Results 22,621-22,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Inspections (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of greyhound racing under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958. It has specific powers conferred on it by the Greyhound Industry (Racing) Regulations 2007, S.I. 302 of 2007, which set out the detailed rules under which greyhound racing is conducted. Bord na gCon has confirmed to officials in my Department that its drug surveillance...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: All applications received under the Beef Data and Genomics Programme are currently being data captured. I expect that this process will be finalised shortly. My Department will make this information available to the Deputy as soon as possible after the initial data capture is finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Herd Numbers (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Under the new Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme introduced under the provisions of Rural Development Regulation (EU 1305/2013), which replaces the previous Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, applicants are required to adhere to certain eligibility conditions. The new Scheme requires in the first instance that applicants must hold a valid herd number issued by my Department or have applied for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have noted the 'Farm Income Review 2014', copied to me by the IFA earlier this year. Much of the analysis therein reflects similar analysis done by the Department, Teagasc and others in this regard. In relation to the CAP implementation issues which were raised in the Review: - The Single Payment Scheme was replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme and the Greening Payment in 2015. While...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Staff (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon is a commercial State body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, charged with the regulation and development of the greyhound racing industry. From 1stNovember 2014 all appointments to State Boards are made through the Public Appointments Service. At present there are four vacancies on the Board of Bord na gCon. My Department and the Board are currently working on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Staff (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I appointed Mr. Phil Meaney as chairman of Bord na gCon in April 2011. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Staff (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: From 1stNovember 2014 all appointments to State Boards are made through the Public Appointments Service. At present there are four vacancies on the Board of Bord na gCon. My Department and the Board are currently working on role specifications for these posts taking into account the recommendation in the Indecon Report that skill sets of the Board should be enhanced in the legal, marketing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Staff (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Following the publication of the Indecon Report in July 2014, Bord na gCon submitted an action plan with timelines for implementing the 27 recommendations in the Indecon Report dealing with governance, finance, regulation and welfare. Bord na gCon has assured my Department that it has assiduously followed up on the undertakings included in its response to the Indecon Report. As part...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Administration (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon has informed me that they are finalising the terms of the tender for internal audit services and advised that the invitation to tender will be available on the Governments procurement website e-Tenders shortly. Details of the application process will be contained within the published invitation.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Staff (11 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon is a commercial State body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, charged with the regulation and development of the greyhound racing industry. The Control Committee and the Control Appeals Committee of BNG are established under legislation (Greyhound Industry, Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee Regulations 2007, S.I. Number 301 of 2007). The Control...

Topical Issue Debate: Superlevy Fine (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and thereby giving me an opportunity to provide the House with an update on this important issue and clarify a number of aspects of it. The milk quota regime ended on 31 March 2015. The overriding sentiment throughout the country from farmers to processors and along the value chain is that the abolition of the milk quota presents a massive...

Topical Issue Debate: Superlevy Fine (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I come from the southern part of County Cork, which is one of the dairy heartlands of the country. I have spoken to many dairy farmers about this issue. We need to be honest about a couple of things here. The superlevy is not a surprise. Farmers knew it was coming. Many farmers factored it in last year in the context of the price they were then being paid for milk. They calculated that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Programme (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted applications under the 2014 Beef Data Programme and Beef Genomics Scheme on 20 March 2014. Validations under the 2014 Beef Data Programme will commence shortly with payments to issue in the coming weeks to all eligible applicants. Under the Beef Genomics Scheme the person named was required to genotype six animals within prescribed time periods, however four...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2014 Single Farm Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 11thMay 2014 with a claimed area of 32.99 hectares, 4.08 hectares of which were forestry. Afforested land was eligible to draw down a Single Farm Payment in 2014 provided that the applicant who declares afforested land is the person (or persons in joint management) in receipt of the afforestation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Premium Payments (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The applicant received the first premium for the contract number CN67593 in November 2014 for an amount of €1656.76. The second premium was paid in January 2015 for the same amount. Both premiums were paid at the correct rate and in full, and no deductions were made.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted applications under the 2014 Beef Data Programme and the Beef Genomics Scheme on 24 March 2014. As all of the required data has not been received for the Beef Data Programme and all of the genotype samples were not returned within the time limits under the Terms and Conditions of Genomics Scheme, the person named is ineligible for payment under both Schemes. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: Following the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Basic Payment Scheme and the Greening Payment replaced the Single Payment Scheme with effect from January 2015. The requirements in relation to land eligibility under these and other Direct Payment Schemes are contained in Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council and Commission Delegated Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: A review of the lands declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that a number of the land parcels declared contained ineligible features. In order to clarify the position regarding the area of any ineligible features my Department arranged for a ground verification check to be undertaken. This check confirmed the 2013 area over-declaration as 20.85 % in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: At the outset, I would like to note that almost 27,000 applications were submitted in the first tranche of GLAS applications, which is very much in line with the projections I made when launching the scheme. The online application system developed within my Department functioned extremely well but some issues did arise as can be expected with the roll out of any new IT system. Issues were...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Landings (10 Jun 2015)

Simon Coveney: I have recently received a request to designate Renard Pier in County Kerry for the landing of Monkfish and Hake. Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, fish species subject to a multi-annual plan must be landed at designated ports of landing. Hake is a species subject to a multi-annual plan and any landings of Hake greater than 2 Tonnes must be landed at a port designated in accordance...