Results 30,581-30,600 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (21 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The badger removal programme is only one element of a very comprehensive tuberculosis eradication programme but this element has contributed very significantly to the improvement in the Bovine TB situation in Ireland in recent years. This is evidenced by the fact that cattle herd incidence has fallen from 7.5% in 2000 to 4.1% in 2012 and the number of TB reactors has declined from 40,000 to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vesting Orders (21 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department is aware of the situation and is actively working to complete the Vesting Order where one title issue still has to be resolved. In this case, the re-arrangement involves 67 plots and 14 exchange agreements all of which are inter-dependent on each other for registration purposes. Unfortunately no one individual can be vested in isolation. Every effort is being made to complete...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Numbers (21 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: At present my Department employs 83 Agricultural Inspectors and 104 Assistant Agricultural Inspectors. There are currently 7 entry level vacancies at Assistant Agricultural Inspector.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (21 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st September 2011. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. The person named was also selected for a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Bodies Accounts (21 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The information sought by the Deputy is outlined below. State Body – Annual Reports and Accounts Non-Commercial Bodies - 2010 2011 Aqua licensing Appeals Board Awaiting Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General sign off       Awaiting Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General sign off      Bord Bia November...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Mindful of ongoing difficulties, I have decided that a formal request should again be made to the EU Commission seeking agreement to pay an advance from 16 October of the 2013 Single Farm Payment which, being the first day of the new EU financial year is the earliest potential payment date and almost two months ahead of the standard timeline. It will be recalled that my successful approach to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named registered forty one animals for the 2012 Scheme. Payment issued in respect of four of these animals on 19 December 2012 and for a further twenty animals on 2 May 2013. In August 2011, applicants were informed of the requirement to notify the details of all measures required under the Scheme within one year from the date of birth of the animal. This requirement was also...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The Government is fully conscious of the concerns that have been raised in relation to the proposed sale of Coillte harvesting rights. The issues raised by interested parties had been identified and considered by NewERA, Coillte, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department as part of the comprehensive analysis undertaken pursuant to the Government’s decision that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Fencing-Mobile Equipment Scheme Applications (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned is an applicant for grant-aid under the TAMS Sheep Fencing/Handling Scheme and has received approval to proceed with the investment works concerned. To date, my Department has no record of having received a payment claim in relation to the application concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Parcel Identification System (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: As part of the underpinning of the area based support measures, which deliver some €1.6bn annually to Irish farmers, my Department is required, under relevant EU legislation, to maintain a detailed database of individual land parcels. This is known as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) which currently records, electronically, some 1.3 million individual parcels and which is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of the forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. Coillte’s forests are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), under which, I understand, Coillte are required to comply with a number of principles and criteria....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Food production and labelling in EU Member States operates in accordance with harmonised rules. Regarding beef, in particular, there are comprehensive regulations governing the identification of bovines and the labelling of their meat. These provisions were introduced in the wake of the BSE crisis to improve traceability. In general, all fresh, frozen or minced beef marketed in the EU (with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Safety Standards Regulation (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Detailed EU Regulations relating to food safety, animal by-products (ABP) and TSE govern the production of food of animal origin and the use or disposal of ABP. Specified risk material (SRM), which is classified as a Category 1 or higher risk ABP, includes the tonsils, intestines and mesentery of all bovine animals, the skull including brain and eyes, the spinal cord of bovine animals over...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: There are a number of Special Protection Areas (SPA) designated for the protection of the hen harrier where restrictions apply to afforestation and other types of development. Any future afforestation within the SPAs must take into account the results of recent Hen Harrier breeding and distribution surveys, the availability of suitable habitat, existing forest cover, age profile of existing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Identification Scheme (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Council Regulation (EC) No. 1760/2000 /EC requires that all bovines must be identified by two ear tags (one of which may additionally carry an electronic component if that is what the farmer desires). These regulations do not provide for identification by an electronic rumen bolus. However, farmers are free to use a bolus as a third and unofficial means of identification but the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Application Numbers (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: A total of 9,689 applications have been received by my Department under the Agri-environmental Options Scheme. The selection process is almost complete and all applicants will be notified of the outcome very shortly. In light of the difficulties experienced by farmers in sourcing fodder supplies, I announced the allocation of €1 million to fund the Imported Fodder Transport Scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Fisheries Policy Negotiations (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: I am pleased to report that after some 36 hours of negotiations over Tuesday and Wednesday of this week 14th – 15th May, we have now secured a new mandate from EU Fisheries Ministers to enter final negotiations with the European Parliament on a reformed Common Fisheries Policy. This represents a major breakthrough in the negotiations and represents a considerable success for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: I used the opportunity of this week’s Council of EU Agriculture Ministers to bring Member State colleagues up to date with the progress of trilogue discussions with the Commission and the European Parliament on reform of the CAP. I outlined the positive and constructive nature of the negotiations between the three institutions, with good progress made on a number of issues across all...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Administration (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under the governing EU Regulations, which are directly applicable in the State, the latest date for receipt of applications under the Single Payment Scheme is 15 May; therefore, I do not have any latitude available to me to extend this date. While the level of applications in respect of the 2013 Scheme received by midnight last night has yet to be definitely tallied, it is clear that the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (16 May 2013)

Simon Coveney: Under 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, there are two criteria to be satisfied in relation to equines. Firstly, the holding itself must meet the definition of an Equine Breeding Enterprise and secondly, horses, in order to be taken into account for stocking density purposes, must be aged one to five years and, where older, must be a breeding mare for the purposes of the Scheme. While the...