Results 17,361-17,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: GLAS Applications (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy can do the numbers.

Other Questions: Single Payment Scheme Administration (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: In respect of the finance issue, we had a very successful engagement with the Department of Finance last year from a taxation perspective. As the Deputy might remember, that resulted in a very comprehensive tax package on budget day. I think there were 23 measures, many of which were new. The total tax package was worth about €300 million for farmers. We did some very strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The November round table discussions resulted in a comprehensive agreed package of measures to further develop the beef sector and included commitments for all parties including processors, farm organisations, my Department and various state agencies. Implementation of these commitments is a matter for all concerned. During the January round table meeting, we took time to review...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under the provisions of the Basic Payment Scheme, farmers need to declare an eligible hectare for each payment entitlement held in order to benefit from payment. The hectares declared must be eligible and must have an agricultural activity carried out on them. The situation in Ireland has not changed since the Single Payment Scheme was replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme at the beginning of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: As the deputy is aware, I have no input into prices paid to beef farmers as such prices are determined by a range of market factors. These factors include seasonality of production, consumer preferences, competition from other meats, conditions in international markets, retail promotions, exchange rates and the overall macroeconomic situation and a combination of all of these will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: GLAS aims to deliver overarching benefits in terms of the rural environment and address issues of climate change mitigation, water quality and the preservation of habitats and species. It is designed to specifically target environmental priorities, but there is also provision to accept applications from farmers with no such priorities, but who are committed to carrying out general...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: There is specific provision within the online GLAS system to split parcels. In fact, the facility is there to split a n existing parcel into as many as three new parcels to deliver up to three separate area-based actions. By way of example, a 12 hectare parcel could be split to deliver a combination of Traditional Hay Meadow, Low Input Permanent Pasture and Wild Bird Cover, generating an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The control, administration and regulation of greyhound racing, are the responsibility of Bord na gCon under the Greyhound Industry Acts 1958 and 1993. Two statutory committees of Bord na gCon, namely the Control Committee and the Control Appeals Committee are central to the regulatory process. These committees operate independently of Bord na gCon.The Control Committee and the Control...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The current approval for the export of Irish beef to the US allows “intact beef” to be shipped. As of now, this beef must be sold as raw product in the US and may not be ground (minced) in the US before being placed on the market. Beef currently being exported to the US is in the form of primal and subprimal cuts. I am fully aware of the importance of securing this additional...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licence Applications (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: All applications for finfish aquaculture licences are considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act which provide for extensive consultation with stakeholders and also for a period of general public consultation.The assessment process involved in respect of finfish applications is complex. The requirement for a mandatory Environmental Impact...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: In the negotiations for agreement on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a key issue for me is to ensure that the principle of equivalence will continue to apply so that even where food production processes in the EU and US are not identical they will provide equivalent guarantees regarding the standards of production. This principle is already enshrined under the World Trade...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon submitted an action plan in October 2014 with timelines for implementing the 27 recommendations in the Indecon Report dealing with governance, finance, regulation and welfare. This action plan is published on the Bord na gCon website. Bord na gCon has assured my Department that it has assiduously followed up on these undertakings and my Department is in ongoing consultation with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The high standards required under EU animal health and welfare legislation impose additional costs on EU farmers. Without wishing to impugn or criticise the standards of animal welfare practised in the US, it will be crucial for ethical and economic reasons to ensure in the negotiations that the principle of equivalence is applied in respect of imports from the US and that the competitiveness...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Organic Farming Scheme and the GLAS Scheme are both measures included in Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020. In developing these schemes I am obliged to respect all EU Regulatory provisions, one of which is to ensure that similar actions are not paid twice under both schemes.During the negotiations with the European Commission, which were long and protracted,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 represents a major updating of our laws in this area going back to 1911. Under the Act lawful coursing of a hare is permitted unless the hare is hunted or coursed in a space from which it does not have a reasonable chance of escape. The protections, such as the muzzling of greyhounds, which were introduced in 1993 have played an important role in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hare Coursing (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 represents a major updating of our laws in this area going back to 1911. Under the Act lawful coursing of a hare is permitted unless the hare is hunted or coursed in a space from which it does not have a reasonable chance of escape. The protections, such as the muzzling of greyhounds, which were introduced in 1993 have played an important role in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The new Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020 will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, achieving a more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas. Over the last few months, detailed and intensive negotiations have been ongoing between my Department and the Commission in order to secure...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: I attach major importance to the live export trade and my Department, along with Bord Bia, has been extremely proactive during my time as Minister in encouraging and facilitating both the cross border live trade and shipments abroad. Live exports serve an important purpose as a means of both satisfying market demand for live animals and providing essential alternative market outlets for Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: The negotiations with the European Commission in relation to the details of the new GLAS Scheme were long and protracted, and as a result the earliest date the scheme could be opened was 23rd February, 2015. While it has always been my intention to invite applications into GLAS over several tranches, my immediate priority is to focus on the preparation, submission and processing of Tranche 1...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with the EU Regulations governing the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme, a young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming activity no more than five years prior to submitting that application. Priority under the National Reserve is...