Results 33,501-33,520 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes Expenditure (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I understand those points. I was in Kerry a couple of days ago to speak to more than 300 farmers in Listowel to outline our approach to both pillars of the CAP. We had a constructive meeting. I know Kerry and parts of west Cork were hit hardest by rainfall over the summer. Farm schemes are more important in years like this when they help to get farmers through difficulties caused by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am glad this question was asked because there has not been enough discussion of pillar 2 and related decisions. The likelihood is that there will be some element of sequencing in the CAP reform negotiations and not all decisions will be taken at the same time, although political agreement on a deal will most likely cover all of the key elements both for pillar 1 and for pillar 2. As the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes Expenditure (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Within budgetary constraints, we have tried to respond as proactively as we can to what has been a disastrous summer. We did that with regard to slurry spreading dates. We reduced the closed period for most of the country by six weeks. We pushed back the deadline by a month and pulled the end date back by two weeks also. We have also relaxed the green cover requirements for people who...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am very concerned about the overall allocation for pillar 2 payments. We have a clear outline of what the Commission is proposing in respect of redistribution of pillar 1 payments between countries. Ireland was a significant contributor to designing the model, which is called approximation. With regard to pillar 2, it is very unclear and people are talking about using objective criteria...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agriculture Schemes Expenditure (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The budget allocations for 2013 will be considered in the context of the gross expenditure ceilings allocated to all Departments for the period 2012-14 under the Government’s medium-term expenditure framework. The Government’s decision on expenditure ceilings was taken in order to strike a balance between needs and priorities in all Departments on a multi-annual basis, to meet...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The modelling carried out by my Department has shown that a flat rate system, whereby a flat rate would be applied throughout the country without breaking the country up into different regions, would result in 74,000 farmers gaining under the single farm payment while 56,000 farmers would lose. That is if we were to adopt the Commission's proposal and to designate Ireland as one big region...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I agree with a number of the Deputy's comments. On the distribution, the approach I have been advocating proposes the redistribution of approximately €80 million over the next round of CAP from people who have done well out of the pillar 1 distribution and farmers who have not done so well. The higher the payment, the more one loses. At the high end we are losing more than 20%....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I would not. In terms of the number of farmers seeking derogation and in the context of the number who applied, there is certainly a high number in mountain-type grazing areas. However, if one looks at the number of applications, 3,497 were accepted in mountain-type grazing areas and only 639 were rejected, so we are taking on board the realities that in mountain-type grazing situations,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: It is not a question of generosity, it is a question of-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: There is a tolerance and that has been made clear to farmers. If one is required to have a low stocking rate, because of an environmental plan which one is required to adopt, whether a common framework plan, an AEOS plan, a REPS plan or otherwise, that takes precedence over the new criteria we set out last year for qualification. There is no lower limit on that. Whatever the commonage...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department issued letters to 10,165 applicants under the 2011 disadvantaged areas scheme whose stocking density in 2011 was less than 0.3 livestock units per hectare, lu/ha. These letters informed farmers of their right to seek a derogation from the requirement of the 2012 disadvantaged areas scheme if they considered that they did not achieve a stocking density of 0.3 lu/ha or more in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Supply (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Prices paid for products in the marketplace are a function of a number of market forces and the negotiation of commercial contracts is essentially a matter for the contracting parties. The National Milk Agency, which operates under the aegis of my Department, was set up in 1994 to regulate the supply of milk for liquid consumption. All farmers supplying milk for liquid consumption in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Reports (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: In the first instance, I wish to advise the Deputy that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is actually the main shareholder in Coillte Teoranta. However, while I hold a lesser number of shares, there are a number of powers assigned to me under the Forestry Act 1988 under which Coillte Teoranta was established. Coillte Teoranta, which was established as a private commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Earlier this year I commissioned Indecon Consultants to undertake a Review into certain aspects of the Irish Horse Racing Industry. Indecon considered inter alia legislation, governance structures, funding and management of the horse racing industry in Ireland. Regarding funding the Report resulting from the Indecon study supports additional and sustainable funding for the development of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Partnerships (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Farmers, in common with business operators in other sectors, are at liberty to enter into partnership agreements establishing collaborative arrangements for farming or other activities. Such arrangements are governed by the Partnership Act of 1890. In addition, under the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, individual partnerships are given tax reference numbers and a precedent partner is identified...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Application Numbers (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 104 together. The Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme is a five-year Scheme for beef animals born during the period, which commenced on 1 January 2008 and will end on 31 December 2012. The primary objectives of the Scheme was to improve welfare standards in the sector and to assist in the establishment of a breeding database from which suckler farmers could...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for the administration of the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Development Programme which provides funding for works at the six Fishery Harbour Centres on an annual basis and in addition, where exchequer funds allow, funding is made available to Local Authority owned piers and harbours. A budget of €6 million was allocated to the 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The outcome of negotiations on reform of the Common Agricultural policy will set the context and part of the policy framework for the future development of the agri-food sector in Ireland and across the EU. In that connection, I welcome the three key principles underpinning the EU Commission’s proposals for reform of the CAP which are to preserve food production potential in the EU,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry Development (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am conscious of the economic potential of the inshore fisheries sector to grow and make an increased contribution to employment and economic growth in peripheral coastal and island communities. Already, many shellfish species make a valuable contribution to our exports, either through direct export or as essential raw material for added-value seafood products. Sustainably managed, there is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The future system of payments to farmers in disadvantaged areas forms part of the wider negotiations on the reform of the common agricultural policy. Under the Commission’s proposal, Less Favoured Areas – known as Disadvantaged Areas in Ireland – will become known as Areas facing natural or specific constraints, or ANCs. Designation of the ANC areas is proposed to be...