Results 33,581-33,600 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The budgeted expenditure under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was reduced from €220 million to €190 million and, in order to achieve the €30 million saving in expenditure, it was necessary to introduce changes to the Scheme eligibility criteria for 2012. This was achieved by making technical adjustments to the Scheme criteria to ensure that the aid payment is focused...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Processing of the application concerned has recently been completed and payments under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: An application under the Single Payment Scheme /Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 14th May 2012. In order to comply with EU requirements, the application was one of a number which was selected for inspection and therefore payment could not be made pending the outcome of this process. As in the majority of inspected cases, amendments have had to be made...

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

Simon Coveney: A request for an appeal of a Cross Compliance penalty, recorded at an inspection on 15th August 2011, was received from the person named on the 17th October 2012. The Agriculture Appeals Office are currently in the process of arranging an oral hearing on the matter and will be in contact with the person named in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Currently, this applicant is one of a number, whose cases are impacted by a requirement of a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare and who have applied for a derogation in this regard. Immediately a decision is reached on this application, the person concerned will be notified in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The applicant in question declared nine commonage land parcels on his 2012 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Area Scheme application. The issues involved in this case are complex and, therefore, it has been necessary for my Department to undertake a full review. The applicant will be informed in writing of the outcome of this review.

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

Simon Coveney: An application for ex-gratia funding has been received from the organisation in question. Provision of ex-gratia assistance this year is subject to the availability of funds and the application will be considered in this context and having regard to competing claims for financial assistance submitted by other animal welfare bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Processing of the application concerned has recently been completed and payments under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department has no record of the original application in question having been submitted online or in hard copy. However the person named submitted an appeal against the late submission of the 2011 application and this has been accepted on the grounds of Force Majeure. Payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Issues (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Welfare issues relating to circus animals currently come under the scope of the Protection of Animals Acts 1911 and 1965. This legislation is being repealed under the Animal Health and Welfare Bill which I have brought forward. The new Bill strengthens legislation relating to the obligations placed upon animal keepers and owners in terms of food, housing and general care. With regard to...

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

Simon Coveney: The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) under the aegis the Minister for Health has overall responsibility for the enforcement of food safety in Ireland. It carries out this remit through service contracts with my Department and other agencies including the Health Service Executive (HSE), Local Authority Veterinary Service and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. If a farm uses its...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The priorities for selecting applications for AEOS 3 are set out in the Scheme Terms and Conditions. Privately Owned Natura land where applicants have a minimum of 0.5 hectares of utilisable agricultural area of either Special Protection Areas or Special Areas of Conservation are ranked first in order of priority. In the event that the number of applicants in this category exceeds the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Processing of the application concerned has recently been completed and payments under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.

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

Simon Coveney: Discarding is a global problem and a complex one, where unwanted catches are returned to the sea as a result of a number of factors including quota restrictions, high grading, minimum landing sizes, and market conditions. Ireland has been to the forefront in the drive to reduce and eliminate discards for many years and have taken a number of initiatives to this aim. I launched an Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Processing of the application concerned has recently been completed and payments under the Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.

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

Simon Coveney: The total amount paid to participants in the Suckler Welfare Scheme to date amounts to almost €135 million. This 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...

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

Simon Coveney: The table below sets out the numbers of herds, animals and amounts paid by County under the Suckler Welfare Scheme since 1 January 2011. COUNTY HERDS PAID TOTAL ANIMALS PAID TOTAL AMOUNT PAID € CARLOW 2,199 18,696 755,152 CAVAN 6,026 44,820 1,806,208 CLARE 9,495 73,050 2,947,842...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Services for People with Disabilities (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: Customers of my Department who suffer from dyslexia can obtain assistance on any Department scheme by phoning any of the dedicated phone lines provided in Department publications and on the main Department website. The website has the “BrowseAloud” facility to read web pages aloud for people with literacy and visual impairments. My Department also has Access Officers and an...

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

Simon Coveney: I receive submissions on a regular basis from the farming organisations and also from other stakeholders involved in the development of the agri-food sector and I very much value the input received. In relation to the CAP reform process, at the commencement of the negotiations, a consultative committee was established comprising all of the main stakeholders. This committee meets on a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Issues (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 888 to 890, inclusive, 893 and 933 together. The pig sector remains the third largest individual component of the agri-food sector, with production, prices and exports all growing significantly during 2011. The industry faces a number of challenges in the short and medium term and my Department will continue to assist the sector to resolve these issues. New...