Results 16,681-16,700 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Applications (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) has provided temporary exceptional adjustment aid to farmers in the beef sector in Ireland subject to the conditions set out in EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1132.  Under the terms of that regulation, and the scheme as notified to the European Commission, it is not possible to open a second round of applications for the measure.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The person named is fully up to date with his GLAS payments.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme Eligibility (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The Organic Farming Scheme is one of the most successful schemes under our current Rural Development Programme.  A budget of €56m was allocated to fund the Scheme opened during the period 2014 to 2020 which was the largest allocation ever to an Organics support scheme. The Scheme has more than achieved its targets in terms of new land converted and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted an application under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme of TAMS II.  The application was approved and a payment claim was subsequently submitted. By virtue of the penalty section in the terms and conditions of the scheme, a penalty/reduction was applied in this case.  Payment was made to the person named on 14 March...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.  Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.    Under Section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.  Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.   Bord na gCon have informed the Department that,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.  Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.   Bord na gCon have informed me that they unreservedly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The Irish Government has provided significant financial support to the beef sector over the past number of years through national funding and the rural development programme. The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) provides Irish beef farmers with up to €300 million in funding over the current Rural Development Programme (RDP) and provides a high degree of important performance...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alternative Farm Enterprises (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 376 together. As the Deputy may be aware, current legislation does not allow for the growing of hemp unless a specific licence has been granted by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) which operates under the auspices of the Department of Health. In addition the cultivation of hemp (Cannabis genus) is restricted to varieties having...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2019: Motion (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The horse and greyhound racing industries occupy a special place in the Irish psyche and a key position in the rich tapestry of Irish sport. They are valuable to our economy, central to our identity and cornerstones of our social and cultural heritage. There is an indisputable passion and commitment to these sports across this island. An important pillar of Government policy is to ensure...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2019: Motion (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputy Cahill for his observations and questions. He began by commenting on the greyhound industry. It has been a challenging period for the industry. The industry and Bord na gCon are well aware that their viability into the future, both economically and in terms of the support not just of those who attend but the public generally, which is critical, is contingent on them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2019: Motion (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: To be fair to Horse Sport Ireland, it has a broad constituency of interests and affiliated organisations competing for funds. It achieves quite extraordinary feats on the international stage in terms of flying the flag at the highest level for sport horses. I would like to be in a position to provide more funding. There is no shortage of asks. We will continue to engage with the IHRA to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2019: Motion (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: Tote betting licensing and the control of betting and legislation in this area are matters for the Department of Justice and Equality. I draw the Deputy's attention to the international debate on Tote betting, not just to the debate in Ireland; he may have seen coverage of this in recent days. Internationally, Tote betting, as a vehicle for wagering on horse and greyhound racing, is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2019: Motion (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I accept and acknowledge the support the association has received from the French authorities and the governing body in France. It has been significant over a number of years. The sport is very significant in France, as it is elsewhere, including in Scandinavia. It is much more popular there than it is here. There is an interest here, however, and there is potential. It is important to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2019: Motion (26 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I thank Deputy Penrose and Senator Daly. It is good to have the midlands voice on the committee. Regarding the Deputy's observation on welfare and where we are at with new legislation, even outside of the equine and greyhound sectors, welfare is a crucial issue for our international reputation, full stop. That is why whether it is calf welfare, live exports or everything else that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: My Department has received more than 122,000 applications this year from farmers under the basic payment scheme, BPS, which is fully funded by the European Union and is worth in excess of €1.2 billion annually. There are no delays in the issuing of payments to applicants with clear applications under this scheme. The Deputy will be aware that advance payments under the BPS...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I accept the point and it is often made in engagement I have with farmers and farm organisations. I wish it were so but the regulations are quite clear. They state that if a case is selected for inspection the inspection must be concluded and processed before payment is made. Regrettably, this is the EU regulation under which we operate. This is why every effort has been made to get...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Data (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: My Department continually monitors the levels of employment in the agriculture and wider agrifood sector. Employment figures are primarily sourced from the Central Statistics Office quarterly labour force survey. Additional data on specific sectors is also sourced from Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Irish Forestry and Forest Products Association. The agrifood sector is an essential part of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Data (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I draw the attention of the Deputy to the point I made earlier to Deputy Cahill in the context of applications for the basic payment scheme. There have been 122,000 applications, not taking into account the substantial number of farmers who, for one reason or another, do not make any application or do not have any entitlement to payments. In respect of those employed in primary...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Data (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The CAP reform process is ongoing. There is a consultation process. It is important that we develop the levers that will be available to us to deliver the maximum support to those who need it most. The Deputy referred to renewables. My Department recently introduced a new scheme to support renewable energy through grant aid for solar panels under the targeted agricultural modernisation...