Results 25,501-25,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: GLAS Scheme Eligibility (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The last quarter of next year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: GLAS Scheme Eligibility (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: It is important to clarify that regardless of how many shareholders are in the commonage, if a commonage area is to qualify for payments under the GLAS scheme, there must be an expectation, indeed a reality, that certain actions will be taken on that land that go beyond what is required under the basic payments scheme. Under the regulations there must be some added value environmentally from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: GLAS Scheme Eligibility (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Everybody who applies for GLAS must pay the planner for their GLAS plan.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: GLAS Scheme Eligibility (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: There will be an individual commonage GLAS plan for each commonage. There is no same overall plan for all commonage areas. There was an idea, and we have moved away significantly from it, that the overall commonage framework plan would implement and force a commonage framework plan on each commonage area. We have instead moved towards a basic stocking rate requirement on disadvantaged lands...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Programmes (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: I ask the House to indulge me before I answer that question. I wish to pay tribute to the former Deputy Joe Walsh, who died in recent days. I think he was Ireland's longest serving Minister for Agriculture and he made a very significant contribution to modern agriculture in this country. He is someone I knew well and respected very much. I wish to pass on my condolences to his colleagues...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Programmes (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The direct answer to the Deputy's last question is "No". We will still be pushing for the adoption of the RDP and the opening of GLAS before the end of the year. That said, there are some things that are outside of my control. The Department had a very quick turnaround time following receipt of the questions from the Commission because we are very anxious to expedite this process and get...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tax Code (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Taxation policy is primarily a matter for the Minister for Finance. However I have on-going contact with Minister Noonan to ensure that tax policy reflects the Government’s commitment to agriculture.  In this regard I am pleased that the Minister and I could facilitate the Agri-taxation Review, which was published as part Budget 2015. It gave us a unique opportunity to examine a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Missions (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: On 5 November, following a meeting with Chinese Vice Minister Niu Dun who has responsibility for Fisheries, I was privilaged to open the largest ever Irish pavilion at the China Fisheries Show in Qingdao, the second largest trade show globally for the international seafood sector. An estimated 25,000 visitors from 100 nations were forecast to attend the show, with no other exhibition of its...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Framework Plans (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Each year farmers in Ireland benefit from funding of over €1.5 billion under Schemes such as the Single Farm Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Agri-Environment Schemes, etc. This comprises the entire net income of many thousands of Irish farmers.The Deputy will be aware that following consultation with the EU Commission, as part of the normal Accounting process, my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: An application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay was received by my Department in 2012.  The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are being considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. A determination in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: I want to start by saying that I and my colleagues in Government are fully supportive of the planned trade agreement between the EU and US. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP as it is called, has the potential to increase growth and boost jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. As a small open trading economy, Ireland is well positioned to take full advantage of trade...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Scheme Eligibility (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The preservation and management of our commonages is accorded a very high priority within GLAS. This is as it should be given the importance of these habitats and of the work carried out by farmers in maintaining and farming these hills. However, p ayments under GLAS can only be made in respect of actions going beyond the baseline requirements under the Basic Payment Scheme under Pillar 1 of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The House will be aware that I have been considering introducing a charge for parking facilities within Howth Fishery Harbour Centre for some time as part of an overall traffic management plan for the safe operation of the harbour, - to assist in operating Howth Fishery Harbour Centre on a financially-sound basis, by providing a new source of revenue for further investment in Fishery...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: In response to recent developments in the beef sector , I have been engaging with both processors and producers, t hrough the Beef Roundtable process and in bilateral discussions, to address a range of strategic issues impacting on the sector. This has led to a number of notable outcomes, including a public consultation and the development of Producer Organisations to rebalance the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Scheme Administration (12 Nov 2014)

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) which was submitted to the European Commission in July. The Commission services have recently notified us of their observations on the draft Scheme and my Department is this week providing responses to the Commission with a view to gaining approval at the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am fully aware that this past year has been extremely difficult for beef farmers as prices have dropped from the high levels of 2013. While I can have no role in discussing prices, I and the Government have been very proactive in ensuring that we have the appropriate policy support environment in place to secure a sustainable future for all in the beef sector. I have brought forward a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Security (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: The concept of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) was defined and presented in November 2010 by the Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations (FAO) to the Hague Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change. Since then the Netherlands Government has led an initiative to move the concept of Climate Smart Agriculture into an global alliance that would include governments,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Safety (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Both my Department and I are very strongly committed to promoting Farm Safety in collaboration with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), the organisation with primary responsibility for securing health and safety at work. My Department has taken a number of steps this year and over recent years in tandem with some of the other State and industry organisations to raise awareness of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: A total of some 15,000 farmers, situated mainly along the west coast, declare commonage land amounting to 7% of all lands declared under the Single Payment Scheme and the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Under the reformed CAP Regime, the eligibility requirements for Direct Payments is now more focused on active farmers. In that regard, it will be necessary for all farmers who apply for aid under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: Rules in relation to the removal and destruction of Specified Risk Materials are determined at EU level. Specified Risk Material (SRM) refers to a group of tissues and organs of animals which have been shown to have potential to transmit diseases such as BSE. Under existing EU regulations SRM must be removed from the food and feed chain and disposed of in accordance with prescribed...