Results 33,641-33,660 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1 November 2010. Under the EU Regulations governing the scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. During these checks a query...

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

Simon Coveney: I am and my officials are directly involved in ongoing and frequent North-South engagement up to and including the highest levels. This involves having extensive contact between officials in my Department and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland and interested parties in the food, agriculture and fishing sectors in both jurisdictions. This work is...

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

Simon Coveney: There is a North South coordinator at Assistant Principal level working in Corporate Affairs Division. The role of this AP is, among other things, to develop common areas of co-operation between my Department and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland and to identify possible new areas of cooperation. The work is carried out through contact with other...

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

Simon Coveney: The horse racing and greyhound racing industry are important indigenous Irish industries making an important contribution to the economic and social fabric of our country. It has been estimated these industries together support in excess of 27,300 jobs and contribute approximately €1.4 billion in economic output annually. A recent study on the Horse Racing Industry commissioned by my...

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

Simon Coveney: My Department does not issue credit cards to board members or executives of the State bodies under the aegis of my Department. In relation to the issue of credit cards by the State bodies themselves, that would be an operational matter for the State Bodies concerned.

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: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (6 Nov 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person concerned is an applicant under the 2012 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Area Schemes. In order to meet EU requirements, the application concerned was one of a number which was selected for inspection. As this process has not been completed, it has not, as yet, been possible to finalise the processing of this application. As soon as the inspection and related processes are...

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

Simon Coveney: The price paid for products in the marketplace is a function of a number of market forces and the negotiation of commercial contracts is essentially a matter for the contracting parties. Returns to beef producers in individual EU markets reflect not only the local supply / demand balance but also overall trading conditions within the internal market and trade flows to third countries....

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

Simon Coveney: Some 32 staff of my Department engaged in information technology and border/port inspection duties are employed on a roster basis. My Department has no plans to remove these employees from their roster systems.

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

Simon Coveney: One Senior Research Officer has been re-engaged on a contract for services basis which is due to expire on 1 March 2013. An Assistant Secretary General and a Principal Officer have also been re-engaged on a contract basis until the end of June 2013.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The food aid development programmes cost €9 million or €10 million. In case any member thinks this is an easy win, if we do not pay that, the funding stream is transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This is part of our Government commitment to development aid. It is not money that could be transferred to, for example, the suckler cow welfare scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am happy to have a conversation about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am encouraged by the debate. If members are genuinely serious about engaging in helping me to put a better budget together, I will actively participate in that discussion. It would be great if mine was the first Department to do that successfully though the committee system. However, if members start abusing this, I will pull the shutters down because I have to protect my Department and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I would like to make one final suggestion. It may be useful to have a private meeting in this room to discuss some of these issues. If members are being watched by journalists who are looking for headlines and so on, it makes it more difficult in some ways for me to be open and it also makes it more difficult for Opposition members to talk about the issues on which we have to make...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: We have made those calculations. Those data are available. The Commission is asking for more detailed data, however.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: That information is available; it is not hidden. We considered making decisions on cuts last year on the basis of levels of disadvantage in respect of making savings in the disadvantaged areas scheme. We can do that again this year. We made a decision on that very issue. In my view farms that are split between disadvantaged areas and non-disadvantaged areas are not as disadvantaged in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: We have given thought to what the Deputy suggests. We even considered going further in terms of differentiating between less favoured and severely disadvantaged areas. We will revisit the issue this year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: We have that information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: We can probably do that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: No, payments vary from €80 to €100 per hectare.