Results 16,861-16,880 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: New EU bovine TB rules are contained in the Delegated Act (DA) on Part II of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on surveillance, eradication programmes and free status of animal diseases. The original proposals from the EU Commission were quite severe and would have had a significant negative impact on Irish farmers. The original draft proposals included: - 12 month minimum TB restriction period...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: New bovine TB rules are contained in the Delegated Act (DA) on Part II of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on surveillance, eradication programmes and free status of animal diseases. The original proposals from the EU Commission were quite severe and would have had a significant negative impact on Irish farmers. The original draft proposals included: - 12 month minimum TB restriction period -...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: Live exports are a critical part of Ireland’s livestock industry. They play a significant role in stimulating price competition and providing an alternative market outlet for farmers. Whilst trade is a commercial activity on the part of private individuals, my Department facilitates this trade, recognising its importance to the agri-food sector, while placing a strong emphasis at all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The vast bulk of my Department's advertising is in respect of press notices in the specialised farming press, provincial and national newspapers. This expenditure includes the publication of Statutory Notices that are required to comply with various national and EU legislative requirements. Decisions on the placement of notices are made on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Data Sharing Arrangements (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The disclosure of personal information to third parties by my Department occurs only in instances where there is a clear legislative basis to do so, or where this is a requirement as part of the performance of a contract. In instances where personal data is included in the data to be shared, compliance with the Data Protection legislation is an incumbent part of the process and clearly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Freedom of Information Data (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The number of Freedom of Information requests refused by my Department from 2016 to date is set out below. 2016 - 44 2017 - 59 2018 - 61 2019 - 48 (to 04/12/2019) The Office of the Information Commission overturned one request in 2016 and two in 2018. No decisions were overturned in 2017 or in 2019 to date, but investigations are currently ongoing in respect of two appeals submitted during 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Felling Licences Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 483 together. Tree felling licences issued under the Forestry Act, 2014 may have a duration of up to 10 years and may cover several operations, such as thinning followed by clear fell in later years. Licences issued under the Act may be extended for up to a further five years, beyond the initial validity period. Tree felling licences are issued...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Agencies Data (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached table. Name of Board Number on the Board Number of Vacancies Bord na gCon 7 1 Irish National Stud 7 None Horse Racing Ireland 14 None National Milk Agency Part -Time Chairman and 13...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: My colleague Minister Doyle established an Organics Strategy Group last year comprising relevant stakeholders and state bodies. Part of the remit of the Strategy Group was to consider the case for a possible re-opening of the Organic Farming Scheme. They recommended that it should be re-opened but on a targeted basis. The sectors targeted were areas for which there is a clear market demand,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Data (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The table below lists the number of staff in my Department from 2014 to 2019: DAFM Staff Headcount Figures 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 3,196 3,139 3,124 3,252 3,369 3,581 The table below lists the staffing budget for my Department from 2014 to 2019: DAFM Staffing Budget Amounts...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: There are very specific provisions contained in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 as regards the welfare of animals and penalties in respect of breaches of these obligations are set out in section 52 of the Act. My Department conducts on-going engagement with all stakeholders in the livestock sector and undertakes inspections to ensure the welfare of animals is protected all along the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Employment Rights (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The Scheme for the employment of non-EEA fishers in parts of the Irish commercial sea-fishing fleet was launched on 15thFebruary 2016. The Scheme is an extension of the Atypical Working Scheme, administered by the Department of Justice & Equality (Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service), and was introduced based on a series of recommendations made by the Government Task...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 490 together. The relevant conditions of both Council Regulation 1/2005 and S.I. 256 of 2016 were met by Ireland in the issuing of the temporary certificate of approval in 2018 for the vessel mentioned. This temporary certificate issued on 15th February 2018 for a six month period and therefore covered the journeys in question. The episode off...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (10 Dec 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. On December 6th, 2019, Bord na gCon released an independent report undertaken by Indecon...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Appeals (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The person named submitted applications for consideration under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) on 28 April 2017 for scheme year 2017, on 9 May 2018 for scheme year 2018 and on 13 May 2019 for scheme year 2019. The person named has submitted an appeal to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office and has requested an oral hearing. The case will now be considered by that Office.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: In accordance with the EU regulatory requirements, GLAS balancing payments can only commence when the Member State has verified that all on-farm inspections required have been carried out. GLAS advance payments at the rate of 85% of the full annual payment commenced on 4 November 2019 and continue to issue on a weekly basis as cases clear all validation checks. It is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: In mid 2018, my Department's animal welfare hotline was contacted regarding concerns for a group of goats in the Scalp area. Veterinary officers from my Department visited the site and, over a number of subsequent visits, conducted an operation to remove a number of goats from the location. Since the successful completion of this operation almost 18 months ago, no further reports in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 495 and 496 together. The SEA environmental report concluded that, with the adoption of the listed mitigation measures, it was anticipated that none of the effects identified as adverse in the detailed matrix assessment will be of greater than negligible significance and ensure that, even without adoption of enhancement measures, the overall effect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: Issues concerning the designation of Special Protection Areas (or SPAs) and the setting of conservation objectives are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. As previously outlined by Minister Madigan, the issue of afforestation within SPAs important to breeding hen harrier is an ongoing issue, and a previous protocol on the issue was discontinued as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (10 Dec 2019)

Michael Creed: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is the competent authority for the designation of Natura sites, including Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive sets out the requirement for Appropriate Assessment (AA) in relation to Natura sites. It reads: Any plan or project...