Results 26,181-26,200 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: We spend it better.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: To reply to Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, we are trying not only to talk about numbers, but to set policy targets also. To be fair, the process probably began before we came into office. The targets are pretty general but the mid-year outputs are specific. An example relates to securing beneficial outcomes for the agrifood, forestry and fisheries sectors in EU and international...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for asking the question. I know it is an issue of concern to her and I wish to give her a detailed answer to it. The wildlife policy, which is a component of my Department’s TB eradication programme, has been developed in response to research which has demonstrated that the eradication of the disease is not a practicable proposition until the reservoir of...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I do not condone or in any way support the illegal killing of badgers in a way that is not licensed, controlled and monitored by my Department. I share Deputy O'Sullivan's views on the matter. It is important to note that culling badgers is only a part of a TB programme that has been extraordinarily successful in Ireland. We have less TB in Ireland now than at any time since 1953 when...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I reassure the Deputy that only last week I asked my Secretary General to examine the issue and to try to fast-track a vaccination programme for badgers if it could be done credibly. However, I will not undermine the efforts we have made over many years-----

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: -----until we are sure we can do it in a way that keeps the positive momentum in the existing TB eradication programme, which has been extraordinarily successful. Ultimately, we want to eradicate TB from Ireland in badger populations and in cattle populations. There is not a problem with badger numbers in Ireland. The cull will not compromise badger numbers. We have a healthy badger...

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Ultimately-----

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: If Deputy Healy-Rae was listening earlier, which I doubt he was-----

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: -----I explained the trials we are running at the moment, which are showing credible results in the area.

Other Questions: TB Eradication Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Deputy Healy-Rae should not make a joke of the matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am sorry, but I do not have two hours. If it were helpful, I could skip my opening statement in order that we might go straight to examining the expenditure programmes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I could make the statement. I am in the Chairman's hands, but as I will also be making a statement to the Dáil at 6.45 p.m., I must be out of here by 6.30 p.m. at the latest. I would rather it to be 6.15 p.m., if possible. I could make a statement at this meeting that would take seven or eight minutes, but I am happy to skip it, if the committee wants.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Yes. We would have started earlier, but one of the committee's members tabled a private notice question that I had to take.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I will make a quick statement, if the committee wants, to give some context to the discussion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am pleased to accept the invitation to attend the committee's hearing. This is a valuable opportunity to review how we are progressing through the various challenges and opportunities presenting across the agriculture, food development, marine and forestry sectors and discuss market prospects and new investment opportunities in same. As we head into the final quarter of 2014, we have many...

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: One must have some stock. Otherwise one is effectively getting a payment for not farming.

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Some stock.

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Can I get this right? Is Deputy Ó Cuív suggesting that farmers who are not farming on land would draw down payments on that land?

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: That is what he seems to be suggesting. They are putting stock onto a piece of land somewhere else but they are drawing down payments on a commonage area in which they are not involved in farming.

Other Questions: Commonage Framework Plans (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: If we were to take that approach, when it was audited by the Commission we would have another LIPIS-type issue on our hands whereby farmers would be drawing down payments on land in which they are not involved in farming. We must have a minimum level of agricultural activity in the commonage areas where farmers are drawing down payments and we should be able to manage that in a way that...