Results 19,041-19,060 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: In the context of delivering the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development Measures, my Department is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements, as set down in EU legislation, in the areas of environment, climate change and good agricultural...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for greater amounts than actually paid by the participants. Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly from...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) revealed that a number of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. Following an appeal from the person named, a visit by a Department official to verify the position was necessary to progress the matter. The person named was notified of the outcome of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The land identified by the Deputy is the subject of a General Felling Licence granted under the provisions of the Forestry Act, 1946. Under the Forestry Act, a General Felling Licence carries a compulsory replanting condition, which is a legal obligation to replant the felled area. Each General Felling Licence also contains a compulsory condition requiring the landowner to preserve the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Beef Data Programme / Beef Genomics Scheme application on 1 April 2014. Full payment of €350 under the Beef Genomics Scheme issued to the person named on 11 December 2014. Payments under the 2014 Beef Data Programme began issuing on 26 June 2015. The person named received a n 80% advance payment of €173.14 under this Programme. The remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scéim Tacaíochta Teaghlaigh (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Thaisc an duine ainmnithe iarratas faoi bheart maolaithe Albanach den Scéim Bhuníocaíochta ar 8ú Bealtaine 2015. Tá próiseáil d’iarratais Maoilaithe Albanacha faoi shiúl agus tosóidh litreacha ag cur torthaí a n-iarratais in iúl d’iarratasóirí go luath i mí Dheireadh Fómhair.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Household Incomes (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Taxation policy is primarily the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. However I have on-going contact with Minister Noonan to ensure that taxation policy reflects the Government’s commitment to agriculture, as evidenced by our co-operation on the ‘Agri-taxation Review’, which was published as part of Budget 2015. The Agri-taxation Review is a comprehensive taxation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: As part of the underpinning of the area based support measures, which deliver some €1.6bn annually to Irish farmers, my Department is required, under relevant EU legislation, to maintain a detailed database of individual land parcels. This is known as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) which currently records, electronically, some 1.3 million individual parcels and which is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Expenditure (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The provision in the 2015 estimates for REPS, AEOS and GLAS and the spend to date is outlined in the table below. Scheme Estimate Provision for 2015 Spend to Date REPS €47.55 m €25.57 m AEOS2 €71 m €29.21 m GLAS €20 m €0 There is no significant variation in relation to the projected spending profile for any of the three Schemes to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The closing date for the Beef Data & Genomics Programme was 05 June 2015 and m y Department received 29 ,531 valid applications for the programme . As of yesterday, 724 applicants have subsequently withdrawn from the Programme which amounts to less than 3% of all valid applications . The Deputy will be aware that I have provided a package worth over €70 million for the beef...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: A range of supports is provided by my Department to support farmers, fishermen and food companies of all sizes. Total public expenditure on the agri-food sector by my Department was approximately €2.4 billion in 2014. Direct payments to farmers, including the Single Farm Payment, Rural Development and forestry payments, totalled €1.75 billion in 2014. My Department provides...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: In the context of delivering the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development Measures, my Department is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements, as set down in EU legislation and national standards. The basis for these inspections is governed by EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) provided for under Article 6 of Regulation 73/2009 were operational until December 31st 2014 after which they were replaced under the provisions of Article 94 Regulation 1306/2013. The minimum requirements for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition applicable under Regulation 73/2009 are detailed in the publication...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: In submitting an application under the Direct Payment Schemes and other area-based schemes, applicants agree to comply fully with the terms and conditions of the scheme. The terms and conditions for these schemes clearly state that applicants agree to permit officials of the Department to carry-out on-farm inspections with or without prior notice. If an applicant does not wish to abide by or...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under the Direct Payment Schemes my Department’s staff only enter farmer’s property on foot of an application under one or more of these schemes in accordance with the terms and conditions of that scheme. It is a condition of all such schemes that an applicant who submits lands as part of that scheme, grants permission to the Department to inspect all the lands submitted by that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 561 together. Having witnessed dairy market developments affecting milk and dairy commodity prices in Ireland and the EU, I presented a paper offering possible solutions to both the EU Commissioner and my EU ministerial colleagues earlier this month. These were presented on the basis of my belief that they were appropriate for consideration by the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pigmeat Sector (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The development of the pigmeat sector is a priority for me given the crucial role which the industry plays in supporting approximately 7,000 jobsincluding production, slaughter, processing, feed manufacture and services. In 2014 export volumes increased by approximately 7%, with growth to the UK, Continental Europe and International markets. Export values increased by some 3% and are in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Functions (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is committed to maintaining the highest standards of financial management and controls and to this end it is the policy of the Department to maintain and support a quality internal audit function. The Department’s Internal Audit Unit derives its authority from the Secretary General, in his capacity as Accounting Officer, to whom the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Contracts Data (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: It is not possible to provide this information in the required time. I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (22 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Acts 1923 -1980 (as amended). Its principal function is to investigate applications for disability pensions, allowances and gratuities under the Army Pensions Acts and to report its findings to the Minister for Defence.The Board consists of a chairman and two ordinary members (both medical doctors )....