Results 19,341-19,360 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department recognises that controlled burning, properly planned and properly carried out, has a role to play in land management. This role is not just with regard to land-eligibility, but it can also play a beneficial role with regard to habitat conservation and enhancement. In particular, burning has traditionally been used to help manage land in upland areas and is one of the means by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Sustainable growth is a basic principle of all of our agriculture policies and programmes - we are committed to ensuring that the sector continues to grow sustainably so that Ireland can play its part in meeting the increasing global food demand while having regard to our climate obligations. This is why my Department and its agencies have developed a series of innovative measures including...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Budget Submissions (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The budget submissions of the farming organisations are mainly concerned with taxation and expenditure. 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 cooperation on the ‘Agri-taxation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy is aware, the first tranche of GLAS proved hugely successful attracting nearly 27,000 applications in all. Applications were received from every single county and virtually every action was selected at some stage. On the basis of the plans submitted for the 27,000 applications received to date, we have already met or exceeded RDP targets for Low Input Permanent Pasture,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Administration (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme forms part of the 2014 to 2020 Rural Development Programme, and has replaced the previous Disadvantaged Areas and Less Favoured Areas Schemes. Eligibility requirements under the new ANC scheme have remained largely the same as under the previous schemes, with some minor adjustments. The ANC Scheme has an annual budget of €195 million, and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under statute.  All six Fishery Centres are first and foremost working fishery harbours.  However each centre has unique features which facilitate a broad range of other diverse activities which are important from both an economic and social...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (7 Oct 2015)

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

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Penalties (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The reductions and penalties that apply to the Basic Payment Scheme are laid down in EU Regulations 1306/2014 and 640/2014. The reductions and penalties apply in instances such as the following situations: - Where the applicant over-declares the eligible area of his or her land parcels. - Where the applicant declares land that is also claimed by another farmer (dual claims) and it is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: 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 in early September. These were presented on the basis of my belief that they were appropriate for consideration by the Council and as a response to the market issues that had...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I presume the Deputy is referring to the preparation of Commonage Management Plans under the new measure introduced for commonages as part of the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme , GLAS. Commonages, which primarily consist of upland grazing, represent a mosaic of extremely important habitats, many of which are designated Natura areas. They are also, however, extremely important...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Maximum and minimum stocking levels have already been established and published for all commonages. However, in the context of drawing up the Commonage Management Plans required under GLAS, it is accepted that the GLAS advisor acting for the shareholders concerned may form a different impression of what the commonage can or should carry, in the best interests of its environmental health. In...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Eligibility (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: All elements of the various TAMS II schemes have now been announced and in each case the relevant closing dates and indicative budgets have also been provided.In relation to the first tranches of each scheme, the position is as follows: Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme : closing date 25 th September 2015, budget €10m Dairy Equipment Scheme : closing date 16 th October 2015 ,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Food Wise 2025 sets out a cohesive, strategic plan for the sustainable development of agrifood sector over the next decade. As part of the initial ground work to Food Wise 2025, a public consultation took place which involved 15 background papers and a questionnaire. These included a particular focus on climate change and sustainability. Sustainability was the brief for one of the five...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Fisheries Policy (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The imposition of points for the licence holder of a vessel involved in a serious infringement of the CFP is set out in Article 92 of Council regulation 1224/2009 and the detailed rules for its implementation are set out in Commission Regulation 404/2011. These regulations are given effect in S.I. No. 3 of 2014 European Union (Common Fisheries Policy) (Point System) Regulations 2014. Article...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The study referred to by the Deputy related to research into the impact of interference with badger setts and the relative roles of badgers and cattle in the transmission of Bovine Tuberculosis, using data solely related to Northern Ireland. The findings, therefore, can only be applied to the situation in Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland badger populations are not controlled, even in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Prices (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Provisions in the CMO indicate that the reference thresholds and by extension reference prices for intervention shall be kept under review by the Commission, taking account of objective criteria, notably developments in production, costs of production and market trends. It also provides that when necessary, the reference thresholds shall be updated in accordance with the ordinary legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I presume the Deputy is referring to the assessment of the Maximum Eligible Area (MEA) in terms of the preparation of Commonage Management Plans as part of the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme, GLAS. Commonages, which primarily consist of upland grazing, represent a mosaic of extremely important habitats, many of which are designated Natura areas. They are also, however, extremely...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fertiliser Prices (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: No fertilisers are now manufactured in Ireland, resulting in indigenous fertiliser companies being price-takers, dependent on global supply and demand and subject to Euro exchange rates against the US dollar and other currencies. Nitrogen, in the form of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN), Phosphorous and Potash constitute the vast majority of fertiliser nutrients used in Ireland and since all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of State Assets (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The rationale for the disposal of Coillte’s portfolio of telecommunications assets is that it will enhance Coillte’s focus on its core activities in forestry and the operation of its board mills, which was an underlying principle in the Government Decision relating to Coillte in June 2014.  The restructuring is also consistent with the Government Decision, also relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (7 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Coursing of a hare is permitted under Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 Act 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 safeguarding hares involved in coursing. In addition to supervision by officers from the...