Results 34,301-34,320 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: They are getting it this week.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Many of those farmers are getting their disadvantaged area payments this week.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I wish to give the House some figures on the schemes, because Deputy Ó Cuív raised the issue earlier and sought such data. Payments worth some €154 million under the disadvantaged areas scheme will begin tomorrow, 26 September. This funding will provide a boost to the rural economy and will benefit all areas of the country. It is too early to estimate, at this stage, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: With respect, the Deputy did not table that question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: If the Deputy knew how the schemes were structured, he would know that REPS payments are always made in the last three months of year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: It is also normal in multi-year schemes such as the REPS that payments are carried over from year to year. We will be trying to ensure we make significantly more REPS payments this year, including in overall value terms, than we did last year. If the Deputy is going to start quoting figures to me, I would make the point that the budget I was handed when we took over in government needed to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Severe Weather Events (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this very significant issue. We have had the worst summer rainfall on record since 1962. Rainfall for most of the country was twice the average for the months of June, July and August. This has caused significant problems and pressures for farmers, even on the most fertile of farms. We have tried to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I will give an exact figure for the estimated expenditure on REPS in response to a later question. I do not want to give a figure off the top of my head. We are ahead of schedule in terms of getting payments out across all schemes this year. I am conscious that farmers have had a difficult summer. We want to get the money that is due to them out as quickly as possible. That is why...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have already said it will be €4,000.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I am very conscious that I have been talking about putting an AEOS III in place for some time. Therefore, I am pleased, in the week that is in it and given the focus on farming this week, to be able to announce an AEOS III today. It will be modelled on last year's AEOS II. I understand and appreciate the value of environmental schemes to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Meetings (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Inshore fisheries form an important part of our overall fishing sector and I am well aware of the wide range of issues which people who are making their living from this type of fishing face on a regular basis. Most of our inshore fisheries are operated by local people who are an integral part of our rural and coastal communities. This type of fishing is an important source of income for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tax Code (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Exemption from income tax on the net rental profits arising from the lease of farmland has been available since January 1996 in certain circumstances and with defined limits. The eligibility and reliefs associated with it have been adjusted in a number of budgets since. At present, farmers must be a minimum of 40 years of age or over to be eligible for the relief. The following income...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Expenditure (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I would like, first of all, to acknowledge the importance of the agri-environment schemes in environmental terms and also from the point of view of the contribution which they make to farm incomes. These schemes support farmers who choose to deliver environmental goods for the benefit of society as a whole. The fact that I made provision of €243m in the 2012 Vote for my Department for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Fisheries Policy Reform (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years. The Commission proposals involve a basic policy regulation, a proposal on the Common organisation of the market (CMO) and a proposal on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). All the proposals are subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Since their publication, the EU Commission’s proposals for reform of the CAP have undergone detailed examination at Council Working Groups, the Special Committee on Agriculture and the Council of Agriculture Ministers. At the June Agriculture Council, the Danish Presidency presented a Progress Report outlining the current status of the negotiations. The Cyprus Presidency has continued...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Analysis of lobster stocks over recent years has shown that lobster stocks are over exploited in many areas around the coast. The catch per pot haul has declined in those areas and while the stock does not appear to be in imminent danger, the reduction in catch rates has resulted in fishermen using more and more pots to maintain their earnings. Present measures to protect the lobster...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ministerial Correspondence (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 76 together. I received the submission from the United Farmers Association in relation to the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and reform of the Single Farm Payment late last week. I very much welcome the submission. The current reform of the CAP will set the context and policy framework for the future development of the agricultural sector...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Marine Tourism (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department has responsibility for the management and development of the six Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Killybegs, Castletownbere, Dunmore East, Howth, An Daingean and Ros An Mhíl. Located strategically around the coast of Ireland, each of the Fishery Harbour Centres provides a dedicated and essential service for our fishing fleet and its fishermen. The Fishery Harbour...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Harvest 2020 Strategy (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Since becoming Minister, and as Chair of the High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC) for Food Harvest 2020, I have whole-heartedly embraced the Food Harvest 2020 (FH2020) strategy and I am totally committed to ensuring its success. Coordination of the State contribution to FH 2020 is being overseen by this Committee which includes representatives from Bord Bia, Teagasc, Bord Iascaigh...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota Purchases (25 Sep 2012)

Simon Coveney: Food Harvest 2020 is a strategy for the development of the Agri-Food sector drawn up by industry stakeholders, in conjunction with my Department. Specifically within the dairy sector, the stakeholders identified the abolition of the milk quota regime in 2015 as a real opportunity for the sector to expand. Ireland strongly supported the abolition of the regime, on the basis that quotas were...