Results 27,861-27,880 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Fisheries Fund (20 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: A comprehensive framework exists to deal with seafood safety in Ireland. The Marine Institute is responsible for monitoring shellfish for the presence of naturally occurring phytoplankton toxins. Toxicity can occur at any time during the year and the periods of closure can vary considerably from year-to-year. The monitoring programme is designed to detect toxicity in shellfish growing areas...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Data Protection (20 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Heads of Division in my Department, with responsibility for collecting and processing personal data, are registered as Data Controllers with the Data Protection Commissioner. The public register of Data Controllers can be viewed on the Commissioner’s website. The Data Controllers are responsible for developing and implementing data protection. In addition, the Freedom of Information...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tuberculosis Incidence (20 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department invests in extensive research in relation to badger ecology and vaccination programmes with the intention of developing a vaccination programme, with a view to replacing badger culling with vaccination when this is a practicable proposition. In this context, my Department has been collaborating for some years with the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA)...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Appeals (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department has now verified that an appeal from the person concerned in relation to the notional milk yield utilised when valuing reactor animals removed during a TB restriction spanning May 2012 to October 2012 has not been responded to due to an oversight, which is regretted. The matter is being followed up with a view to a response issuing as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: A review of the lands declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme in 2012 and 2013 revealed that a number of land parcels declared contained ineligible features. In order to clarify the position regarding the area of the ineligible features my Department arranged for a ground verification check to be undertaken. This verification check has been completed and the results are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the full six 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. According to the Terms and Condition of the Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 5 March 2013. Initial processing revealed that one of the land parcels declared had also been declared by another Scheme applicant. In keeping with standard procedures both parties were written to and asked to confirm their entitlement to claim the said parcel. In response the person named confirmed that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application under the 2013 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Area Schemes on 18th April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases, land eligibility inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application concerned was one of a number which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the full six 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. According to the Terms and Condition of the Scheme "Farmers...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Payment in respect of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 27 January 2014, following clarification of matters concerning the contract rearing operation in which the person named is involved.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The application of the person named under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme was received in my Department on 19 November 2012. As the closing date for receipt of late applications under the 2011 Scheme was 10 June 2011, no payment was due to the person named. However, following direct contact on a number of occasions by Departmental officials with the person named and the submission in late 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The applicant will be written to shortly advising that no reimbursement of their REPS payment is being sought.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The scheme year 2014 is the last year in which the Single Payment Scheme will be applied. All existing entitlements expire on the 31 December 2014 and a new set of entitlements will be allocated in 2015 to those who are eligible to participate in the new Basic Payment Scheme. Under the new Regulation, Ireland will implement: - The Basic Payment Scheme - Greening - Young Farmers Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (19 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme from the person named was not received until after the final deadline of 9 June 2013. Payment may not be made in respect of applications received after that date except in exceptional circumstances. The original of the application form concerned has been lodged by the person named together with some supporting documentation. My Department...

Topical Issue Debate: Beef Prices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Nobody talks up the beef sector more than I do.

Topical Issue Debate: Beef Prices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Every time I go abroad I talk about beef access.

Topical Issue Debate: Beef Prices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Last year we got Japan, Lebanon and the Gulf states open. We got live exports to North Africa, which is a difficult market to manage. Even today, I spent half my meeting with the Chinese ambassador talking about beef access into China. In addition, we are pushing to get access into both the United States and Canada this year. We are expanding the spread of beef markets that we can access...

Topical Issue Debate: Marine Resources (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I share the Deputy's concerns. Many people do not understand how the fishing industry works. Those who work on a trawler receive a percentage of the catch rather than being paid a salary as such. Essentially, they are sole traders working on somebody else's boat, with the result that they do not have easy access to social welfare without a time-consuming assessment procedure. We need to...

Topical Issue Debate: Beef Prices (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy McNamara for raising this important issue. I spent considerable time discussing the issue with the IFA this afternoon. The value of Irish beef exports was estimated at almost €2.1 billion in 2013. This export performance, which was based on a wide portfolio of customers, has contributed significantly to higher returns for Irish beef in recent years and reflects the...

Topical Issue Debate: Marine Resources (18 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this genuine issue. I know that he comes from the heartland of the whitefish fleet in Castletownbere and this is primarily a whitefish fleet issue. We have tried to do what we can within the rules and regulations. That is why, for example, in terms of a Government response, we have committed nearly €9 million to repair over 100 harbours and piers...