Results 16,701-16,720 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 18 November 2019, the Commission presented two proposals for CAP transitional rules. Such transitional measures are normal practice between consecutive programming periods to provide legal and financial certainty where a gap arises due to any delays in finalising a new budget and CAP regulations. The recent Council accepted the need for such...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: It is important to set out the things we can say with absolute certainty. There is no change in entitlement to payments for 2020. The Commission has published draft proposals in respect of 2021. My personal view is that the transitional arrangements are highly likely to be necessary for a second year in light of the challenges that are being faced around the share of the multi-annual...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The Deputy is conveniently ignoring the fact that the funding available under Pillar 2 for the RDP is a finite resource. We offered the people who were in the AEOS the opportunity to make the transition to give them the greater certainly of the five-year GLAS contract. Some of them made this transition and others chose not to do so. I understand that some of them now claim that they were...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: As the Deputy will be aware, the inaugural meeting of the beef task force, which was scheduled for 14 October, was prevented from proceeding. Since then, the independent chair of the task force and officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have been continuing to engage proactively with members of the task force with a view to making progress with the implementation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: Not departmental officials.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I share the wish of the House and all of its Members, clearly expressed today and previously, that the beef market task force would convene at the earliest possible date. I have outlined the endeavours of my Department and the independent chairperson to progress matters that were agreed, even in the absence of the task force meeting in plenary session. That has been facilitated by bilateral...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I would like to deal with the matter of the Dáil record. I attended a meeting, in the presence of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, with representatives from Meat Industry Ireland, MII, where the issue regarding threats directed at management in C&D Foods was raised directly with us. The nature of those threats is as I outlined in the Dáil yesterday. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: As the Deputy will be aware, and to which he has alluded, the inaugural beef task force meeting scheduled for 14 October was prevented from proceeding. However, the independent chair and my Department have continued to engage proactively with task force members with a view to both progressing the implementation of the provisions of the agreement. My Department and its agencies continue to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I have previously commented on the toxic nature of the relationship between the processors and the primary producers. I had hoped that the establishment of the beef market task force, arising from all the events we can recall during the summer of discontent, would mark a new departure. That is because, in the long term, it is not sustainable to have an industry survive and prosper without...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I have always stated that the strength of the industry is in collaboration with the general agrifood industry. While that principle is strongly established in other enterprises, it is problematic in the beef sector and the task force is critical to building that new departure for the industry. That is what we are trying to do. Turning to the issue of producer organisations, I acknowledge...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 38 and 39 together. EU regulations governing the administration of the basic payment scheme, the areas of natural constraint scheme and other area-based schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including ground or remote sensing inspections where applicable, are fully completed to ensure eligibility with the various...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: In explaining these matters to the farmers who are waiting, I accept that I am losing but I will give the Deputy some information on the number of applicants paid on the preliminary payment date and on how the situation has improved. That is attributable to the Department staff who are working to accelerate the process. In 2015, 100,000 applicants were paid on the first day the payments...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: To be fair, these cases are being cleared as quickly as possible. There is a whole team effort involved in it. I accept that farmers waiting for that payment will not consider this acceptable but I assure the Deputy that we are doing everything possible. The situation has improved significantly year-on-year.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Basic Payment Scheme (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The Deputy's point sounds perfectly rational but I will explain the roadmap. The closing date for applications is 15 May. There is a three-week period afterwards in which applicants have the right to correct their applications. Once that three-week period has elapsed, the Department does its preliminary checks and then communicates with farmers on any issues that arise. It should be borne...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Household Incomes (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The agrifood sector is an essential part of the economic and social fabric of Ireland, especially in rural and coastal areas. Primary agrifood output in 2018 was approximately €8.5 billion and the vast majority of this was produced by farm families. Teagasc in its Outlook 2020 published yesterday stated that the average family farm income in Ireland increased by an estimated 7%...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Household Incomes (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I will make three points in reply. The Common Agricultural Policy moved a long time ago away from product support, where the Minister would return from every December Council with prices across the board, to income supports. That is why initiatives such as the exceptional aid measure or the environmental efficiency programme are important, as are all the other schemes. Second, one strategy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Farm Household Incomes (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: The best investment in the future of the agrifood sector is in ensuring our sustainability credentials are recognised at home and abroad. Regrettably, there is a view in certain quarters that the production of greenhouse gases is in some way a consequence of sloppy agriculture. It is not possible to be involved in food production without producing greenhouse gases. It is important we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Live Exports (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: Live exports are a critical part of Ireland's livestock industry. They play a significant role in stimulating price competition and in providing an alternative market outlet for farmers. My Department facilitates this trade, recognising its importance to the agrifood sector, while placing a strong emphasis at all times on the welfare of all animals being transported. In 2018, total live...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Live Exports (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: I am clearly committed to maximising the opportunities in the marketplace, particularly for live exports. The graph and the investments clearly show that and we have had some successes there. I am disappointed with the Deputy's contribution on the welfare standards. That is the only way we will safeguard that market access and I make no apology for increasing those measures beyond the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Live Exports (27 Nov 2019)

Michael Creed: We are in agreement on these issues. We need to work together and unequivocally state we are committed to the highest standards. We must not just state it but we must reflect it in our actions and regulations. I am happy to report that from the engagement I have had with customers they are happy with the quality of the product they buy here, not just the calves but all the stock we export....