Results 1,601-1,620 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Animal Feedstuffs: Animal Feedstuffs (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy is aware that the High Court, in respect of a judicial review of the seizure and detention by my officials of certain corn gluten imported into this country, recently ruled in favour of the company referred to on two counts. First, the authorised officers, appointed by the Minister, did not have the necessary powers, under the Irish legislation quoted, to impound the feed material...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: My Department recently completed the expenditure review of the current scheme of early retirement from farming. Copies of the review were laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 13 April 2005. The expenditure review process was established by the Department of Finance in 1997 in the context of the strategic management initiative. The purpose of the review of the early retirement scheme...

Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy is referring to special report No. 9 of the European Court of Auditors concerning forestry measures within the EU's rural development policy. This report examines the implementation of the various EU forestry measures across all the member states, not just Ireland. It covers a very wide range of issues, many of which are questions which relate to EU policy in this area. In relation...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: To date in 2005, there have been 25 confirmed cases of BSE. In the same period in 2004, there were 59 cases. This represents a reduction of 57%. In 2003 and in 2002, over the same period, there were 82 cases and 131 cases, respectively.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I made arrangements last month to expedite balancing payments to farmers affected by the special beef premium quota excess based on an estimated overshoot reduction. Over the last two weeks, some €80 million has been paid to special beef, suckler cow and slaughter premium applicants with the bulk of this going to farmers with more than 25 special beef premium animals. I have also raised the...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The proposed redefinition of disadvantaged areas is one element of a EU Commission proposal on support for rural development in the 2007-13 period. The proposed redefinition responds to the European Court of Auditors' criticism, endorsed by the European Parliament, of the current system. The suggested new methodology is based on natural conditions, notably soil and climatic factors. The...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I received the committee's report formally on 7 April and my officials are currently examining it. This report arises from an investigation by the committee of a complaint by a group representing retired farmers. Department officials provided a comprehensive formal written response to the complaint and attended a meeting of the committee in July 2003 to answer questions from members. The...

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Under the new single payment scheme, farmers receiving direct aid are required to respect the various statutory management requirements set down in EU legislation on the environment, food safety, animal health, and welfare, and plant health and to maintain the farm in good agricultural and environmental condition, GAEC. There will also be an obligation on the member state to ensure that there...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The implementation of the nitrates directive is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In October last, Ireland submitted an action programme to the European Commission for further implementation of the nitrates directive. In December the Commission conveyed its view that the action programme was not complete and did not comply with...

Written Answers — Biotechnological Inventions: Biotechnological Inventions (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Promotion and development of renewable energy in Ireland are matters in the first instance for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. My Department is represented on the bioenergy strategy group established by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural resources to consider policy options and support mechanisms available to Government to stimulate increased...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Payment details for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 in respect of this herd owner were contained in a statement of his provisional entitlements issued by my Department to him on 1 February of this year. The Department has issued a duplicate of that statement together with a review form to the herd owner.

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Under the EU regulations governing the single payment scheme, farmers, who inherited holdings during or since the reference years from those who had entitlements established for them, may also inherit those entitlements. The farmers concerned should each complete an inheritance form in order to get the entitlements registered in their own names. The completed form together with supporting...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Payment dated 28 April 2005 has issued in this case.

Written Answers — Single Payment Scheme: Single Payment Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for consideration in respect of the new entrant measure of the single payment scheme. Following processing of the documentation received it was deemed that it is more beneficial financially to have the entitlements established in her husband's name transferred rather than the new entrant measure. A letter outlining the position has issued to the...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The classification of all of County Monaghan as "more severely handicapped" has cleared all the hurdles in Brussels, as was announced last week by my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith. I am extremely pleased at this news which meets a commitment made to the social partners in Sustaining Progress. The agreement of the European...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I received the report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee formally on 7 April. I have asked my officials to consider the recommendations contained in the report, having due regard to the terms and conditions both of the early retirement scheme and of the European Commission regulations under which both the current and previous schemes were introduced.

Written Answers — Land Reclassification: Land Reclassification (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Consolidated entitlements are granted through the national reserve and except in cases of force majeure, must be used in full by the person who has applied for consolidation for a period of five years following their granting. Otherwise the unused entitlements are returned to the national reserve. The only exception to this rule is where the land and entitlements are transferred by gift or...

Written Answers — Veterinary Matters: Veterinary Matters (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Under EU Directive 2004/28, there is a general requirement that all medicines for food-producing animals must be brought under veterinary prescription control. However, taking account of difficulties Ireland and a small number of other member states had expressed about this prescriptive approach during negotiations on the legislation, provision has been made under the EU directive for...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted applications for consideration in respect of inheritance and new entrant measures of the single payment scheme. Following processing of her application it was deemed that she did not meet the criteria for a person commencing a farming activity during the reference years as it commenced in February 2003. An application form for consideration in respect of the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The person named applied for consideration of force majeure exceptional circumstances on 21 January 2004. Following consideration of his application for force majeure exceptional circumstances by the single payment unit and the independent single payment appeals committee, force majeure was applied in this case. It was agreed that the year 2002 will be excluded and the years 2000 and 2001...