheme, but we cannot change it because it is in the process of being applied. I cannot change any scheme midstream. If there are moneys left over, we will look at how best we can spend them to the best possible effect. My objective is to help as many people as possible. There are many...

Other Questions: Fishing Communities (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: There are plenty of owners of boats between 12 m and 15 m in length who are in difficulty too following the storms. The problems are not solely confined to boats under 12 m. I would like to have much more to spend in this sector. We are examining broader actions we can take to help the inshore sector, which is not before time either, but I only have €1.5 million to spend. We will...

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: This is an ongoing process about which I spoken to the Deputy on several occasions. This is a sensitive issue as there are thousands of commonages across the country. We have a new commonage framework programme that needs to be implemented in partnership with the farmers in question and the National Parks and Wildlife Service which has a role to ensure commonages are farmed appropriately....

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: The important point is that the European Commission sees progress in this area. There has been progress as the liaison process is under way, but there will be difficult commonage areas that will require local public meetings to be held. We are planning that structure with the farming organisations in order that it can be rolled out over time. Implementation of the new commonage framework...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheepmeat Sector (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: The broad outline for developing the sheep industry in Ireland was set out in the Food Harvest 2020 document which envisages a 20% increase in value terms of the sector by 2020. My approach in achieving this objective is to drive the development of the industry at home and increase Ireland`s market share of the world market. This will ensure that producers and processors can plan for the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Policy (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department is engaged in ongoing consultations with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to the design of the new agri-environmental schemes under the terms of the Rural Development Programme. These new schemes will offer farmers the opportunity to undertake enhanced environmental actions to protect important habitats and species on agricultural land. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Drainage Schemes Status (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: The new EU policy framework setting out the broad principles in relation to rural development for the 2014-2020 period has now been finalised. My Department is currently considering the comments received from the various stakeholders in response to the consultation paper which was published by my Department in January 2014. The consultation paper sets out a number of priorities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: It is widely recognised that the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme is a very important one for this country, as the total area designated as disadvantaged is almost 75% of Ireland’s total land area. From an economic perspective, the Scheme is particularly significant, contributing to the support of some 95,000 Irish farm families, whose ability to farm is restricted by the physical...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Harvest 2020 Strategy (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, the Food Harvest 2020 strategy for Ireland’s agri-food industry is the result of a collaborative approach to policy making and includes as it does for all sectors of the industry, a vision for the beef sector developed and agreed by stakeholders, including farm bodies and processors. With regard to prices, it should be noted that Irish beef prices were...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sugar Industry (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: I wish to confirm that in 2011 I met with two separate groups which had conducted feasibility studies into the possibility of establishing a new sugar/bioethanol facility in the country. I understand from figures published by the interested groups who are investigating the possibility of building a new facility, that the overall capital cost costs involved could range from €250...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: The planning of the conference is still in the early stages but at this point I can say that it will focus on many of the changes being made to the animal welfare regime, including those introduced by the new Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013. The issue of animal welfare is broad and the welfare of horses will undoubtedly be one of the topics discussed. With regard to animal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department devotes considerable resources to the area of animal welfare and, in particular, to the welfare of horses. In December 2013, I announced funding of €1.8m to 136 organisations involved in animal care and welfare services throughout the country to support their activities in 2014. The level of funding provided to the organisations was increased for the third year in a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: Gougane Barra Forest Park, County Cork is managed by Coillte Teoranta. Day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. In relation to this matter, the company has advised that on Friday 3rd of January 2014, Phytophthora ramorum had been confirmed on Japanese larch trees in Gougane Barra Forest Park, County Cork. Samples...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Natura 2000 Issues (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: In 2007 the European Court of Justice (ECJ) declared in Case C418/04 that by failing to take all measures necessary to comply with Article 6.3 of the EU Habitats Directive in respect of the authorisation of aquaculture programmes, Ireland had failed to fulfil its obligations under that Directive. As most aquaculture activity takes place in 'Natura 2000' areas (i.e. areas protected under EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department monitors the price paid for cattle in Ireland on a weekly basis and reports these to the European Commission in accordance with Regulation 1249/2008. The Deputy will appreciate that ultimately questions of price and market specification are matters to be determined between the purchasers and the sellers of cattle and it is neither appropriate nor possible for me to intervene...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (26 Mar 2014)

Simon Coveney: Despite the challenging budgetary constraints facing my Department, in 2012 I allocated €20 million annually to fund the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) and on foot of this I announced the re-opening of the scheme as AEOS 3. On the basis of previous experience in implementing agri-environmental schemes, I decided on a maximum payment of €4,000 per annum. This represents...