Results 18,601-18,620 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Landing Obligation Update and Fishing Fleet Management: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: If they do, the Commission is obliged to intervene, as it must ensure fair treatment for everyone. If a trawler is breaking the rules and is due penalty points, it should receive them. If the Deputy sends me the details of the case concerned, I will follow up on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Landing Obligation Update and Fishing Fleet Management: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I assure the Deputy that my job is to ensure that the Irish fleet is not treated differently from others in our waters. We will do everything we can to ensure that this is the case. Some of the SFPA's activity in detaining large pelagic vessels this year has shown a willingness in this regard. If there is a case involving a Danish vessel, I am unfamiliar with the details, so the Deputy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Landing Obligation Update and Fishing Fleet Management: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: We will certainly consider what we can do to ensure that the same rules are apply.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: European Investment Bank (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: I think we will have good news. The need for continued investment and support in the agrifood and forestry sector is well-established, and the recent approval of the forestry programme and the rural development programme are key supports in this regard. As a complement to the traditional grant-based approach to our schemes, the European Commission has announced that it plans to double the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: European Investment Bank (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: The level of detail in terms of minimum and maximum amounts is not yet available. What is under discussion and quite close to agreement is a product involving large Irish dairy processors. They have been negotiating with the Commission and the EIB to try to make available a new finance product for loans for dairy expansion. Such loans would involve long-term repayment conditions at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: European Investment Bank (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: They are very fair questions. It would be irresponsible of me to start outlining the terms of what will be, in effect, a commercial loan facility for farmers. The idea would be that they would be made available at more competitive rates than are currently on offer. I have said many times that if one considers the current volume of lending by Irish banks into agriculture, in particular...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Development (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am glad that the Deputy has asked this question. I have met a number of people interested in developing the sport of harness racing in Ireland to match the standard in other countries. It could be a big sport and industry in Ireland, if managed properly. Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, is the commercial State agency charged with responsibility for the development and administration of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Development (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Harness Racing Association requested permission from Horse Racing Ireland to stage a number of harness racing fixtures at Dundalk racecourse, one in July 2015, one in December 2015 and three in January 2016. The association's intention is that the first of these events would enable the French and European authorities to conduct an audit which would guide their consideration of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Horse Racing Industry Development (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: In defence of Horse Racing Ireland, it has a job to do in ensuring all authorised racetracks for horse racing are properly run and regulated. It also provides a lot of finance for many tracks. It does, therefore, have significant involvement in these matters, although it does not own all of the tracks. Having said that, the position is that harness racing takes place in very different ways...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: In truth, it is being looked at all the time. Decisions on the authorisation of an active substance, such as glyphosate, are made at EU level following advice from the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA. Member states have competence to authorise products containing EU-approved active substances. Glyphosate is a non-selective systemic herbicide that is applied directly to plant...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: First, cancer rates are clearly linked to what we eat and drink, and what we smoke as well. There is a series of reasons for cancer and we need to be aware of that, and we need public health campaigns to try and address it. However, we also need to have faith in the European systems that have been put in place. I have faith in the European Food Safety Authority to ensure that reviews and,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is nonsense.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: Of course, there are.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Government always puts the health of Irish people before the profits of anybody.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is what the European Food Safety Authority is there for. Any organisation gets lobbied. Deputy Wallace gets lobbied.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Wallace should let me answer his question. I did not interrupt him. Whether it is TTIP or any other policy consideration, there will be lobbyists from all sides, from NGOs, industry, health organisations and stakeholders, because many people, including the Deputy, have different vested interests in different decisions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is the way it should be. We need to have institutions that can balance and prioritise within those considerations. I am saying human health comes first. That is why we have a food safety authority and a world health organisation. It is why we are having a re-review here on the back of a review. It is why it will be fully peer tested. It is why Ireland and other European countries...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Plant Protection Products (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is the reality. Deputy Wallace is seeing a conspiracy around the corner before we even get a result.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Data Programme (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: According to the most up-to-date figures available from my Department's animal identification and movement system, the total number of herds that have ten or less beef-breed female cows on their holding is 38,171 and this represents 52% of all herds with female beef-breed cows. Of course, these figures refer to farmers with significantly varying demographic profiles and include thousands of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Data Programme (1 Jul 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am sorry; the figure is 27%.