Results 14,881-14,900 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have checked them. In the coming weeks Irish beef will be the first beef from Europe to enter the US market for 16 years. In terms of the domestic beef sector, I agree with the Deputies that this has been a very difficult year for many beef farmers. However, I do not buy into the view that everybody is now looking at leaving beef production and that no young people are going into...

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: As I said, all of the agricultural colleges are full. Teagasc management has repeatedly approached me seeking more staff for the colleges to meet the growing numbers on a month-by-month basis. We need to restructure the beef market. The Deputies are correct that beef farmers are in a position of weakness when they negotiate with very large processors. They go with a trailer load of...

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: Yes, they are depending on me and I will not fail them. I have made it clear that the Government prioritises the beef sector as part of its agricultural policy. That is what we are doing under the CAP and, in particular, the RDP. We will continue to support the sector in the budget next week.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: There is nothing in this Fianna Fáil motion in terms of a strategic change in the agriculture sector. The budget will be delivered next week and that party has nothing to offer. Do the Deputies opposite even know that for the past 12 months we have been engaged in an agri-taxation review with the Department of Finance? There have been no suggestions as to what we should announce next...

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have read it. The Deputies are getting upset, rightly so, because they are not representing agriculture. I genuinely do not know what the Fianna Fáil Party represents.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: I hope the Deputies have some policies that will help us to implement Food Harvest 2020 and the follow-on strategy we will develop which will build on the sense of Food Harvest 2020. That was a very important and significant policy document.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: Just as I have always acknowledged that it was produced by the Deputy's party. However, the motion does not build on it. That is a fact.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: It is left to the Government to build on the potential of Food Harvest 2020 and that is what we are doing. Before concluding, I note that it is quite extraordinary that six months out from the abolition of dairy quotas which will facilitate the Irish dairy industry to grow to its full potential over time, there is no mention of that industry in a broad Fianna Fáil motion on...

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: We will look at that.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: We looked after young farmers.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: They are up 15%.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: It would not be because we do not control all boats in our territorial waters.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: For the record, live records are up 15% this year on last year's figures.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: I did not say that.

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: Is there a cartel across Europe as well because we are at European level prices for beef?

Agriculture Industry: Motion [Private Members] (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: It is capped at the lowest figure we were allowed to cap it at.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: School Milk Scheme (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 225, inclusive, together. The School Milk Scheme was introduced in 1977, and over 20 million EU children benefited from it in 2011/2012, an 18% jump compared with 2010/2011. The SMS has operated in Ireland since 1982 with the objective of promoting and encouraging the consumption of milk among school children. Its management is primarily through the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: Eligible applicants for the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in 2014 must have met (a) a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per hectare in 2011, or have been granted derogation and (b) 0.15 livestock units per hectare in 2014. The person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted upon by the requirement to have achieved...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in September 2008 and has received payments for the entire duration of their contract. A remaining Supplementary Payment for mixed Grazing amounting to €814.85 will issue when the 2014 REPS payments commence.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Programmes (7 Oct 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will be 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 (SPS) , the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Agri-environment Schemes, etc. This comprises the entire net income of many thousands of Irish farmers. The European Commission...