Results 35,681-35,700 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: Single Payment entitlements were established for the person named based on his farming activity in the 2000 â 2002 reference period. The person named did not use his entitlements in 2005, the first year of the Scheme, as he had leased out his land. He then applied to sell his entitlements without land under the 2005 scheme year. EU Regulations allowed for the sale of entitlements by...
- Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The position is that the Felling Section of my Department is awaiting the submission of replanting proposals from the applicant's forester. When this information is received the matter can be progressed further.
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: This is an operational matter for the Teagasc Authority. Teagasc has a very important role to play in supporting the Government's strategy for the development of the agriculture and food industries. For this reason, they receive substantial Exchequer resources each year to enable them provide first class education, research and advisory services. Despite the difficult economic circumstances...
- Written Answers — Animal Transportation: Animal Transportation (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The operation of the cable car to Dursey Island is the responsibility of Cork County Council. Cork County Council engaged consulting engineers to carry out studies on the cable car servicing Dursey Island following which the transportation of all animals was ceased from 30th January 2012 for a number of reasons, inter alia, health and safety, absence of codes covering transportation of...
- Written Answers — Commonage Division: Commonage Division (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: Land declared by applicants for the purposes of the Single Payment Scheme and the Disadvantaged Areas must be eligible under the provisions of the relevant EU regulations and under the Terms and Conditions of each Scheme. In general, commonage land, including striped commonage is eligible for payment if it is actively farmed and the area is maintained in Good Agricultural and Environmental...
- Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The person detailed by the Deputy is not a member of any of the twelve State Bodies that fall within the aegis of my Department.
- Milk Quota (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue which is indeed topical. During the past 12 months my Department and I have been active in raising the question of an adjustment to the milk quota regime at political, official and Commission level and have made determined efforts to secure a soft landing for all member states in the lead-up to milk quota abolition in 2015. I have discussed the...
- Milk Quota (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: I will finish on this point. Farmers must take responsibility for themselves in the meantime. At the end of 2011 they were just under quota, but there is a significant danger that if they produce as much milk in the first three months of this year as they did last year, they will be significantly over quota and super-levy fines will be applied at 28 cent a litre. This is a significant fine...
- Milk Quota (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: That is exactly what the last Government signed up to.
- Milk Quota (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: I do not want to take a political view, but the milk health check was signed up to by the previous Government to achieve what the Deputy would like to see, a soft landing in the transition from a quota to a non-quota system. With the benefit of hindsight, it has not worked. It does not matter at this stage whose fault that is, we must change it and I will try to do that. The Deputy has...
- Mackerel Fisheries (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It will not come as news to him that this has caused me a great deal of concern. Mackerel is the most valuable fish stock for the Irish fishing fleet and prices for it are at an all time high, between â¬1,400 and â¬2,000 per tonne. After Scotland, Ireland has the second highest quota of mackerel to catch in the European Union in the waters...
- Mackerel Fisheries (6 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: For the purposes of clarity, I would like to inform the House of what the proposed sanctions entail. The EU Commission has proposed a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council which would allow for the introduction of trade sanctions against third countries that engage in irresponsible or illegal fishing activities which may lead to the depletion of EU fish stocks. The...
- Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The proposed changes to the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme in Ireland including the proposed alterations to the minimum stocking density requirements are still the subject of discussions between my Department and the EU Commission.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st September 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, have to be completed before any payment can issue. During these checks a...
- Written Answers — Agri-Environment Options Scheme: Agri-Environment Options Scheme (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: I am aware of the fact that farmers have or will finish their REPS contract during 2012 and I am actively considering the possibility of re-opening the Agri-environment Options Scheme on an amended basis or limited scale in 2012. This decision will be taken in the context of an assessment of how a new scheme might be funded within the reduced funding and resulting pressures on the...
- Written Answers — Animal Diseases: Animal Diseases (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together. The position with regard to the vaccination trials is that the intention of my Department is to replace badger culling with vaccination when research demonstrates that this is a practicable proposition. With this in mind, my Department has been funding research in UCD and collaborating with DEFRA in the UK on research into a vaccine to...
- Written Answers — Food Exports: Food Exports (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: China is a key strategic market for Irish exports of food, seafood and beverages and presents significant opportunities for other exports. Exports of Irish food and beverages to China are estimated in 2011 at â¬215m, including exports of hides and skins. Exports of food and beverages alone have risen from â¬135m in 2010 to an estimated â¬180m in 2011. It is anticipated that further growth...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st September 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, have to be completed before any payment can issue. During these checks a...
- Written Answers — Global Strategic Framework: Global Strategic Framework (1 Mar 2012)
Simon Coveney: The first discussions on the Global Strategic Framework will be held at the FAO Regional Conferences. The European Regional Conference, which my Department will be attending, will take place in April in Baku, Azerbaijan and will be an opportunity for Ireland to feed into the process and to influence the consensus ERG position to be formulated. Ireland's submission will be prepared by my...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Mar 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 1st 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...