Results 21,701-21,720 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 16 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: Grant Payments (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application for both the Basic Payment and the Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes on 29 April 2015. The person named applied on a Commonage with fourteen other herd owners. This commonage is currently over-claimed. The matter is being investigated by my Department with a view to resolution and issuing payments to all valid claimants as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (1 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 will be carried out in October 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: Fish Landings (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The SFPA has recently outlined its advice in relation to the request to designate Renard Pier for landings of Hake and Monkfish. I will give my full consideration to all relevant issues including this advice. When I have come to a determination I will inform the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Breeding Regulations (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: Legislation on dog breeding establishments comes under the aegis of the Minister for the Environment and enforcement action, including prosecution, is normally undertaken by that Department. My Department has no pending court cases against dog breeders. There are 68 dog registered breeding establishments in Ireland, 58 of which were inspected jointly by my Department and local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grant Payments (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2015 Basic Payments/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 29 May 2015. In relation to the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening Payment, I am pleased to confirm that advance payments will commence to issue in Ireland on 16 October 2015, which is the earliest that payments can commence under the governing EU Regulations. In addition,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Control of Dogs (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: The administration of Local Authority Dog Pounds is a matter for the relevant Local Authority and the Minister for Environment and Local Government. However, I am informed that, in dealing with stray dogs, Local Authority officials need to balance a variety of issues, including the fact that certain dogs which come into their care may be unsafe for re-homing. Dogs which end up in the dog...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I note the concerns raised by the Deputy regarding the length of time taken to process the application for a disability pension in the case in question. However, the nature of disability pension applications means that the procedure for investigating them takes some time to complete. Once an application is received in my Department the details provided must be checked and verified. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Freedom of Information Requests (1 Oct 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am advised by the Military Authorities that a Freedom of Information application has been received in relation to this matter. A reply will issue as soon as the matter has been fully investigated.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Memorandum of Understanding on Establishment of Battle Groups: Motion (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Chair and I apologise to the committee for the reading of a third submission into the record today. The Department is undergoing a process of seeking approval for a memorandum of understanding regarding Ireland's proposed participation in the German battle group of 2016. I will now put some facts into the record for the reasons behind this proposal. The motion is:That Dáil...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Memorandum of Understanding on Establishment of Battle Groups: Motion (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Essentially, what it means is that we do not want to be restricted to humanitarian assistance only. There are missions that may necessitate disarmament. Ireland has been involved very successfully in the UN mission to Liberia. Peacekeeping and peacemaking sometimes involves a range of things. The Lisbon treaty upgraded the kind of missions that battle groups can get involved in. At no...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Memorandum of Understanding on Establishment of Battle Groups: Motion (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is true.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Memorandum of Understanding on Establishment of Battle Groups: Motion (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: We may do so in the future but we are getting legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General. Ireland is not a member of NATO. We are not going to be a member of NATO any time soon. We have put arrangements in place that are the equivalent of signing the SOFA to ensure that our troops get the protection they need when they are abroad, training with other troops in other European...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Can I respond to some of those claims?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: We have looked at the criticisms. Perhaps the Chairman will give me a couple of minutes to respond. I can also answer questions, if he so wishes. We are a little tight for time, but it is up to him to decide.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: Today I will also attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to discuss the mid-year Estimates, where we will go through the same process. We have used the committee system to introduce better performance measurement and management tools in order to ensure there is more transparency around how Departments perform. Their performance can be tested in committee....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: For the record, we publish all of that information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: The information is on the Department's website and we publish it voluntarily.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (30 Sep 2015)

Simon Coveney: I presume people are not paired.