Results 17,341-17,360 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Data (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 671 and 672 together. The current Forestry Programme (2014-2020) offers an ambitious and attractive set of forestry measures aimed at increasing timber production and continuing to provide jobs in the forestry sector while, at the same time, improving the quality of the natural environment. The afforestation scheme offers a fixed grant towards the costs,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Data (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The area of land afforested in each county is set out in the following table, which is taken from the third National Forest Inventory (NFI) published in 2019 and is the most up-to-date dataset currently available. The area of forest in Ireland is estimated to be 770,020 ha or 11% of the total land area of Ireland (NFI 2017). County % Area Carlow ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Data (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The total allocation for the Forestry Programme for 2020 is €103.5m. The funding for the Forestry Programme of my Department, reflects the target of 8,000ha of new afforestation, outlined in the Government’s Climate Action Plan, 2019. The capital allocation is estimated at €100.1mThis provides for new afforestation (€26.5m), existing annual premiums for current...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Data (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: Interest in planting native woodlands has been increasing, since I introduced a series of new measures following the Forestry Programme (2014-2020) Mid-term Review in 2018. My Department pays generous grants and premiums as part of the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme, particularly for broadleaf categories. In 2018, payments issued in relation to the new planting of 374 hectares of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Data (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: While overall targets are set for planting programme as a whole, only Native Woodland, Agroforestry, and Forestry for fibre have specific planting targets and there are no specific targets for the other Grant and Premium Categories (GPC) 1 to 8 inclusive. The relevant data is provided in tabular form as requested. Scheme 2018 Target 2018 Actual % of target...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The new legislative proposals for the Common Agricultural Policy 2021 - 2027 were launched in June 2018 by Commissioner Hogan. The proposals outline a greater environmental ambition post-2020 and recognise the role the agriculture sector has to play in helping Member States achieve their environmental and climate change targets. Negotiations on the CAP proposals are ongoing and, while...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The information with regard to the numbers of workers tested or positive in meat plants is a matter for the personnel involved, the Food Businesses and the Health Service Executive. A national Outbreak Control team has been established by the HSE to deal with all issues relating to Covid 19 in meat plants. My Department is represented on this committee and it is expected that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: In order to address issues in meat plants, Food Business Operators have put in place a range of protective practices and equipment to protect employee safety and these include measures such as the reduction of throughput rates at the plant, temperature checks on entry into the plant, the extension of operating hours and other safeguards such as “podding”, the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: I am aware of this issue and have introduced flexibilities for the applicants concerned. Due to delays being experienced in securing full planning permission or a letter of exemption from local authorities, the following temporary measure will be in place for the current Tranche of TAMSII. Applicants/Agents who are experiencing delays may make an application under the current Tranche 17 which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: As the Deputy will be aware, policy in relation to export credit insurance is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister of Business Enterprise and Innovation. Officials in my Department are actively engaging with agri-food sector stakeholders to discuss various challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including those related to exports. They also participate in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Medicines (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: EU Regulation 2019/6 on veterinary medicinal products comes into effect in January 2022. This Regulation is binding in full and has direct effect on all Member States. There is limited national discretion available to Member States in relation to a number of the Regulations articles. In 2004, European legislation established a requirement that all veterinary medicinal products that are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: EU Regulations governing the Basic Payment Scheme require that for agricultural land to be deemed eligible for payment, it must be subject to an agricultural activity. Ineligible features, e.g. scrub, rock, etc., are not eligible and must be deducted from the area being declared for payment. Furthermore, land that is abandoned, i.e. no agriculture activity taking place, is not considered as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The information with regard to the numbers of workers tested or positive in meat plants is a matter for the personnel involved, the Food Businesses and the Health Service Executive. A national Outbreak Control team has been established by the HSE to deal with all issues relating to Covid 19 in meat plants. My Department is represented on this committee and it is expected that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Feedstuffs (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: Over the last decade, Ireland has experienced a number of extreme weather events ranging from the significant cold winter of 2009/2010 through to the extended dry period experienced in the Summer of 2018 which followed a prolonged winter that resulted in a late spring. 2019 proved to be a very good year for grass growth resulting in significant reserves of fodder being available into...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tuberculosis Incidence (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The following table shows the number of reactors and the number of new herd restrictions per year since 2010. Also shown is the amount of actual voted expenditure incurred by my Department over the same period of time, this expenditure does not include staff costs which are estimated annually at circa €25m. These figures do not include farmer contribution towards the cost of the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hen Harriers (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The Hen Harrier Project is operationally independent of my Department and is run by a Hen Harrier Project Team. The information below is sourced from the Project Team. The breakdown per county of payments made for 2019 breeding season is shown below. County Number of participants paid Clare 300 Cork 207 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Welfare Scheme (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: The table below sets out payments by county for Year 3 of the Sheep Welfare Scheme. County Number paid Amount Paid Average Payment Carlow 391 €498,532.60 €1,275.02 Cavan 371 €263,482.10 €710.19 Clare 183 €72,766.10 ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: A national Outbreak Control team has been established by the HSE to deal with all issues relating to Covid 19 in meat plants. My Department is represented on this committee and it is expected that recommendations, including any in relation to testing, will issue from this group in due course. Any clusters of cases in individual meat plants, in common with clusters in other workplaces, are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: In the context of vessels dedicated to the transport of livestock from Ireland, there are currently three such vessels licensed by my Department. The capacity of these vessels depends on the particulars of the consignments being shipped. My Department has not been made aware of any capacity concerns by exporters. In relation to the licensing of new ships, any applications for approval are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (27 May 2020)

Michael Creed: My Department continues to prioritise the issuing of payments under the various schemes available to farmers. For example, GLAS and Organic Farming Scheme balancing payments were recently brought forward by a number of weeks and balancing payments under the Sheep Welfare Scheme also issued recently. Payments under TAMS are also continuing, at an average of €1.3m per week. I am...