Results 15,701-15,720 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Nursing (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm that Section 109 of the Veterinary Practice Act 2005 makes provision for certificates of suitability (which, with limited exceptions, are required for any premises at which veterinary practice is carried out) to be granted to veterinary nurses, in addition to veterinary practitioners. Day to day implementation of the application process is vested in the Veterinary Council of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Scheme Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: GLAS (the Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme) is part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme (RDP) which was submitted to the European Commission in July. The Commission services only recently notified us of their observations on the draft Scheme, to which my Department provided immediate and detailed replies. Discussions are continuing with the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Staff (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I believe that the Deputy is referring to the Forestry Act 1988, under which Coillte Teoranta was established, which contains inter aliaprovisions applicable to staff transferred to the company (Section 43)  and superannuation (Section 44). In the context of ‘the way pensions are treated and in particular in the way that D stamps are treated’, I do not currently have any...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from the 1stDecember 2010 and full entitlements have issued in respect of the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Scheme years. AEOS payments in respect of the 2014 scheme year will commence shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Payment of the balancing payment under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) commenced yesterday. To date, over €550 million has issued to farmers. The total payments made to date to farmers under the 2 014 Single Farm Payment and Disadvantaged Areas Schemes now exceeds €1.3 billion. Payments under both Schemes continue to be made when individual applications become clear for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as responding to correspondence and the management of the forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. The correspondence was, however, drawn to the attention of the company in early October at which time Coillte advised that its operations team was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: Since May 2011, a notification has been placed on my Department’s website inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. Persons expressing an interest in being appointed to such positions are considered in the normal appointments process. Applicants may express interest in more than one...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Emergency Planning (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I, along with my colleagues Deputy Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and Deputy Paudie Coffey, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, launched the Government's annual 'Be Winter Ready' 2014-2015 Information Campaign on 13 November, 2014. The campaign aims to inform and reassure people that the Government has made...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Emergency Planning (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The estimated cost of Winter Ready 2014/15 is approximately €40,000. The Winter Ready campaign was introduced by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning in November 2011 to provide advice and information to help the public be better prepared to deal with a period of severe weather. A website is available to provide practical advice and contact details of the main services that...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The original decision of March 1987, to take the total compensation into consideration in deciding the rate of disability pension applicable in this case, was quashed on foot of a High Court Order of 23 November 1987, and a review of the case was ordered to be undertaken. While the High Court Order quashed the original decision of March 1987 and ordered that a review of the case be...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: TheHealth Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), formerly The Irish Medicines Board (IMB), is the statutory authority with responsibility for the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines in Ireland. There are three anti-malarial medications licensed by the HPRA , in use in the Defence Forces, namely Lariam (mefloquine), Malarone and Doxycycline.The malaria chemoprophylactic agent of choice...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Visits (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: During each Presidency of the Council of the European Union, one formal and one informal meeting of Defence Ministers is held.Defence Ministers meet as the ‘Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers’ format’. These Council meetings are held in Brussels or Luxembourg at the invitation of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Since I was...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Appointments to State Boards (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The only body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act, 1927. The Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary members. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical practitioners of whom one must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forthcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: If it is acceptable I will deal with the agriculture side of the Council first and then the fish side afterwards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forthcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I welcome the opportunity to appear at the committee today to discuss what will happen at the next AGRI FISH Council on 15 and 16 December. The AGRI FISH Council on 15 and 16 December will be the final Council presided over by the Italian Presidency, with Latvia assuming the Presidency role from 1 January 2015. It is customary for the outgoing Presidency to take stock of developments over...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forthcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I referred to the super-levy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forthcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: On the question about producer organisations, this is included in the new CAP regulations. The Commission is encouraging the setting up and recognition of producer organisations in order to improve and develop the bargaining position of primary producers. The Commission wants to use them to increase the negotiating power of primary producers versus retailers and wholesalers and so on. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forthcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: I share Deputy Ó Cuív's view on error rates. The approach the Commission has taken towards penalising countries for error rates has caused a lot of problems for many member states, including Ireland. I expect we will have a discussion in due course whereby Ministers will demand as much clarity and flexibility as possible when rural development programmes are being signed off, so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The annual fishing opportunities for fishing fleets are traditionally agreed at the December Fisheries Council. This year, the arrangements for 2015 are due to be negotiated at the Council scheduled for 15 and 16 December. The levels of total allowable catch, TAC, and the quotas for Ireland will again be determined at that meeting following negotiations with member states and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries Sustainability Impact Assessment: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Dec 2014)

Simon Coveney: The €78 million does not include the Hague preferences, so if we invoke them successfully, the €78 million will decrease by €8 million. The maximum damage, direct and indirect, if this were imposed in full and if we did not manage to invoke the Hague preferences, is estimated by BIM to be about €78 million. It would be €32 million in actual reductions in...