Results 24,161-24,180 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: GLAS Payments (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: Farmers apply for and receive payments under many schemes, although it is correct that in respect of environmental schemes, they have been waiting for some time for a major scheme to replace the rural environment protection scheme. The agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, was introduced as a stop-gap measure by the previous Government and maintained by this Government. While the scheme...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: A number of questions have been tabled on young farmers, old-young farmers and so forth which I will answer as we reach them. We worked hard during the negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy to ensure young farmers would be given preferential treatment. As a result, they will receive a top-up on the single farm payment and priority in the national reserve which will increase their...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: We have not failed in Europe. If we can get agreement from the Commission on a schedule of payments over a number of years, that will make an enormous difference to cashflow demands on farmers and on co-ops. We already have an agreement in principle from the Commission that the relationship between farmers and their co-ops could be such that it would allow for a schedule of payments that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: GLAS Payments (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: This schedule has been the topic of discussion for about a year now. I sat down with all the farming organisations and asked them what their priority was for the new agri-environment scheme, namely, GLAS, which is replacing REPS and AEOS for many farmers. I told them we could allow a small number of farmers in for the first phase, go through the application process quickly because numbers...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I answered the Deputy - it is €88 million.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I did not; I said it was at the end of January.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I will come back to the Deputy on that point.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am a little surprised that the Deputy has not informed himself on the issue. He is the main Opposition spokesperson on agriculture and I would have thought he would have been on top of the numbers. Last May the anticipated super levy fine, based on trends at that stage, was 9%. In August the figure was approximately 7% but it then dropped to 6% and is now 5.5%. By the time we get to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: We have had debates on this issue on many occasions and the Deputy knows only too well what is possible and what is not. It would require agreement across 28 EU member states to secure a change in the approach to a soft landing. Ireland led an effort to introduce a butterfat adjustment which was supported in increasing numbers by many other countries, but it was not possible to get over the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: That is a fair question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I too pass on my congratulations to Deputy Martin Ferris. It is not true to say we are going to have to pay an LPIS fine of €180 million. That is what the Commission has proposed but we are very much opposing it. It has gone to conciliation and is still in process. It is important to put that on the record. The rules governing the imposition of a superlevy fine are set by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Vulnerable Water areas scheduled for support under GLAS have been identified in the first instance from maps and advice provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), refined on the basis of contiguity to the watercourse in question, wet-soil characteristics and presence of bovines on the holding in question. These sites have been mapped on my Department's new online application...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: At the time of the imposition of the ban, Russia was the second most important destination for agri-food exports from the EU, valued at some €12 billion in 2013. Almost half of this trade is subject to the ban. Across the EU, fruit and vegetables and dairy are the sectors most affected, although the loss of such a significant commercial market has had repercussions for the entire EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Establishment (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: GLAS (the Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme) is part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme (RDP). Ireland's draft RDP for the period 2014-2020 was submitted to the European Commission for approval in July last year and approval for the Scheme is still awaited. My officials are involved in negotiations with the Commission to expedite that approval...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I am very supportive of the negotiations for a trade and investment agreement between the EU and the United States. An agreement between the world's two major trading blocs has the potential to enhance growth and increase jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. Of course we also have some red lines in these negotiations. One of these relates to the EU ban on the use of hormones in meat...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Vulnerable Water areas scheduled for support under GLAS have been identified in the first instance from maps and information provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), refined on the basis of contiguity to the watercourse in question, wet-soil characteristics and presence of bovines on the holding in question. These sites have been mapped on my Department's new online...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Strategy (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The development of a dairy and agri-food export market for Irish produce in China has been a priority for me since becoming Minister. I strongly believe that progress to date can only be viewed as very positive, with the added bonus of a huge latent potential remaining to be developed on an ongoing basis, as we increase production following quota abolition. As Minister for Agriculture, I...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Reports (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I understand that the Deputy is referring to a report arising from a review that I asked to be carried out following a Circuit Court case in November 2013, where the Judge directed that a defendant be found not guilty by direction of the court. In the course of summing up at the end of the case, the trial Judge advised that matters surrounding the case should be examined by my Department. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Agreements (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: I believe that a trade and investment agreement between the European Union and the United States will be good for Ireland and good for Europe. Such an agreement has, in my view, the potential to enhance growth and increase jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. In the agriculture sector, Ireland has substantial offensive interests. We are keen to increase our access to the American market...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Administration (17 Feb 2015)

Simon Coveney: The Single Payment to Farmers forms a significant component of farmer income in Ireland. This EU measure recognises the importance of ensuring that sufficient numbers can derive a worthwhile livelihood from farming, which in turn helps to ensure food security as well as contributing to the overall Irish and EU economies. There are basic obligations attached to the receipt of the Single...