Results 1,641-1,660 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The prepared consumer foods sector plays a significant role in the economy with annual output of €2.6 billion, exports of €1.3 billion and direct employment of 16,000. The sector is one of the fastest growing sub-sectors of the Irish food industry, with growth at about 10% per annum. The prepared consumer foods sector is comprised of almost 200 companies out of a total of 700 food...

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

Mary Coughlan: Preliminary indications are that potato plantings in 2005 will be slightly down on the 2004 figure of 12,600 hectares. Planting of the 2005 potato crop is ongoing. The annual national potato census takes place during the summer and results for 2005 will be published later in the year. The main varieties grown in 2004 were Rooster, which represented 54% of main crop production area, Kerr's...

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

Mary Coughlan: The following table summarises the estimated quantities of pig meat, in carcass weight equivalent, produced, imported, consumed and exported in 2004. It indicates that imports are the equivalent of 29% of national production. Tonnes Production 206,000 Imports 59,000 Consumption 146,000 Exports 119,000

Written Answers — Pet Food: Pet Food (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: Importation of meat and bonemeal or such products for any purpose to do with the farm animal and human food chain is prohibited. Under Community rules the importation of such products which have already been incorporated within pet foods and which are destined for meat eating animals is provided for subject to certain conditions. Data supplied by the Central Statistics Office indicate that...

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 2004, 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 — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 374 together. Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that member states must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin, including meat and meat extracts, as well as to imports of these products from third countries. Under harmonised legislation a series of health and supervisory requirements are applied in the member...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In recent years, the focus of the Irish beef and sheepmeat industry has been to broaden and expand its market reach at EU retail level. For beef this has meant shifting its orientation away from international commodity markets and into the higher priced internal EU marketplace. Effective promotion by Bord Bia and marketing by the industry has ensured a presence for top quality Irish beef and...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The general labelling regulations covering all food sold in Ireland require that the information be given clearly, accurately and in a language understood by the consumer. European Directive 2000/13/EC on the labelling of foodstuffs requires prepackaged foodstuffs to carry information on the source or place of origin only where its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree on...

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

Mary Coughlan: Payments under the 2004 arable aid scheme commenced on 16 November in line with the protocol commitments. Up to 99.4% of applicants have received their payments amounting to more than €130 million. Payments under the four on-farm investment schemes, the farm waste management scheme, dairy hygiene scheme, installation aid scheme and alternative enterprises scheme, are up to date and in...

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

Mary Coughlan: A total of 2,635 applications have been received under the current early retirement scheme since its introduction in November 2000. Of these 81 are being processed. In the 12 months from 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005, a total of 309 applications were approved and eight rejected.

Written Answers — Deer Farming: Deer Farming (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The deer population in Ireland stands at nearly 50,000 animals on some 300 units, producing almost 800 tonnes of venison annually. Deer numbers have increased by 10% since 1994. About 70% of production is exported to markets in Denmark, the UK and US. Fallow deer is exported to Denmark while red deer is supplied to the supermarket chains in Ireland and the UK and also to restaurants at home...

Written Answers — Dairy Industry: Dairy Industry (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The future development of the Irish dairy industry will depend on a number of factors including how it responds to the mid-term reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, how it reacts to the obligations imposed by the World Trade Organisation and how it avails of the increased marketing opportunities presented in the enlarged European Union and the wider global economy. The new intervention...

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

Mary Coughlan: The first case of BSE in Ireland was diagnosed in 1989. In 1990 EU legislation was introduced which banned the feeding of meat and bonemeal to ruminant animals. These measures were significantly strengthened in the intervening years in the light of new information relating to the disease and the possible implications for human health. In 2001 all proteins derived from mammals was prohibited...

Written Answers — Beef Exports: Beef Exports (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: In recent years, the focus of the Irish beef industry has been to broaden and expand its market reach at EU retail level, shifting its orientation away from international commodity markets and into the higher priced internal EU marketplace. Effective promotion and marketing of beef by Bord Bia and the industry has ensured a presence for top quality Irish beef in all the key European markets....

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

Mary Coughlan: The year 2005 marks one of the most significant developments in the recent history of Irish farming as policy shifts from production supports to the decoupled single payment scheme. The new Common Agricultural Policy regime will allow Irish cereal farmers greater freedom to farm, giving many producers the opportunity to tailor their enterprises to meet consumer and market demand and to...

Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (4 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I regard short-term plans as those to be completed by year end, medium term strategies as those encompassed by the Department's three year statement of strategy and longer term plans as those relating to the issues set out in the Agri-Vision Report 2015. I have recently approved a new statement of strategy for the Department of Agriculture and Food for 2005 to 2007, which is expected to be...

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

Mary Coughlan: The person named has been informed that his application for consideration in respect of the new entrant measure of the single payment scheme has been withdrawn at his own request. The named person can apply to have the entitlements transferred to him by submitting a private contract application form and a copy of the lease agreement providing for the transfer of the entitlements together with...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (5 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I received the report of the joint Oireachtas 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 the European Commission regulations under which both the current and previous schemes were introduced.

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (5 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: I received the report of the joint Oireachtas 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 the current and previous schemes were introduced.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 May 2005)

Mary Coughlan: The European directives to be implemented by my Department are set out in the following schedule.