Results 18,361-18,380 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (18 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 123 together. The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) Programme forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and allocates funding of some €300 million over the next six years to suckler farmers in Ireland. The BDGP builds on the large strategic investment in data recording and genomics which has been made in recent years,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (18 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 121 together. The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) was launched on 5 May and my Department received almost 30,000 applications by the extended closing date of 5June. The Programme forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and allocates funding of some €300 million over the next six years to suckler farmers in Ireland....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Potato Sector (18 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Grant-aid for the construction of a potato store and ventilation system will be made available for organic farmers under the Organic Capital Investment scheme of TAMS II. The general rate of aid will be 40%, but an increased rate of aid of 60% will be available for qualified young organic farmers. There is no scheme to fund such investments on non-organic holdings, however, as there is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Land (18 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 to 127, inclusive, and 128 together. The person named is a claimant on a commonage parcel in Co. Donegal. The Commonage Container details commonages that are declared for payment under the Direct Payment Schemes and also the individual claimants on each of the listed commonages. It was introduced by my Department in order to assist farmers and their...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (18 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service, as provided in the White Paper on Defence (2000), is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with national legislation and the State’s obligations as a member of the European Union. In 2014, the Naval Service carried out a total of 1,074 patrol days and undertook 936 boardings of vessels, issued 31 warnings and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Quality (18 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 260 together. Commercial producers of fresh fruit and vegetables (including potatoes and edible fungi) are required to register as food producers with my Department. My Department carries out inspections of these producers, based on risk assessment, to ensure compliance with food safety regulations. In addition, any food containing a contaminant in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The holding in question has been restricted under the TB Eradication Scheme since 22 May 2014 when TB was disclosed in the herd. 137 animals have been removed as reactors from the herd. In view of the high disease level disclosed in this herd, my Department decided last April, following consultation with the herdowner, to depopulate the herd. The main compensation schemes for farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As outlined in my earlier reply to Parliamentary Question No. 18277 /2015, the person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1 September 2010 and received payments in respect of the scheme years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. However, the cross check with the 2014 Single Payment system revealed that two of the AEOS...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The processing of applications under the Beef Data Programme is at an advanced stage. Payments under the Programme will commence next week. Under the Programme, farmers who participate are required to submit the required data on suckler cows and their calves after birth and again after the calves are weaned. The level of participation in the Beef Data Programme increased by 21% to 32,300...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: All farmers receiving EU payments must comply with certain environmental standards. One of these requirements is to keep land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC). GAEC places requirements on farmers to protect soils from erosion and maintain soil structure. This ensures problems that may arise from compaction or rutting of land by machinery or erosion through...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Improvement Scheme (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme, which I recently launched, provides assistance for an extensive range of on-farm investments, including the construction of animal housing and other facilities. Where such works require the submission of either planning permission or a certificate of exemption, prospective applicants under this scheme will be able to lodge their applications...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: My colleague, Minister of State Hayes addressed Seanad Éireann on the 19thFebruary 2014 in his capacity as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The matters under discussion involved the Greyhound industry and matters relating to Bord na gCon. In the course of Minister Hayes’ address he made reference to a former Board member of Bord na gCon....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together. I expect all bodies under the aegis of my Department to adhere to the highest standards of governance and to co-operate fully with the Office of the Information Commissioner. I do not regard the handling of this particular case by Bord na gCon as satisfactory. In this regard Bord na gCon accepts that there were delays in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Eligibility (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am aware that there is a group of young farmers who established their holdings prior to 28 May 2010 and who missed out on the Young Farmers Installation Scheme which closed to applications in 2008. Unfortunately, the definition of ‘young farmer’ laid down in the EU regulations for the purposes of any capital investment schemes is quite explicit and it is inevitable that some...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Both REPS4 and AEOS are measures under the 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. To date in 2015, a total amount of €24.72 million has been paid in respect of REPS4. A total of €23.35 million of this refers to the 2014 REPS4 Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: This plantation was deemed not to be up to the required standard and consequently remedial works were notified in a letter to the applicant. The form submitted to claim the grant (Form 3), signed by both the applicant and his forester, and confirmed that the plantation was up to the required standard. The applicant should note that incorrect declarations may result in penalties being...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Applications (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 13 April 2015. The closing date for submission of applications under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme was 15 May 2014. Applications received in the Department between 16 May 2014 and 9 June 2014 were also accepted but with a late penalty of 1% for each working day. A 100% penalty is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine did not receive any funding from the National Lottery in the years in question.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department is currently examining proposals submitted by the person-named, which refer to the establishment of a residential organic horticultural education and training centre, and the possibility of grant-aid being made available for same. A decision on whether my Department can offer any support to this proposal can only be made upon receipt of more detailed plans for this project....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies Data (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: With regard to State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, this is a matter for the bodies themselves.