Results 22,501-22,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff Remuneration (24 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Defence Organisation includes civil servants, military personnel, and civilian employees attached to military installations. The annual cost, including Employer’s PRSI, of introducing a minimum wage of €11.45 an hour in respect of Civil Service Staff and Civilian Employees employed by my Department is estimated at €30,937. The pay structures and conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The holding in question has been restricted under the TB Eradication Scheme since 22 May 2014 when TB was disclosed in the herd. 137 animals have been removed as reactors from the herd. In view of the high disease level disclosed in this herd, my Department decided last April, following consultation with the herdowner, to depopulate the herd. The main compensation schemes for farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As outlined in my earlier reply to Parliamentary Question No. 18277 /2015, the person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1 September 2010 and received payments in respect of the scheme years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. However, the cross check with the 2014 Single Payment system revealed that two of the AEOS...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The processing of applications under the Beef Data Programme is at an advanced stage. Payments under the Programme will commence next week. Under the Programme, farmers who participate are required to submit the required data on suckler cows and their calves after birth and again after the calves are weaned. The level of participation in the Beef Data Programme increased by 21% to 32,300...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: All farmers receiving EU payments must comply with certain environmental standards. One of these requirements is to keep land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC). GAEC places requirements on farmers to protect soils from erosion and maintain soil structure. This ensures problems that may arise from compaction or rutting of land by machinery or erosion through...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Improvement Scheme (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme, which I recently launched, provides assistance for an extensive range of on-farm investments, including the construction of animal housing and other facilities. Where such works require the submission of either planning permission or a certificate of exemption, prospective applicants under this scheme will be able to lodge their applications...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: My colleague, Minister of State Hayes addressed Seanad Éireann on the 19thFebruary 2014 in his capacity as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The matters under discussion involved the Greyhound industry and matters relating to Bord na gCon. In the course of Minister Hayes’ address he made reference to a former Board member of Bord na gCon....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together. I expect all bodies under the aegis of my Department to adhere to the highest standards of governance and to co-operate fully with the Office of the Information Commissioner. I do not regard the handling of this particular case by Bord na gCon as satisfactory. In this regard Bord na gCon accepts that there were delays in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Eligibility (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am aware that there is a group of young farmers who established their holdings prior to 28 May 2010 and who missed out on the Young Farmers Installation Scheme which closed to applications in 2008. Unfortunately, the definition of ‘young farmer’ laid down in the EU regulations for the purposes of any capital investment schemes is quite explicit and it is inevitable that some...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Both REPS4 and AEOS are measures under the 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. To date in 2015, a total amount of €24.72 million has been paid in respect of REPS4. A total of €23.35 million of this refers to the 2014 REPS4 Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: This plantation was deemed not to be up to the required standard and consequently remedial works were notified in a letter to the applicant. The form submitted to claim the grant (Form 3), signed by both the applicant and his forester, and confirmed that the plantation was up to the required standard. The applicant should note that incorrect declarations may result in penalties being...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Applications (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 13 April 2015. The closing date for submission of applications under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme was 15 May 2014. Applications received in the Department between 16 May 2014 and 9 June 2014 were also accepted but with a late penalty of 1% for each working day. A 100% penalty is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine did not receive any funding from the National Lottery in the years in question.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horticulture Sector (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: My Department is currently examining proposals submitted by the person-named, which refer to the establishment of a residential organic horticultural education and training centre, and the possibility of grant-aid being made available for same. A decision on whether my Department can offer any support to this proposal can only be made upon receipt of more detailed plans for this project....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies Data (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: With regard to State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, this is a matter for the bodies themselves.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies Data (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Data, in either electronic or hard copy format, are essential to the business of my Department. All records, including those in electronic form, are collected and kept in accordance with the National Archives Act and the Data Protection Act. In this regard, my Department has policies on archiving and on the protection of personal data based on the provisions of the respective Acts. The data...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Gambling Legislation (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Heads of the Gambling Control Bill were presented to Government by the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter TD in 2013 and were approved by Government in July 2013. The Gambling Control Bill 2013 will repeal and replace all existing arrangements for the regulation of betting, gaming, bingo and lotteries (except for the National Lottery). It extends the licensing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Gambling Legislation (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Heads of the Gambling Control Bill were approved by Government in July 2013. The Gambling Control Bill 2013 will repeal and replace all existing arrangements for the regulation of betting, gaming, bingo and lotteries (except for the National Lottery). It extends the licensing regime to include on-line and electronic gambling. The Bill also sets out the arrangements for the licensing and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy is aware it is Government policy in the case of those being proposed for appointment as chairpersons of state boards, that such persons will be required to make themselves available to the appropriate Oireachtas committee to discuss the approach which they intend to take to their role as chairperson and their views about the future contribution of the body or board in question....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (23 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Indecon report (“Review of Certain Matters relating to Bord na gCon”)which was published in July 2014 contained 27 recommendations, including a recommendation that a plan for asset disposals should be implemented. The report included Harolds Cross greyhound racing facility in the list of potential asset disposals. In accordance with the provisions contained in the Code of...