Results 13,761-13,780 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is getting agitated.

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is grandstanding.

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: I attended a public meeting in Cashel last week at which we debated these issues.

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: For the information of the House, I attended a whole series of public meetings at which the big policy issues were debated and discussed.

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: As far as I can remember, the Deputy did not turn up at any of them.

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: I had extensive public meetings at the point in the process when big policy decisions were being made. I received a mandate from farmers to pursue a certain direction and we achieved all of the targets we set for ourselves following the achievement of that mandate from farmers. We have been following through on a consultation process as these policy decisions must be implemented...

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: He has missed the boat.

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: That is the reality and why he is so upset.

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Seán Kyne has been raising this issue for quite some time, both with me and my colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan. The discussions we have had with him have produced a good result, as of yesterday.

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Twelve Bens-Maam Turks complex in Connemara is an important habitat that has suffered from overgrazing by sheep. Commonage framework plans had been introduced in 2002, but by 2008 it was clear that further restrictions were required to allow habitat regeneration to occur. The need for a more vigorous conservation effort was underlined by a European Court of Justice ruling in the matter....

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The changes were required in the case of REPS plans, not AEOS plans. That is my understanding. The payments being made will be managed by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, not my Department. The Deputy can table a question to the Minister, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, if he wants to obtain exact figures.

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: Yes, I will come back to the Deputy on that matter. We will certainly take a very practical approach to it. We are looking at changing commonage framework plans across the country. That process will probably be rolled out in the next 18 months. We cannot do it overnight; we will certainly not instruct farmers overnight. We will work with them in commonage areas to make the appropriate...

Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes Payments (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: This is a complex issue but one with which we have to deal. The discussion process is under way. We have been talking to farm organisations about the best way to do this. I have made it clear within the Department that we are not simply going to send letters to everybody in commonage areas instructing them that there is a change in the stocking rate on their commonage. As the two Deputies...

Other Questions: Food Labelling (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: Food labelling to inform consumers of the properties of pre-packaged food is governed by EU rules. The most important labelling rule is that the consumer should not be misled. The Minister for Health has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. New EU food information regulations have extended the explicit compulsory origin labelling requirements to meats other...

Other Questions: Food Labelling (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: Clearly, there was a breakdown last year, but that was because of blatant food fraud as opposed to a breakdown in the systems in place. Across the 28 member states of the European Union, we have comprehensive traceability requirements for the food industry. We have free movement of goods and food in the European Union but we also have a tight, strict system that is common to every country...

Other Questions: Food Labelling (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: We go above and beyond what the European Union requires in terms of food safety controls as Ireland must be best in class. I am satisfied that the rules and regulations set out by the Commission are being implemented across the European Union. While there will always be mistakes, cases of food fraud and crises, it is our responsibility, as it is the responsibility of other member states, to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The House will be aware that I have been considering introducing a charge for parking facilities within Howth Fishery Harbour Centre for some time: - to assist in operating Howth Fishery Harbour Centre on a financially-sound basis, - to provide a source of revenue for further investment in Fishery Harbour Centre facilities, - as part of an overall traffic management plan, and - in order...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Administration (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: The GLAS (Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme) and TAMS II (Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme) are part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme (RDP). The RDP must be submitted to the European Commission for approval. GLAS is designed around core requirements which all applicants must satisfy. A tiered approach is being applied to entry...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 21 together. The purpose of the roundtable discussions with key stakeholders in the beef sector (which included representatives from IFA, ICMSA, ICSA, MII, Teagasc and Bord Bia) that I hosted on 17 April was to reflect on recent developments in the sector and set out a series of actions that will aid viability across the supply chain in light of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (8 May 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department and the local authorities have been very proactive in dealing with the surplus and unwanted horses. The Control of Horses Act, 1996 was introduced to address serious problems being caused by straying horses wandering onto public roads and lands and posing risks to the public, especially motorists, young children and property (both public and private). Local authorities have...