Results 17,961-17,980 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Data Protection (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with EU legislation (Regulation EU No: 1306/13) the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is obliged to ensure annual ex-post publication of all of the beneficiaries of CAP funding - both legal and non-legal persons. In accordance with the regulation the Department must, by the 31 May 2015, publish: The name of the beneficiary (unless the amount of payment under CAP...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: In recognition of these issues, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) was established last year by the Government as a state development bank. The SBCI aims to deliver lower cost, long-term, innovative and accessible funding to Irish SMEs, by offering tailored flexible products through its lending partners. With regard to agriculture specifically, my Department and I have...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The EU Commission’s proposal on formulating new Organic Farming Regulations was first introduced in 2014. While there are many elements in this proposal that are welcomed, every Member State, without exception, had issues of concern. The main elements of the proposal are as follows: -Introduction of a risk-based control regime and the proposal to remove the requirement for the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Government has made a provision of €52m for the BDGP in 2015. It forms part of the country’s draft Rural Development Programme and will have a budget of approximately €300m over a period of 6 years. The BDGP will accelerate improvement in the crucial area of environmental sustainability in the national herd through the application of genomic technology and will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea Lice Controls (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The use of a teflubenzuron-based medicine (Calicide) as an in-feed medication for the treatment of sea-lice on farmed salmon is authorised by the Health Products Regulatory Authority. Under the National Residues Control Plan for Aquaculture (as part of the overall National Residues Control Plan), the Marine Institute tests for residues of veterinary medicines, including teflubenzuron, in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Census (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2014 Grassland Sheep Scheme was received from the person named on 7 April 2014. Payment has not issued to the person named as the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme minimum eligibility requirements namely, the submission of the annual sheep census form prior to the extended closing date of 14 February 2014. The Sheep Census form in respect of the person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Administration (19 May 2015)

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

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Sport Ireland (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: I understand from my trade missions to China that there are significant opportunities for the development of exports of sport horses to that country. Earlier this year, I launched the Strategic Plan for the sport horse sector that was drawn up by Horse Sport Ireland, Teagasc and the Royal Dublin Society. The Strategy Report highlights the need to improve the marketing and sales capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Common Security and Defence Policy (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: At a joint meeting of Foreign and Interior Ministers, held in Luxembourg on the 20th April, the Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner presented a 10 point plan of immediate action to be taken in response to the crisis situation in the Mediterranean. The key focus of the plan is on preventing loss of life. The 10-point action plan was considered by the Heads of States and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The White Paper on Defence (2000) sets out the current defence policy framework. The role of the Air Corps as set out in the White Paper is to provide a range of military and non-military services in support of the State. These supports include maintenance of a general helicopter capability for a variety of tasks, including support to An Garda Síochána, as well as provision of a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks Closures (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am aware that there have been recent rumours that there are plans to close Custume Barracks. These rumours cause unnecessary worry to military personnel and their families and are totally unfounded. I would like to reassure all concerned that there are no plans to close any barracks. Custume Barracks, Athlone is and will continue to be an important operational military barracks. There...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks Closures (19 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: In July 1998, the Government approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six army barracks considered surplus to military requirements. Magee Barracks was one of the barracks identified for closure and disposal. On 1st July 2003 the Government decided the former Magee Barracks in Kildare Town would be among the State lands released to Kildare County Council for inclusion in the Sustaining...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bioenergy Schemes (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Bioenergy (Willow) Scheme 2015 was launched in March 2015 and closed for applications on 30 April 2015.  The objective of the scheme is to provide establishment grants to farmers to grow willow to produce biomass suitable for use as a renewable source of energy so as to contribute to meeting renewable energy targets and stimulating the local economy. The Scheme is funded entirely...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 14 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on farm inspections be completed to confirm eligibility under the schemes. The application of the person named was selected for a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Herd Numbers (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: As expected, there has been a considerable increase in activity in regard to herdnumbers arising from the new Basic Payments Scheme negotiated in the context of CAP reform. As a result, there has been a significant increase in applicants to my Department’ s Regional Veterinary Officess for new herdnumbers and amendments to existing herdnumbers and these are being processed as quickly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: I presume that the Deputy is referring to an incident in Athenry mart last February. The allegations of animal cruelty and neglect at the mart were investigated by officials from my Department at the time and were dealt with appropriately. The suggestion by the Deputy that animals were left in a stressed condition without food and water is unfounded.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application form on the 21 November 2014 under the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Scheme in respect of 1 BVD persistently infected animal. Payment will be made in the coming weeks subject to confirmation of compliance with the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted applications under the Single Payment Scheme for both 2013 and 2014 and full payment in respect of the 51.84 entitlements held has issued in respect of both years. No application to transfer additional entitlements has been received by my Department. An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to clarify the position.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Herd Numbers (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The application from the person named is currently being processed and will be finalised as soon as possible. As expected, there has been a considerable increase in activity in regard to herdnumbers arising from the new Basic Payments Scheme negotiated in the context of CAP reform. As a result, there has been a significant increase in applicants to my Department’s Regional Veterinary...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (26 May 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and will provide suckler farmers in Ireland with funding of some €300 million over the next 6 years. The BDGP builds on the investment in data recording and genomics in recent years , and will ultimately bring about long-term improvements to the sector by fundamentally improving the...