Results 27,401-27,420 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: On-farm Investment Schemes (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department published a consultation paper on the new Rural Development Programme in January 2014. This paper set out a number of priorities in the case of possible on-farm investment schemes under the new Programme, including further support to encourage investment in the dairy sector in view of the forthcoming abolition of milk quotas; an enhanced scheme of grant-aid for young farmers;...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grassland Sheep Scheme Payments (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: In developing the shape of the new system of Direct Payments in Ireland, I have been very conscious of the needs of sheep farmers, in particular those who farm on hill and commonage land. In general, sheep farmers hold low value entitlements under the current Single Payment Scheme and will benefit significantly from the model of convergence that is to be applied in Ireland where those with a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The so called Scottish derogation only allows for the allocation of entitlements to farmers who never held entitlements, either owned or leased, but who were actively farming in 2013. Such farmers must produce verifiable evidence that in 2013 they 'produced, reared or grew agricultural products' in the Beef, Sheep or arable sectors. Participation in the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The so called Scottish derogation only allows for the allocation of entitlements to farmers who never held entitlements, either owned or leased, but who were actively farming in 2013. Such farmers must produce verifiable evidence that in 2013 they 'produced, reared or grew agricultural products' in the Beef, Sheep or arable sectors. The scheme year 2014 is the last year in which the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020 will be co-funded from the National Exchequer and the EU's European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The Managing Authority for the EAFRD in Ireland is the Rural Development Division in my Department. The Head of Division in Rural Development Division is Mr. Fintan O'Brien. The Rural Development Division also maintains an email...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020 (RDP) will be co-funded from the National Exchequer and the EU's European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The agreement reached on the Multiannual Financial Framework provides for a total allocation of EU funding of €2.19 billion (€313m per annum over 7 years) to Ireland for a new RDP. €2.037 billion of the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together. The Rural Development Fund is concerned with the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and not the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. While the proposed Regulation establishing the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) is progressing towards adoption, it is not expected to be adopted in law by the EU institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Offices (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department continues to maintain a public office in Enniscorthy. While the administrative functions are being transferred from that office to the Castlebar office, the Department's vets, inspectors and technical officers remain in place to service our clients across all of the schemes that are provided from these offices. I am satisfied that frontline services can be fully maintained...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Installation Aid Scheme Eligibility (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The consultation paper prepared by my Department in relation to the proposed measures for inclusion in Ireland's Rural Development programme for 2014-2020 includes a commitment to the introduction of an enhanced grant scheme for young farmers who invest in farm infrastructure with a specific grant rate of 60 per cent compared to the standard grant rate of 40 per cent which will be generally...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme revealed that several of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. As the person named applied for a review of my Department's decision, a visit by a Department official to verify the position is necessary to resolve the matter. This verification visit will be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Funding (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The piers on Sherkin Island are owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for their repair and maintenance rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. Under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme my Department has, in previous years, provided funding for the development and repair of Local Authority owned harbours, piers and slipways subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Wildlife Conservation (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of fishermen's concerns regarding the seal populations in and around our coasts. With regard to the interaction between seal populations and the conservation of fish stocks, seals eat a wide array of fish and invertebrates. I am informed that their diet appears to vary considerably depending on location, time of year and the abundance of available prey. Seals are a protected...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Harvest 2020 Strategy (2 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: There are currently no plans for my Department to undertake an assessment of the potential for vine growing and wine production in Ireland. The primary focus of public policy in the agri food area is on sectors identified in the Food Harvest 2020 Report as having potential to deliver substantial growth in this decade.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am happy to take the opportunity to defend the Minister for Justice and Equality against the latest political attacks coming from the parties opposite. For some time, Deputies have been attempting to use a series of difficult-to-manage circumstances in our justice system to claim a political scalp instead of focusing on the reform and decisions needed to provide solutions for the future....

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: -----or, in the absence of clear facts, promote assumptions of dishonesty or something worse. I sit next to Deputy Shatter in Cabinet and I have got to know him well in recent years. Any fair-minded person who has followed his three years in government knows him to be reforming, intelligent, extremely hard working, at times combative and, most importantly, willing to take on significant...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: We have agreed to the appointment of a new Garda Commissioner by open competition, which is a major reform, and to the establishment of a new independent policing authority, which had been agreed in 2006 in the Mullingar accord between Fine Gael and Labour and which is now more necessary than ever. While all of these decisions are being made, Fianna Fáil's response is not to focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 471 together. I understand that South Tipperary County Council received a report over Saint Patrick's weekend of a horse carcase in a field within its jurisdiction and the Council's Environmental Section dealt with the matter and had the carcase removed to a local knackery for disposal. On the general matter of protecting animal welfare, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Activities (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am advised that Coillte is empowered to develop and build wind farms having regard to the company's objectives as set out in Section 12 of the Forestry Act 1988 and the objectives in the company's memorandum of association. The Forestry Act 1988 provided for the establishment of Coillte Teoranta as a company to be registered under the Companies Acts. Section 12 of the Forestry Act 1988...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Activities (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Forestry Act 1988 provided for the establishment of Coillte Teoranta as a company to be registered under the Companies Acts. Section 12 of the Forestry Act 1988 provided inter alia that the principal objects of the company shall be stated in its memorandum of association to be: a)To carry on the business of forestry and related activities on a commercial basis and in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (1 Apr 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in February 2008 and received payments for the first five years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. This process has now been completed for 2013 payments...