Results 26,221-26,240 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: While the Department will support and facilitate it, ultimately I cannot force a label in another jurisdiction and this must happen in Northern Ireland.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: First, I agree with the Deputy on the last point. If one considers the trend over the past 15 to 20 years, one will see that primary producers on average had received approximately 30% of the end price of a product sold in a retail outlet. That figure now is approximately 20% and for many products is less than that. Consequently, there has been a squeeze which has forced more competitive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Given that we export almost 90% of everything we produce into these other markets, we cannot force prices up in Ireland, which would mean the countries into which we sell at present simply would stop buying from us. There are issues in this regard but producer organisations do work in many cases. There are examples within the fruit and vegetable sectors in Ireland in which producers have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: No problem.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: This has undoubtedly been a difficult year for the beef sector. Prices are down by about 10.5% on last year, which saw an all-time high. So, even though historically the prices at the moment do not look that bad when compared with the prices two or three years ago, certainly the prices that many farmers paid for store cattle last year on the back of very high prices has meant that this year...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have spoken to my colleague in the North about the matter on numerous occasions at this stage and I will meet her again on Friday. I have also met representatives of supermarkets and written to retailers about it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: We are also opening up new markets for Irish beef and are facilitating an increase in live cattle exports. We are working intensively on all the things I control in terms of policy and structural change whereby we can influence in the industry. I cannot, in a market-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I have a final comment. We are producing 15% more beef in volume terms this year and every market into which we are selling is either stagnant or reducing its consumption of beef. There are market forces here that have weakened prices.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I cannot change that with policy decisions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: It went to the Commission in the first week in July and we expect a draft response on 3 October. If the Commission has any problems, there will be negotiations. This is with regard to the overall rural development programme and not just GLAS. GLAS is a big part of it but it is only one part because it also includes island communities, disadvantaged area payments, targeted agriculture...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I will respond, to give Deputy Ó Cuív a chance to deal with Question No. 5. Of course we are responding to all types of challenges to agriculture this year. There has been much pressure on the beef industry, as Deputy Fleming knows. There may well be pressure on dairy prices over the next six or eight months. There is pressure on some arable farmers, although they have had great...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: We have had many discussions with farmers concerned about this and certain issues have been raised. Farmers told me they cannot all work with the same planner because they have different planners and would like to be able to apply using their own planners. That is acceptable as long as they comply with a commonage GLAS plan implemented by a planner. If other planners are involved, that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I fixed the rate of payment at €120 per hectare and this is a major increase on what was payable under the previous programme - €75 per hectare. There is an overall ceiling of €5,000 per annum under GLAS so the rate proposed is payable to that point. When a commonage farmer has other priority environmental assets on his or her privately owned land, he or she may qualify...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes Eligibility (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for the question. This is an issue of concern to many hill farmers. The preservation and restoration of commonages, and the continuation of suitable and environmentally friendly farming practices on the hills, is a core element of GLAS and part of Ireland’s overall plan for halting biodiversity loss. In recognition of the importance of commonages, hill farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Expenditure (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides funding, where exchequer funds allow, for the development and repair of Local Authority owned piers and slipways under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. On the 20th March this year, as part of the Government's overall co-ordinated response to the impacts of the winter storms I approved a total of €8.5 million in funding for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am acutely aware of the pressure being felt by farmers throughout the country as a result of the decline in beef prices over the last 12 months or more. Not only am I aware of it, but I have made addressing the concerns of these farmers a priority for the Government.   The Deputy is correct in noting that beef prices will always be subject to a degree of volatility. This is the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Report produced by Indecon International Economic Consultants on completion of their 'Review of Certain Matters Relating to Bord na gCon’was published in July 2014. This review was commissioned by my Department in order to assess the suitability of the legal, governance and regulatory framework supporting the greyhound industry and to identify opportunities to maximise the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: Last year the value of our exports of agri-food products to Russia was €235 million. This represents about 2.5% of our total agri-food exports. However, not all agricultural products are affected by the Presidential ban. Tea extract, infant formula, casein and beverages are not subject to the trade restrictions. Moreover, Russia had already imposed a blanket ban on exports of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am acutely aware of the difficulties being experienced by beef producers as a result of the fall in prices this year. I am committed to working with farmers and industry to both deal with the current difficulties, and ensure we have the right measures in place to aid producers achieve better margins on their farms. The focus of this work must be on the strategic development of the sector...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota (23 Sep 2014)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy is aware, the superlevy fine is set by milk quota Regulations agreed at EU level. Given that fact, it is not possible for me on a unilateral basis to change that rate without the agreement of both the Commission and all other Member States. At each Agriculture Council over the last year the issue of additional measures to ensure a ‘soft landing’ to milk quota...