Results 21,461-21,480 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 20 May 2015. Processing of the ANC Scheme application has recently been finalised, with payment under the ANC scheme due to issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beekeeping Industry (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: A number of options to limit or ban imports of bees have been considered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, however none of these options have proven to be viable. The EU has strict bee health certification requirements which apply to the international trade in bees. In accordance with Article 3 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC European Union Member States must not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Funding (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Ballydonegan Pier is owned by Cork County Council, and responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the harbour rests with the Local Authority. My Department however, provides funding for the development and repair of Local Authority owned harbours under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme subject to available Exchequer funding and overall...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Special Protection Areas Designation (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is currently developing a Threat Response Plan (TRP) for Hen Harriers. That Department has also established an Inter-Departmental Steering Group, incorporating representatives from key Departments, to assist in the development of the Plan. The TRP is focusing on a number of key pressures which have been identified as impacting on the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 14 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. Advance payments under the Basic Payment Scheme will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is currently developing a Threat Response Plan (TRP) for Hen Harriers. That Department has also established an Inter-Departmental Steering Group, incorporating representatives from key Departments, to assist in the development of the Plan. The TRP is focusing on a number of key pressures which have been identified as impacting on the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: When determining the Initial Unit Value of a farmer’s entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015, Regulation 1307/2013 gives Member States the option to take into account any payment the farmer received in 2014 under schemes such as the Grassland Sheep Scheme. This option is only available where the Member State is not applying voluntary coupled support to the sector concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Officials of my Department carry out unannounced inspections at beef slaughtering plants to ensure that Carcase Dressing (Trim) is carried out in accordance with EU Regulations.  To date in 2015, over 38,500 carcasses were inspected during 350 inspections. The number of carcasses inspected is up almost 5% on this time last year when the number of carcasses inspected was almost 15% higher...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The action item referred to by the Deputy is the subject of ongoing examination within my Department with a view to implementation at the earliest possible opportunity. The Deputy will appreciate that in view of the wide ranging nature of the proposed review including legislation, resource and logistical aspects and also the involvement of all key stakeholders, the exercise is complex. Every...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: A number of distinct agri-environmental schemes are planned under a new locally-led measure, which is under negotiation at present with the EU. The new measure is designed to complement the approach taken under GLAS and to explore different ways of tackling specific environmental challenges at local level. Each new scheme requires to be brought in by way of a formal amendment to the Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under European Commission regulations all applications must be administratively checked before any application can be approved into the scheme. Almost 27,000 GLAS applications were submitted and final checks are currently being carried out and farmers will then be notified in writing of the outcome of their application. Until this process is complete it is not possible to determine precisely...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The closing date for receipt of applications under the first tranche for the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme was the 25th September 2015. All applications received are being examined and approvals will commence when all of the required checks have been undertaken.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Expenditure (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The following table indicates the expenditure to date and the estimated remaining spend on Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 1) projects approved under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme : Scheme Expenditure to Date €m Estimated Expenditure to end 2015 €m Total Expenditure €m Dairy Equipment 29.793 9.750 39.543 Loose Housing Sows 11.971...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme Knowledge Transfer Groups across a range of sectors, including beef, dairy and sheep, will be established. The design of the measure has been informed by experience from previous discussion groups, extensive stakeholder consultation, and the relevant EU regulations. Participants are required to attend Knowledge Transfer Group meetings and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Department, in accordance with the recommendations of the Beef Activation Group, carried out a re-calibration trial on the mechanical beef grading system in 2013/14. This trial was conducted strictly in accordance with EU rules and was overseen by the Department with a panel of international experts. In addition, Teagasc acted as an independent body designated by the Department to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The November 2014 Beef Round table discussions resulted in a comprehensive agreed package of measures to further develop the beef sector and included commitments for all parties including processors, farm organisations, my Department and various state agencies. As part of that package, agreement was reached between MII and farming organisations that processors would not impose any price...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Administration (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Department is finalising the processing of GLAS applications. Confirmation that the AEOS contract has been terminated will be sought from farmers and my officials expect to be in a position, by early November,  to provide a definitive figure for the number of farmers who terminated their Agri-Environment Options Scheme contracts in order to join GLAS.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together. Payments were withheld arising from suspected interference with a TB test and, since the person concerned has initiated legal action, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Legal Cases (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The court case the Deputy refers to related to a farmer from Cavan. Following on from the case, my Department carried out a review into certain aspects of the case. I can confirm to the Deputy that a copy of the report was provided to a member who had made representations on the herd owner’s behalf.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Land (8 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department has recently compiled a database of Commonages throughout the country, which is publicly available on the Department’s website and is regularly updated.  Most of the information requested by the Deputy can be freely obtained from this database, which can be accessed through the following link: ]. In this database, all commonages are listed in county order,...