Results 30,121-30,140 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Transport (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The total cost of Ministerial transport in my Department from 2010 to date, along with the number of civilian drivers employed in each year is set out in the table. Year No. of Civilian drivers Total Ministerial transport costs € 2010 6 207,336.13 2011 6 196,144.10 2012 4 224,844.89 2013 4 79,241.83 The costs include all payments made to civilian drivers and the mileage...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Photographers are booked for the purpose of recording key events attended by Ministers, such as the launch of schemes and programmes, new initiatives and visits by inward delegations. Where possible, the Press Office uses in house photography. The policy for booking a photographer for official purposes is that, my Departments Press Office seeks 3 quotes in advance of each photo-shoot to keep...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Expenditure (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department contributed to one Newspaper supplement in the period concerned at a cost of €48,400 including VAT. The publication entitled “A-Z of Agri-Food” was published in December 2011 and circulated with the Irish Independent. The aim of the publication was to promote Irish food and food businesses at home and abroad. The magazine was also circulated to schools...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota Trading Scheme (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The named person was notified in 2005 that, since he was producing less than 70% of his quota, it was being reduced by 30% as provided for in the Milk Quota Regulation ‘dormancy rules’ - with the retrieved volume going back to the National Reserve. The Regulations do provide that if the supplier is in a position to resume fulfilling his or her full quota, then that dormancy...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Slaughter Statistics (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides extensive funding to Local Authorities under the Control of Horses Act, 1996, to enable these bodies implement their wide ranging powers relating to the control and welfare of stray or abandoned horses. The table below, which is based on the information provided to me by local authorities, shows the number of horses seized and euthanazed in their operation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I recently announced details of the 2013 Scheme for the Allocation of Milk Quota to New Entrants to Dairying. This scheme had a closing date of 7 June 2013. All applications received by the deadline are currently being processed by my Department to ensure compliance with the eligibility criteria as set out in the Detailed Rules of the Scheme. Applications that satisfy the eligibility...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 7 December 2012. The process of ranking and selecting all AEOS applicants was clearly set out in the scheme documentation. Acceptance into the scheme was established using the pre-determined selection criteria as follows: 1. farmers in the Boora region of Co. Offaly who chose...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Teagasc Rationalisation Programme (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am advised that my Department recently received a query from Teagasc in relation to a loss of overtime claim by a number of Teagasc personnel including the persons in question. The matter is currently being examined and a response will issue to Teagasc shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Application Numbers (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: The table details the number of applicants under the Single Payment Scheme who declared commonage land (both hill and lowland areas). County Number declaring commonage County Number declaring commonage CARLOW 171 LONGFORD 61 CAVAN 130 LOUTH 162 CLARE 364 MAYO 2,962 CORK 907 MEATH 15 DONEGAL 2,373 MONAGHAN 3 DUBLIN 39 OFFALY 39 GALWAY 2,421 ROSCOMMON 156 KERRY 1,795 SLIGO 457...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: A thorough review of all the background circumstances of this case is being conducted as a matter of priority. While it is acknowledged that there are issues concerning the digitising of some of the land parcels declared by the person named, there are also issues concerning ineligible features, in respect of which due allowance might not have been made and the claimed areas of each of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Cow Quota (25 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Fertility of the National Suckler herd is monitored by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) through data collected from cattle breeding initiatives and DAFM Schemes such as the Beef Data Programme and its predecessor the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme. Calving interval (CI) is an indicator of fertility and figures available from the ICBF are as follows. C.I. Year 391.07 2013 393.95...

Other Questions: Equine Industry Issues (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: Last year the figure was four times that at approximately 24,000. There are a number of reasons for that, and people should not necessarily draw the conclusion that the number of horses slaughtered last year, which is different from the number for this year, are horses that should not have been slaughtered. That is not the case. The main reason the number of horses slaughtered this year is...

Other Questions: Equine Industry Issues (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I want to be clear on a number of points. Even if one registers one's horse it does not solve the problem. The Deputy's point is a fair one. We are trying to find a solution that will encourage people to abide by that solution and ensure it does not cost them a fortune. Otherwise, we will have concerns about animal welfare, and I have seen photographs of horses that have been dumped,...

Other Questions: Equine Industry Issues (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: On that, we have also increased the funding available to animal welfare organisations. Despite the fact that we have had to reduce expenditure on practically every heading for the reasons with which everybody is familiar, animal welfare organisations have seen a significant increase in the amount of financial supports they get, and it is because they need it. In the middle of a recession...

Other Questions: Equine Industry Issues (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: It is, yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Fisheries Policy Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: First, in respect of discards, I do not accept this is not implementable. One reason this took so long to negotiate was we were obliged to figure out a way to end discards and to introduce an obligation to land, with some exceptions, while at the same time doing so in a way that could allow fishermen on the deck of a trawler to deliver that change and reform. Management tools have been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Fisheries Policy Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I speak with representatives of the fishing organisations all the time. After every significant decision at Council level, I meet the fishing organisations first, even before speaking to a journalist or anyone else, and I did this immediately after the final negotiating mandate for the Council was agreed. Essentially, that now is more or less what is in the CFP reform. We met...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Fisheries Policy Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: What is true is that I have not been able to spend as much time as I would like to spend in fishing ports and among fishing communities. I will try to address this over the summer.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy and note he was tweeting earlier today that I would be answering this question. In the first instance, I wish to clarify that this matter relates to alleged irregularities, which are not specifically about Coillte, but which also have a wider perspective. This is an issue the Deputy has mentioned on a number of occasions, both in the Dáil and in the Oireachtas Joint...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (19 Jun 2013)

Simon Coveney: I spoke at some length to the departmental official the Deputy met and to whom he spoke. He is the Department's knowledge leader in respect of the forestry sector and he stated he is anxious to get to the bottom of this and to bring it to a conclusion before the end of the month. That is only another week or ten days. Since the Deputy has mentioned the Coillte decision, I will be leaving...