Results 28,681-28,700 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Programme Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the rural development programme for 2007-13, there is a total allocation of some €4.8 billion over the lifetime of the programme. Of this allocation, over €4 billion has been spent to date. The European Council agreement on the multi-annual financial framework provides some €313 million per year for the new rural development programme for the period 2014-20, or a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Programme Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: I would like to make a correction. The €4.8 billion figure is the wrong figure.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Programme Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: I said that the spend to date is €4 billion.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Programme Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: That is the intention.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Programme Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: I would not accept that thesis. Perhaps the Deputy has not noticed, but we now have 28 member states in the European Union and they all have different priorities. In order to get an agreement on the CAP, we had to take account of many of those priorities. What is different about the CAP is that member states have flexibility to design for themselves rural development programmes and take an...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector Issues (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has strong links with Ethiopia which have been developed over many years. Eighty five percent (85%) of employment in Ethiopia is currently provided by agriculture, therefore it is clear that the continued development of sustainable agriculture production systems and the development of a vibrant agri-food industry in Ethiopia represent huge opportunities to provide food and livelihood...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Harvest 2020 Strategy (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am confident that the industry developed targets set out in Food Harvest 2020 are achievable and can be met. The main targets in the Food Harvest report are by 2020 to increase the value of: - Primary output in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector by 33%; - Value added production by 40%; - Agriculture, food (including seafood) and drink exports by 42%; In addition, a 50% increase...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences Applications (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The delay in processing these applications has arisen for a number of reasons, primarily the location of aquaculture operations in Natura 2000 areas. The European Court of Justice declared in case C418/04 that, by failing to take all the measures necessary to comply with Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43 (Habitats Directive) in respect of authorisation of aquaculture programmes, Ireland had...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Area-based schemes under the Rural Development Programme, 2007-13, are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including cross checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, to be completed before payments can issue. These rigorous procedures, together with on-farm inspections, apply to a number of scheme payments including the Rural...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon Remit (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Bord na gCon is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Operational matters are the responsibility of its board and CEO. The Board is also responsible for ensuring that the organisation has systems and procedures in place to ensure adherence to best practice in regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Quotas (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The annual fishing opportunities for the Community’s fishing fleets are traditionally agreed at the December Fisheries Council. This year, the arrangements for 2014 are due to be negotiated at the Council scheduled for 16th, 17th and 18th of December. The levels of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and the quotas for Ireland will again be determined at that meeting following negotiations...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: International Agreements (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has always been a firm supporter of the right to self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara and the Irish Government remains firmly committed to this principal. When the process on the new agreement began and the Commission was seeking a mandate, Ireland sought that any agreement should be more transparent and should include clearer geographic reporting on the benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Plant Science (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The reply is as follows. Research My Department remains committed to funding plant science through our competitive funding programmes: Stimulus and CoFoRD (Competitive Forest Research for Development Programme). My Department’s industry derived strategic research agenda called ‘Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research and Innovation’ contains a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: In respect of Pillar 1 of the CAP I initiated a process of consultation in July 2013 with all relevant stakeholders and interested parties to ascertain their views on the most appropriate application of the Direct Payments Regulation in Ireland. I and my officials are currently giving careful consideration to all of the responses. I hope to be in a position to make decisions across the range...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Quotas (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The annual fishing opportunities for the Community’s fishing fleets are traditionally agreed at the December Fisheries Council. This year, the arrangements for 2013 are due to be negotiated at the Council scheduled for 16th and 17th of December. The levels of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and the quotas for Ireland will again be determined at that meeting following negotiations with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payments to farmers under EU Direct Schemes amount to over €1.5 billion annually. Approximately 130,000 farmers benefit from these schemes and these supports will continue under the next CAP, recently agreed by the Irish Presidency. Financial controls are operated by the EU Commission on the management of EU funded schemes paid out by Member States as part of the Clearance of Accounts...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: The European Council agreement on the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) provides some €313m per year, or a total of €2.19bn, for Ireland under Pillar 2 of the CAP for the period 2014 – 2020. A general EU co-financing rate of 53% is set out in the draft Rural Development Regulation but this rate may rise to a maximum of 80% for measures such as farm and business...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: In line with the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, export led growth in agri-food and related sectors, is being actively pursued in my Department. This strategic approach has resulted in the following specific new market openings in 2013: - UAE opened for sheep-meat; - Libya opened for livestock; - Australia opened for pigmeat; - Iran opened for beef; - GCC lifted the ban on imports of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department, in the context of delivering the Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme and other area related schemes, is required to carry out an annual round of inspections covering both the eligibility of the land declared to draw down payments and also cross compliance aspects, to ensure adherence with EU regulatory requirements in the areas of public, animal and plant...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the current Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013, a Rural Broadband Scheme (RBS) was launched in 2011 in recognition of the fact that, despite the widespread availability of broadband throughout Ireland, there still remained individual premises that were unable to receive a service. This Scheme was aimed at making a basic broadband service available to un-served premises in rural...