Results 14,821-14,840 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: At the end of 2018, national herd incidence for TB stood at 3.51% as is shown in the following table, marginally up on the same period last year (comparable figure for 2017 is 3.47%). This means that in 2018, 3.51% of all herds tested for TB have experienced a new breakdown, i.e., they have had at least 1 animal that tested positive for TB. The tables show by county the number of herds...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The amount of nitrogen from livestock manure that can be applied to land is limited to 170 kgs nitrogen per hectare per year by the Nitrates regulations (SI 605 2017). These regulations are the responsibility of the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government and apply to all farms including feedlots, in effect, placing a limit on the amount of manure applied to land. The transfer of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The Animal Health Computer System (AHCS) is a fully integrated online disease management system developed by my Department over many years and is highly regarded internationally by veterinary disease programme managers. It is primarily used for bovine TB management but also has functionality in relation to Brucellosis, BSE, Bluetongue, Avian Influenza, Foot and Mouth Disease,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Disease Controls (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Addressing area-based risk is a well-established fundamental aspect of the Tb Eradication Programme. As well as regular diagnostic testing, specific measures are targeted at mitigating disease spread in a local area. This includes initiating a wildlife programme to limit spread from wildlife to cattle. Contiguous testing is also carried out on herds that neighbour a breakdown. In discrete...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Laboratory Facilities (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The number of samples submitted to the Central Veterinary Laboratory from licensed export plants in counties Roscommon & Galway between 1 January 2017 and 28 February 2019 is in the table. Table: The number of samples submitted to the Central veterinary Laboratory from licensed export plants from Roscommon & Galway from 1stJanuary 2017 to 28thFebruary 2019. There is one...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: A decision to grant an afforestation licence under the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme issued to the person named and their registered forester in May 2018. The decision was subsequently appealed to the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC). As the FAC is independent of my Department, I cannot enter into any correspondence with them on any appeal. Queries with regard to scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Price volatility is a significant issue for the pig sector and indeed has been for the last 18 months, highlighting the cyclical nature of prices in the sector. Continuing Brexit uncertainty lends emphasis and urgency to the expansion of international market access, and I have made market diversification a priority. In 2017 I visited Mexico, the fourth largest importer of chilled and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Issues (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and is fully up to date with his GLAS payments. Actions undertaken for GLAS whether on owned, leased or rented land must be delivered for the entire period of the contract. GLAS is an EU part-funded scheme and must be administered under the relevant EU regulations and the terms and conditions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Ireland’s Forestry Programme 2014-2020 was approved by the Government and secured State aid approval from the European Commission in 2015. The scheme provides financial support of up to 100% of the cost of establishment as well as an annual premium each year up to 15 years.  My Department has sought to address falling planting rates through the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering Data (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The number of inspections conducted by my Department in slaughterhouses far exceeds the legal requirement as set down in regulation and is consistent with inspection controls applied in other Member States.  The Divisional Annual control plan operated by Beef Carcase Classification section of my Department requires officers to conduct, where possible, a factory inspection...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Live exports are a critical part of the infrastructure of our livestock industry. They play a significant role in stimulating price competition and provide an alternative market outlet for farmers. My Department facilitates this trade, recognising its critical importance to the agri sector, while ensuring that live animal exports meet the highest welfare standards. I continue to prioritise...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering Data (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The number of beef animals that were exported to Northern Ireland for the years 2017 and 2018, were 16,687 and 17,740 respectively as recorded on the Department’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) database, while a total of 3,017 beef animals have been exported to Northern Ireland from the start of 2019 to 3rd March. The AIM database does not record the intended purpose for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering Standards (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Unlike mechanical grading, it is open to a farmer to appeal a manual grading of the carcass. Manual classifiers are factory employees and are licensed to classify by my Department under the EU legislation.  Therefore a farmer looking to make such an appeal or to have the grade rechecked should contact the factory in question.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Slaughtering Standards (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 governs the monitoring of carcase classification, carcase presentation and weighing. If a mechanical classification machine is found to be working outside EU defined tolerances the factory is instructed to revert to manual grading immediately.  All manual classifiers are factory employees and are licensed to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: The Future Growth Loan Scheme has been developed by my Department and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in partnership with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and the European Investment Fund (EIF). It will be delivered through participating finance providers and make up to €300 million of investment loans available to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Live exports are a critical part of the infrastructure of our livestock industry. They play a significant role in stimulating price competition and provide an alternative market outlet for farmers. My Department facilitates this trade, recognising its critical importance to the agri-sector, while ensuring that live animal exports meet the highest welfare standards. I continue to prioritise...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Irish beef exports increased from €2,405 million in 2017 to €2,439 million in 2018.  The following table provides beef exports from the start of January to the end of December 2018, in both value and volume terms according to the CSO trade statistics. Country €000 Tonnes % Value % Volume Austria 4,668 1,503 <1% <1% Bahrain 91 13 <1%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Sheepmeat exports increased by 1.5% in value in 2018 compared to 2017, to an estimated €314.8 million, or almost 60,000 tonnes. The following table provides sheepmeat exports from the start of January to the end of December 2018, in both value and volume terms according to the CSO trade statistics. Country €000 Tonnes % Value % Volume Austria 1,340 195 <1% <1%...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pork Exports (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: Last year the total value of pigmeat exports, taking account of all pigmeat including prepared and preserved, was more than €832 million, an increase from €793 million in 2017. Additionally, in volume terms, exports rose by almost 10 million tonnes growing from 277 million tonnes in 2017 to 286 million tonnes in 2018. The following table, based on CSO data, shows the total...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (12 Mar 2019)

Michael Creed: In 2018, Ireland exported dairy products to over 130 countries totalling over €4.5 billion worth of produce, an increase of over 5% by volume compared to 2017 and another year of strong performance by the Irish dairy sector. The following table, based on CSO data, outlines details in respect of values and tonnage by country for dairy exports, and the share of total dairy exports to...