Results 25,521-25,540 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: As the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy has progressed, my Department has been addressing a number of issues relating to commonage land in the context of both the new Rural Development Plan and GLAS and the new Basic Payment Scheme. The experience to date since the Single Payment Scheme was introduced in 2005 is that there is a growing problem of commonage land being...

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

Simon Coveney: The rules governing the making of Direct Payments and other schemes including area based schemes are set out in EU regulations. Article 75.1 of Council Regulation 1306/2013 specifies that payments under the Single Payment Scheme and the Basic Payment Scheme shall be made within the period from 1 December to 30 June of the following calendar year. Payments shall be made in a maximum of two...

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

Simon Coveney: Pursuant to the Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 (as amended), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine owns and directly manages the Fishery Harbour Centre located at Killybegs. On 1stSeptember 2014 my Department was made aware of a fish spill within the confines of the Fishery Harbour Centre in Killybegs. Following further inspection it was established that a large amount of...

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

Simon Coveney: I am very pleased to advise the Deputy that in relation to beef, there wasa significant breakthrough achieved last week, following my political meetings with my Chinese counterparts including the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister responsible for market access, when I secured a firm commitment from the Chinese Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQSIQ) to carry out a formal...

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

Simon Coveney: My colleague, Minister of State Tom Hayes TD, previously met with Minister Deenihan and, more recently, with Minister Humphreys, in relation to the impact the designations are having on the forestry sector and on farmers generally. This is also the subject of ongoing interaction between officials from my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The Department of...

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

Simon Coveney: There is already a substantial degree of harmonisation of the veterinary regimes on the island of Ireland, particularly in view of the fact that the bulk of the animal health and welfare measures implemented on the island are based on EU legislation. The main objective of the North-South strategy in the animal health and welfare area is to establish equivalent internal arrangements on both...

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

Simon Coveney: The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), a registered charity, established in 1840, is one of a number of animal welfare organisations providing an important service to animals in need in the greater Dublin area. As a registered charity, the DSPCA comes under the scope of the new Charities Regulatory Authority which has been established under the terms of the Charities...

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

Simon Coveney: The primary intention of the lobster V-notch programme is to improve the sustainability of Ireland's lobster stocks by protecting female lobsters so that they can breed a number of times and contribute to sustained stock levels. Following extensive consultation with the fishing industry, in May this year I announced enhancement to the lobster v-notching programme which is operated by BIM...

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

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will appreciate, questions of price are ultimately matters to be determined between the purchasers and the sellers of cattle. It is neither appropriate nor possible for me or any other Minister for Agriculture in the EU, to intervene directly on these issues. Indeed, the new Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has emphasised this point a gain in recent days via...

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

Simon Coveney: I led a trade mission to China from 2-7 November which comprised 37 of Ireland’s leading agri-food and agri-services companies and which included over 50 trade promotion meetings in 5 cities. The purpose of the trade mission was to provide an opportunity toshowcase Ireland’s world class food and drink products and services in this expanding market and to facilitate business to...

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

Simon Coveney: This is an operational matter for Teagasc who have statutory responsibility for the delivery of education and training programmes to the agriculture sector. In the region of 3,700 learners participated in Teagasc further education provision and higher education linked provision in 2013. Typically, over two-thirds of these learners attend the seven colleges in the Teagasc network with the...

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

Simon Coveney: The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 is a significant piece of legislation replacing a wide range of acts relating to animal health and welfare dating back over a century. The Act places specific requirements on animal keepers to care for animals rather than merely avoid cruelty. Its main elements were commenced with effect from 6 March 2014 and on the same day, a series of regulations...

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

Simon Coveney: The next meeting of the Beef RoundTable, which I will chair this evening, will receive an update by Michael Dowling on progress in bilateral discussions between processors and farmers. As I have informed the house already today, the need for continued dialogue between farmers and processors is vital to overcoming the current impasse on market specifications and getting the sector back to...

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

Simon Coveney: Under the provisions of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, the regulation of coursing is chiefly a matter for the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) subject to the general control and direction of Bord na gCon (BnG). The welfare of greyhounds involved in coursing is provided for in the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 whichinter aliarequires that persons who course greyhounds must have regard to the...

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

Simon Coveney: On the 8th July, the Comptroller and Auditor General published a Special Report on the Financial Management and Reporting for the six Fishery Harbour Centres owned, managed and operated by my Department. My Department welcomed the C&AG's report which contains a number of valuable recommendations some of which relate to historical issues that have been proactively addressed by my...

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

Simon Coveney: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres, which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department.  All six Fishery Centres are first and foremost working fishery harbours.  However each centre has unique features which facilitate a broad range of other diverse activities which are important from both an economic and social perspective. My...

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

Simon Coveney: Total value of production at farm gate level of Irish fruit, vegetables and potatoes was estimated at €433 million in 2013. Of this, over €300m is marketed through Irish supermarkets. The rest is exported (principally mushrooms) or is marketed through smaller retail outlets or the catering trade. According to Bord Bia, fresh fruit and vegetables are the 2 largest categories...

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

Simon Coveney: During the period 2009 to 2013, my Department operated the New Entrants to Dairying Scheme, where up to 200,000 litres of milk quota were awarded to farmers wishing to commence dairying and who were successful in the competitive assessment process. Just over 400 farmers received quota allocations in that period. An analysis of successful applicants for the period 2009 to 2011, involving 230...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2014 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 29 April 2014. Processing of this application has recently been finalised with payment under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 6 November 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (12 Nov 2014)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 1 May 2014. Processing of this application has not yet been finalised and will be cleared as soon as possible.