Results 32,301-32,320 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Population Census (22 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: No census has been undertaken by my Department under the Diseases of Animals Act 1966 (Registration of Horse Premises) Order 2012. The Deputy may wish to note that the Central Statistics Office has recently published a Census of Agriculture for 2010, which shows the number of horses in the country returned at 106,020 of which 37,513 were thoroughbred horses and ponies.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pet Food Regulation (22 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: The manufacture of pet food in Ireland is governed by EU regulations relating to animal by-products (ABPs), which provide that this product must be processed in a plant approved by the competent authority and to the parameters specified in the legislation. The regulations permit the manufacture of pet food from specified ABPs, including ABPs which are fit for human consumption but are not...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (22 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: The findings of laboratory tests, provided by the FSAI to my Department on 14th January 2013, revealed the presence of non beef DNA in some beef products produced in Ireland. This generally involved trace or minute amounts of porcine or equine DNA with the exception of one burger in respect of which a high level of equine DNA (29% of meat content) was indicated. While the FSAI has given...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (22 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Ireland has a strict system of transport rules in respect of both national and international journeys. The current Irish regulation in relation to the approval of ships for livestock transport is set higher than that which applies in other EU Member States. Detailed inspections are required before approval is given to ships transporting animals. The requirements for approval of dedicated...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Safety Standards (22 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Regulation (EC) No. 178 of 2002, which sets out the general principles and requirements of EU food law, stipulates among other things that food business operators at all stages of production, processing and distribution within the businesses under their control must ensure that foods satisfy the requirements of food law. Specifically in regard to traceability, the regulations require that...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointments to State Boards (22 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Since May 2011, a notification has been placed on my Department’s website inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. Also on 7 September 2012 last, I placed an advertisement in the National Newspapers inviting expressions of interest. These applications were considered when appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Special Areas of Conservation (17 Jan 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 decisions relating to the sale or acquisition of land which take place regularly, are the responsibility of the company.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: The holding of the person named was recently confirmed as having satisfied the minimum stocking density requirements of the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Accordingly, processing of the application has been finalised and payment will shortly issue to the nominated bank account.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Land Transfers (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Proposals for EU Regulations governing the CAP reform were published in October 2011 and negotiations are ongoing at present. Unfortunately it is still too early to predict what the finer detail of any agreement will be. It is impossible therefore to speculate or indeed to advise on the best options for farmers at this stage. However under the current proposal farmers who have received...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: While the person named appealed to the DAS Appeals Committee, he was among a high percentage of applicants who submitted supporting documentation with their appeals which had not previously been submitted to my Department This necessitated further examination by my Department before the necessity to refer the appeals in question to the Appeals Committee could be confirmed. In this case,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: I regret that, due to an error, the Deputy was inadvertently not given the correct position in relation to the payment status of the person concerned in my earlier reply. I would now like to take the opportunity to correct the record in this regard. The factual position, as of 4 December 2012, was that processing of the application was ongoing. However, in the interim, the process has been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1st September 2011 and has received full payment totalling €1,333.32 in respect of 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...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: The appeal of the person named was recently forwarded to the DAS Appeals Committee for consideration; immediately that Committee has adjudicated on this appeal, the person concerned will be notified of its decision, in writing.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payment under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2012. An exercise to take account of December 2012 data, which has recently become available, is currently ongoing and is scheduled to be completed before the end of January, thereby establishing the definitive...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: The appeal of the person named was recently forwarded to the DAS Appeals Committee for consideration; immediately that Committee has adjudicated on this appeal, the person concerned will be notified of its decision, in writing.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Cheadúnas Imill Trá agus Dobharshaothraithe (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Tá an chéim Comhairliúcháin Phoiblí maidir leis an iarratas ar Cheadúnas Imill Trá agus Dobharshaothraithe a ndearna an Teachta tagairt dó thart anois agus tá 409 n-aighneacht bhailí ar fad faighte ag mo Roinn. Tá breithniú á dhéanamh ag mo Roinn faoi láthair ar an iarratas agus ar an Ráiteas Tionchair...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farming Qualifications (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: In relation to the Single Farm Payment, for the purpose of eligibility under the National Reserve Scheme, new entrants to farming must have obtained a FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture or its equivalent. The green certificate in farming is regarded as equivalent for this purpose. Three Milk Quota Schemes have the following minimum educational requirements: New Entrants to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Expenditure (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 180, inclusive, together. The 2010 SPS payment database, which my Department has used to model various CAP reform proposals, can be summarised as follows: Number of farms Total area (ha) 2010 SPS payment € Avg payt per ha € 129,911 4,717,560 1,247,527,160 264 The database shows the following distribution of farms by size...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: While the person named appealed to the DAS Appeals Committee, he was among a high percentage of applicants who submitted supporting documentation with their appeals which had not previously been submitted to my Department. This necessitated further examination by my Department before the necessity to refer the appeals in question to the Appeals Committee could be confirmed. In this case,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (17 Jan 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payment under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2012. An exercise to take account of December 2012 data, which has recently become available, is currently ongoing and is scheduled to be completed before the end of January, thereby establishing the definitive...