Results 34,581-34,600 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The applicant was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st September 2010 and full payment totalling €482.65 issued in respect of 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...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: Under the EU Regulations governing the Agri-environment Options Scheme (AEOS) 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. Payments for the AEOS 2010 scheme in respect of 2010 are nearly completed. A total of €6.756m has been paid to date. A...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am aware of the importance of agri environment payments to the agriculture sector and am actively considering the possibility of re-opening the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) to allow for the submission of applications either on an amended basis from the existing scheme and/or on a limited scale, including the possibility of re-opening for applications later in the year. The full...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The Rural Environment Protection Scheme covers a five year contract period and annual payments continue to be made to approximately 30,000 participants who remain in the Scheme. I am, of course, conscious of the importance of agri environment payments to farmers and I re-opened the Agri-environmant Options Scheme (AEOS) 2011 despite the serious budgetary pressures and constraints facing my...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have received a number of representation regarding the reopening of the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) in 2012 including submissions from the Irish Farmers Association. My own and the Government's on-going commitment to agri-environmental schemes are evident in the funding of €243m which has been provided to meet commitments under Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare Issues: Animal Welfare Issues (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The pig sector remains the third largest individual component of the agri-food sector, with production, prices and exports all growing significantly during 2011. This growth has continued during 2012 with prices for example, over 6% ahead year-on-year. 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...

Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: Food Harvest 2020 (FH2020) is the high-level strategic policy document for the development of the agriculture, food, fisheries and forestry sector for the next decade. Its implementation, as well as the parallel negotiations at EU level to ensure an appropriate CAP policy and EU Budget framework post 2013 are the steps which I am pursing to ensure the continued economic environment of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: All Departments have been allocated expenditure ceilings for the period 2012-2014 under Medium-Term Expenditure Framework which was introduced by the Government in the Comprehensive Expenditure Report. The report outlines the Government's plan for a return to sustainable growth in the economy and sets out in some detail the measures that will be taken to put the national finances in order...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not conduct studies into farm operational costs. However, as part of its National Farm Survey programme, Teagasc conducts an annual survey, using a nationally representative sample on over 1,000 farms, to monitor farm outputs, costs and incomes. The results of the 2010 survey are shown in the attached link, while the output from the 2011 survey will be available later...

Written Answers — Agrifood Sector: Agrifood Sector (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The CAP remains of crucial importance to preserve the integrity of the agri-food sector in Ireland and throughout the EU. It provides the framework within which the sustainable development of a competitive and efficient agricultural sector is pursued, as well as the resources to assist in its achievement. In this way the CAP makes a vital contribution to economic growth in the EU and to...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: Not every year.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: We cannot make payments without inspections. The Deputy should at least know what he is talking about.

Written Answers — Aquaculture Licences: Aquaculture Licences (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The applications for the aquaculture licences referred to by the Deputy are in respect of sites located in Roaringwater Bay, which is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive (Natura 2000 site). All applications in 'Natura' areas are required to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of environmental compliance with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives....

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: A total of 2,271 applications have been received under the Dairy Equipment Scheme since its introduction. Applications are examined and grants are approved on a phased basis up to the limit of funding available under various 'tranches'. To date, almost 920 applications have been selected to proceed to the approval stage. A further selection will take place shortly as a result of my recent...

Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person named has been informed in writing that he was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 September 2011. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed...

Written Answers — Fish Quotas: Fish Quotas (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: Ireland's shares of the fish resource in waters around our shores is determined by a system of relative stability, based on historical fishing patterns in the confines of set management areas which were determined at the outset of the Common Fisheries Policy. That system has continued since and was not changed in the CFP Reform's of 1992 or 2002. There is no support in the Council of...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: One of the conditions of the Early Farm Retirement Scheme is that the transferee is required, for the duration of the pension, to practise farming/forestry/agri-tourism on all the pension lands plus all enlargement lands where relevant, or the equivalent area where re-parcelling has taken place. Failure to fulfil that condition will result in my Department imposing a penalty on the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department has no proposals at present for recruitment in the short to medium term to assist with farm inspections.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) was established in 1997 as an industry led cooperative and is registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies. ICBF has been approved under EU legislation (Commission Decision 2006/427/EC) by my Department as the designated organisation to carry out performance recording, assessment of genetic value and publication of breeding values for dairy...

Written Answers — Irish Cattle Breeding Federation: Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (11 Jul 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together. The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) was established in 1997 as a cooperative and is registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies. Its shareholders include all stakeholders in the cattle breeding industry such as Pedigree Cattle Herdbooks, AI Organisations, Milk Recording Organisations and farmer representative...