Results 15,561-15,580 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Having a cap is not the same as having a flat charge.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The School Milk Scheme (SMS) 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 National Dairy Council (NDC) in conjunction with the co-ops,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Taxation policy is primarily a matter for the Minister for Finance. However I have on-going contact with Minister Noonan to ensure that tax policy reflects the Government’s commitment to agriculture. Currently young farmers can avail of an enhanced income tax relief measure for 100% stock relief and a stamp duty relief on land transfers if they meet certain criteria, which include...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is currently developing a Threat Response Plan (TRP) for Hen Harrier, which is one of Ireland's rarest species of bird, and which is protected at a European level under the EU Birds Directive. As part of this process, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has established an inter-Departmental Steering Group, incorporating...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 9 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The EU Regulations also require that where it is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2014 Single Farm Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 7 May 2014. During processing of this application a dual claim error arose where two of the parcels declared by the person named are also being claimed by another applicant under the Single Payment Scheme. An official from my Department will be in contact with the person named to clarify the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Administration (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The situation in which this farmer finds himself is extremely unfortunate. However, there is no specific compensation scheme in place for farmers who suffer casualties in their herd due to electric storms or other unforeseen events.  It is not possible, regrettably, to introduce a compensation scheme to cover all unforeseen events. I would, therefore, urge all farmers to familiarise...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 16 April 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. Satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 16 April 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. Satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 05 May 2014. Processing of this application has recently been finalised with payment under both schemes due to issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named. The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 2) with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 13 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a ground...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Area-based schemes under the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including cross checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, to be completed before payments can issue. These rigorous procedures, together with on-farm inspections, apply to a number of scheme payments including the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Division (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Each year farmers in Ireland benefit from funding of over €1.5 billion under Schemes such as the Single Farm Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Agri-Environment Schemes, etc. This comprises the entire net income of many thousands of Irish farmers. Following consultation with the EU Commission, as part of the normal Accounting process, my Department was requested to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Transport (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The ministerial transport costs paid by my Department in respect of the Ministers and Ministers of State in the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 are set out in the table. The costs include travel expenses for use of the Minister of States’ private cars for each year, the use of my private car since March 2011 and pay and subsistence costs associated with staff employed as drivers of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Transport (19 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: In 2010, all Government Ministers were provided with a State car that was driven by a member of An Garda Síochána from a pool of Gardaí, two of whom were assigned to the Minister at that time. The cost of this service was funded from the Vote of An Garda Síochána. In March 2011 the Government brought in new arrangements in respect of ministerial transport. Under the...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am sharing my time with Deputy Paul J. Connaughton. I am glad to have an opportunity to contribute to the debate. There has been a great deal of discussion about Irish Water over the last number of days and months, and it is good to have two full days of debate in the House to assess the decisions the Government made yesterday. It is important to record the thinking as to why Irish...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: A household with two adults will pay less than €160, which is the cap, when they draw down the €100 in social welfare. A household like mine, with two adults and three children, that uses less than 135,000 litres per year will pay less than the cap. The incentive still exists. It is important that people deal with the facts rather than try to create an illusion that water...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: That is nonsense.

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: What about the €1.7 billion-----

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Feedstuffs (20 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The EU Animal By-Products (ABP) Regulation 1069 of 2009 allows the possibility of feeding raw meat to dogs under a number of headings.  For instance, meat from slaughterhouses that was passed fit for human consumption but is unwanted for commercial reasons can be used to produce raw petfood, subject to certain conditions. Raw pet food originating from retail shops, where the...