Results 34,121-34,140 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Agriculture: Motion [Private Members] (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: We are doing more for farmers than ever before.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The negotiations to determine the budget for the Common Agricultural Policy from 2014 to 2020 are part of wider negotiations that will decide the multi-annual financial framework, or MFF, for the EU budget for the period from 2014 to 2020. These negotiations are being conducted under the auspices of the EU General Affairs Council, attended by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tax Code (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 508 together. Taxation policy is a matter for the Minister for Finance and will be dealt with in the context of the annual budget. However, I am aware of the importance of improving land mobility and of encouraging greater transfer of land, and of the existing challenges in this regard. In order to assist meeting the ambitious targets set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 9 May 2012. However, payment has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding of the person concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements, which have been notified to all Scheme applicants. Immediately the holding concerned is confirmed as having met these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in September 2009 and received full payments for the first two years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Administrative checks in respect of 2011 payments...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: Details of the re-opened Agri-environment Options Scheme (AEOS) which I announced recently with funding of €20m will be available on the Department’s website in the next day or two. The scheme will operate largely on the same basis as in previous years with the same measures and the same payment rates. However, I have also decided to introduce some new provisions. There will be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have decided that the re-opened Agri-environment Options Scheme (AEOS) will operate largely on the same basis as in previous years and that the same measures and rates of payment will be available, including the measures providing for hedgerow and tree planting. Details of the scheme which I announced with funding of €20m will be available on the Department’s website in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The targets for the Tree Planting Standard/Whips and the Planting of New Hedgerows measures under the agri-environmental schemes are set out in the Rural Development Programme, 2007-13. In the case of the Tree Planting Standard/Whips measure, the target is 9,043 trees. Under the 2010 and 2011 Agri-environment Options Scheme (AEOS) a total of 259,915 trees have been delivered. The target set...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Area Scheme on 10/05/12. Following validation, a dual claim arose on one of the parcels included in this application. My Department has already made contact with the person concerned with a view to resolving the issue and is awaiting further information. When this has been received, the matter can be...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (9 Oct 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. This application had not been determined in sufficient time to enable payment with the first...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: Payment of the 50% advance under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme is due to commence on 16 October, with balancing payments scheduled to begin on 1 December. I can confirm that the application under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme, received from the person named on 20 April 2012, has been processed, with the advance payment scheduled to issue with the initial tranche of payments. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ports Development (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres (FHC) for which my Department is responsible. Notwithstanding the prevailing economic environment in which we operate, I am happy to be able to advise that I have allocated funding of €1.5 million towards maintenance, development and upgrading works at the Howth Fishery Harbour Centre as part of my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS 4 in September 2009 and received full payments for the first two years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Administrative checks in respect of 2011 payments...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Direct Payment Scheme Eligibility (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department, in the context of delivering the Direct Payments Schemes, is required to carry out annual inspections covering land eligibility and cross compliance to ensure compliance with EU regulatory requirements. Eligibility checks must be carried out on 5% of applicants, to verify that the actual area claimed in the application form corresponds to the area farmed and to ensure that any...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff Numbers (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: The full-time equivalent (FTE) number of staff employed in both my Department and Teagasc in each of the years requested by the Deputy are as in the following table: STAFF NUMBERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND THE MARINE AND TEAGASC YEAR DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND THE MARINE TEAGASC End- 2008 4,245 1,557 End-2009 3,881 1,385 End-2010 3,632 1,296 End-2011...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: An application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 20 April 2012, processing of which has recently been completed. Payment has issued on 8 October 2012 to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: Payment issued on 5 October 2012 to the nominated bank account of the person named.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Programme for Government (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have provided, in the following schedule, details on the implementation status of the commitments in the 2011-2016 Programme for Government for which my Department has primary responsibility. Fuller information is available in the 1st Programme for Government Annual Report which was published in March 2012 while the Government intends to publish its second progress report in March 2013....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: Payment in respect of the 2010 Single Farm Payment issued in two instalments to the person concerned, on 18 October 2010 and 1 December 2010. My Department is currently examining further documentation submitted by the person named in support of a Force Majeure application he has made regarding his Single Payment applications over a number of years. Once this process is complete, the person...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (9 Oct 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have decided that the re-opened Agri-environment Options Scheme (AEOS) will operate largely on the same basis as in previous years and that the same measures and rates of payment will be available, including the measures providing for hedgerow and tree planting. Details of the scheme which I announced with funding of €20m will be available on the Department’s website in the...