Results 20,821-20,840 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: Yes, and I am giving a commitment that I will speak to HRI about harness racing, and I will ask it to have an open mind and to be supportive, but I will not direct it to give money for the moment. I have not even seen the harness racing industry's application for funding. There are many other demands for funding in the equine sector. I am not saying "Yes" or "No" to the harness racing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: I will make sure they come here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: With respect, I have Cabinet meetings on Tuesday mornings and I have some big things coming up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: This is the last time I will intervene, because I do not want to take up too much of the members' time. I am as anxious as other people to develop a proper, regulated and supported harness racing industry in Ireland, but this cannot be done in a couple of hours by the committee next week, with approval of the horse and greyhound fund hanging over us. The committee needs to bring before it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have a Cabinet meeting next Tuesday and I will then take oral parliamentary questions on defence, so I will not be able to be here next Tuesday, and I will not rush this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: I do not understand why the Deputy is linking the issue with the horse and greyhound fund. The Deputy has a right to question Horse Racing Ireland on this issue, although arguably it would say it does not have any responsibility for harness racing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: It has responsibility for regulating and managing racing on tracks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: HRI does not have the power to refuse the use of tracks it does not own, but it may well have been asked for advice. We should have a more honest discussion about this. Many people are trying to get their heads around what harness racing as an industry might look like in Ireland. We are at the early stages of this conversation. We need to reassure people rather than trying to bully them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: With respect, we did not accept that and we changed it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: And I dealt with it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: I dealt with it and subsequently had a conversation with the chair of Horse Racing Ireland about it. We are dealing with it and will deal with it more comprehensively in the Bill, but it is a separate issue from the funding of the industry. That is the only point I am making.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: We could pick a number of issues on which we could question Horse Racing Ireland. Deputy Penrose might have questions on Kilbeggan racecourse. Deputy Heydon might have question on point-to-point racing. Senator Mary Ann O'Brien might have issues on marketing and so on. Horse Racing Ireland is accountable to the Oireachtas. We are not giving it the money; we are giving the industry the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015: Motion (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: We are proposing to delay its funding model until we answer questions on other issues. I thank that is inappropriate.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: The heads of the Horse Racing Ireland Bill 2015 has already been through a comprehensive process of pre-legislative scrutiny involving consultation with a range of stakeholders and significant engagement from the members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture and Food. The Bill presented to the House has been shaped by that process to a significant extent. The Horse Racing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Disadvantaged Area Schemes was received from the person named on 29 April 2010. Processing of the application was finalised and payment issued on 17 December 2010. In relation to the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme an application was received from the person named on 24 April 2015. Payment has not issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the difficulties that have been created for many forest owners as a result of the severe winter storms which occurred between 5thDecember 2013 and the 12thFebruary 2014.  The frequency and ferocity of those storm events, compounded by waterlogged soils on many forest sites, led to extensive damage to both private and State owned forests. While estimates, based on satellite...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: There are outstanding 2014 Single payments pertaining to the herd number quoted above. As this case involves inheritance of an estate, testamentary documentation has been requested from the executor of the estate. As soon as this documentation is received, 2014 payments will issue to the legal representatives of the estate. A Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application was submitted by the person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2015.Processing of this application is now complete and payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department received a 2015 Transfer of Entitlement Allocation Right and Reference Value application from the person named. This application has been fully processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department received a 2015 Private Contract Clause application from the person named. This application has been fully processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue in the coming days.