Results 28,061-28,080 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The new forestry programme for 2014 – 2020 will continue to be funded by the exchequer under EU state aid rules. The latest state aid rules which are in draft form only, limit the level of State support for forest roads to 40% of the total eligible costs as opposed to 80% under the previous programme. The development of the new forestry programme will be carried out in parallel with...

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

Simon Coveney: The amount spent by my Department on advertising in 2013 was €182,759.50. Breakdown detailed. Print Media €179,021 Video – Forest Fire Prevention €3,739 The vast bulk of the Department’s advertising consists of press notices in the specialised farming press, provincial newspapers and national daily newspapers. This includes the publication of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Social Media Policy (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not operate social media at present.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Disease Controls (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The bovine Tuberculosis (TB) eradication programme, implemented by my Department, includes a wildlife strategy which involves the removal of badgers when an epidemiological investigation carried out by the Department’s Veterinary Inspectorate concludes that badgers are implicated in a serious outbreak of TB in cattle. This policy was introduced in light of research conducted over the...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department has received a report from the company referred to by the Deputy that due to the recent stormy weather, damage has been done to one of the cages on site and that a fish loss is likely to have occurred as a result. Due to the ongoing weather conditions it has not been possible to quantify the fish loss but the company has advised that a fish count will be taken as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences Application Numbers (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available and will require an extensive examination by my Department of its records. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy within 3 weeks.

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

Simon Coveney: The information requested by the Deputy will require an extensive examination of my Department’s records and consultation with a number of Divisions within my Department and relevant Agencies. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy within four weeks.

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

Simon Coveney: The relevant Directive requires public authorities inter alia to make available and disseminate environmental information to the general public to the widest extent possible, in particular by using information and communication technologies. Under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act my Department publishes Ministerial determinations in respect of aquaculture licence...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Appeals (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: A review of the land declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme revealed that one of the land parcels declared contained ineligible features. The applicant has sought a review of the decision which is currently being undertaken. The case in question has been forwarded for a ground verification check to clarify the matter. My Department will be in direct contact with the...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department provides funding to Local Authorities under the Control of Horses Act, 1996, to enable these bodies implement their powers relating to the control and welfare of stray or abandoned horses. Details of amounts paid to Local Authorities in 2011, 2012 and 2013 are set out. City/County Co's Paid 2011 Paid 2012 Paid 2013 Carlow Co. Council 12,445.90 4,922.40 79,076.51 Cavan Co....

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

Simon Coveney: The application referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. The consideration process will include a detailed assessment by my Department’s expert advisors on all aspects of the application including environmental considerations and fish health. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 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. Following the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS)...

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

Simon Coveney: Details of my official engagements in Northern Ireland since I took office on 9 March 2011 are outlined below. Date Event Venue 26 July 2011 North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Agriculture Sectoral Meeting CAFRE Cookstown 26 July 2011 Met Minister O’Neill and UFU – Dinner Cookstown 26 Oct 2011 NSMC Agriculture Sectoral Meeting NSMC Joint Secretariat, Armagh 18 Nov 2011...

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

Simon Coveney: This is a complex Land Commission re-arrangement scheme involving the exchange of a large number of plots and commonage shares. There are six individuals involved and all registrations are inter-dependent on each other and no one individual can be registered in isolation. The mapping queries relate to the confirmation of areas on a number of commonage plots. In addition a boundary issue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Genomics Scheme (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Under the Beef Genomics Scheme (BGS) in 2014 participating farmers will have to sample at least 15% of their herd (all stock bulls and selected cows) nominated by the Irish Cattle breeding Federation (ICBF). Under the scheme farmers will receive €40 per calf for each calf born in the herd in 2014, subject to an overall scheme limit. The cost of the genotyping test is approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 521 and 522 together. The Grassland Sheep Scheme is based on Article 68 of the current EU Regulation 73/2009 which governs direct payments in the form of the Single Payment Scheme. As of the 1 January 2015, that Regulation is superseded by EU Regulation 1307/2013 and consequently there is no longer any legal basis for the continuation of the Grassland Sheep...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department currently has statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals only i.e. animals normally bred or kept for the production of food or for use in or for the purpose of farming. The relevant legislation in this area is the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act, 1984 and the European Communities (Welfare of Farmed Animals) Regulations 2010,...

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

Simon Coveney: In the course of my first year as Minister, I asked my Department to set up a dedicated animal welfare helpline. This helpline has been in operation since early 2012 and the following calls have been received in relation to horses: Year Calls Referred to Department Veterinary Inspectors for investigation* 2012 51 41 2013 68 61 2014 (to Feb 7th) 31 31 *Some calls were in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: Market conditions in the beef and cattle sector are monitored on an on-going basis by my Department. Under Regulation 1249/2008, DG AGRI of the European Commission receives beef carcass prices from all Member States, including Ireland on a weekly basis. The European Commission chairs a Management Committee on Animal Products and the trends and variations in cattle prices are outlined on a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry Issues (11 Feb 2014)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware there are no official controls in the European Union for beef prices as this is a commercial matter between beef producers, beef processors and retailers. Neither I nor any agriculture minister in the European Union can interfere in a trade that is cyclical in nature and prone to short-term price fluctuations. Furthermore, successive reforms of the Common...