Results 28,001-28,020 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The figures I cited are proof that the Department is trying to get through this process with farmers and, where possible, to have successful appeals. I do not want to take money off someone if it is not necessary to do so. However, I must be able to stand over the integrity of this process, which means ensuring that Ireland only draws down direct payments for farmers from European Union...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I am also sorry to hear that but it is statement with which I do not agree. People will have their views. As I have clarified previously in response to a question from the Deputy on this subject last June, this matter relates to alleged fraud irregularities which are not specifically about Coillte but have a wider sectoral perspective. Further to the Deputy raising this subject in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: At the outset, I would like to clarify that there were no so-called clawback payments under the 2013 single farm payment scheme. In processing the applications under the single farm payment scheme and other direct aid schemes, my Department is legally obliged to adhere to the requirements set out in the EU regulations governing each of the schemes. It is not possible to deviate from the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: If I might, I will be fair to the Deputy, as he has not received an answer to his final question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Regarding bull beef and Teagasc, there is a market for bull beef, but it is for young animals that are slaughtered at 15, 16 or 17 months. They are younger, smaller and lighter animals. Our problem is that many farmers have animals that are 23, 24, 27 or 28 months old. They are large animals and do not meet the bull beef specs sought by the supermarkets. I do not blame those farmers for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: For that reason, farming organisations and the industry have tried to work through it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I reject any accusation that Teagasc was a part of manipulating anyone. I do not believe that it was. I recall cautioning people two years ago about the bull beef market. There is a role and a market for bull beef. It is an intensive form of beef production, where animals are slaughtered much younger and fed more intensively. This is what the market wants. In general, however, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I understand that Deputy Ferris was also part of these two questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I will answer these two questions and then, hopefully, come back to the Deputy's questions. I assure Deputy Ó Cuív that there is no laissez-faire attitude coming from me. We are continuing to work as hard as we can to get the best possible price for Irish beef by building its reputation all over the world, particularly in the UK and further afield. Outside of the bull beef story...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I, like the Deputy, wish there was no Border but there is and while there is, we have labelling requirements that inform consumers and buyers of Irish and British beef as to where those cattle have been reared, slaughtered and so on. At the moment, there is a very strong market for British-reared and slaughtered beef. There is also a strong market for Irish beef but it is not quite as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 89 together. Aggregate cattle supplies at Department-approved meat plants to the end of January 2014 are up almost 10% on the corresponding period in 2012 with strong increases recorded in the steer, heifer and cull cow categories. This higher throughput has led to factories giving preference to certain types of stock that are better suited to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in my Department underpins the administration of €2.5bn in EU and Exchequer funds annually and the maintenance and development of award winning animal traceability and health computer systems that process millions of births, movements and tests annually. The ICT infrastructure and systems underpin the huge range of farming and industry...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: As you will be aware, on 14 January I announced a number of decisions in relation to the implementation of the new CAP. This included details in relation to proposed measure outlines for inclusion in the new Rural Development Programme (RDP) for the period 2014-2020 as well as an outline of the National Exchequer funding for the new RDP. The agreement reached on the Multiannual Financial...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Administration (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Any farmer who received a direct payment in 2013 (Single Payment, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Burren Life Scheme, Beef Data Scheme) is automatically eligible to receive an allocation of entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015. The number of entitlements that will be allocated to a farmer under the new Basic Payment Scheme will be based on the number of eligible hectares the farmer...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Government decided on 19 June 2013 that it is not the appropriate time to proceed with the proposed sale of Coillte Harvesting Rights. It was also decided, at that time, that the current focus will be on the restructuring of Coillte, overseen by NewERA and the relevant stakeholder Departments. This decision was made on the basis of a comprehensive analysis by NewERA, Coillte, the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Newsletters (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Ministerial newsletter is issued on a regular basis in order to update the agricultural sector on new developments in the sector. The newsletter is prepared at no extra cost to the taxpayer and is issued electronically. The next date for issue of the newsletter is not yet decided.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Funding (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The Pier at Courtown, County Wexford is owned by Wexford County Council and responsibility for its 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Severe Weather Events Response (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Along with all my colleagues in Government I am acutely aware of the ferocity of the recent storms, combined with the exceptionally high tides, which in combination have resulted in widespread damage right around the coast. I have been actively assessing the damage to the many small Local Authority piers and harbours right around the coast. I am aware of the critical importance of this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I announced details of the new GLAS (Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme) and GLAS+ Scheme on the 14th of January 2014 as part of a suite of proposed measures under the new Rural Development Programme. The GLAS Scheme will provide significant funding to farmers who undertake environmental actions in line with national and EU environmental objectives. It will contribute to the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The LPIS Review process initiated by my Department consisted on a review of all of the eligible land parcels in the LPIS database, which was declared by farmers under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and other Direct Payment Schemes. In total, the Review covered in excess of 132,000 applicants and the land parcels declared by them as eligible for payment under...