Results 35,841-35,860 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and will take some time to collate. Available information will be provided as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: The closing date for receipt of Organic Farming Scheme applications was 16 May, 2011. There is no record of any application form received by my Department for the Organic Farming Scheme from the person named.

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: The funding of all Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS), including the Dairy Equipment Scheme, is kept under constant review in order to ensure that optimum use is made of the financial allocation provided for such Schemes. However, I have no plans at present to alter the level of funding which has been made available for the Scheme.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas Scheme: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: The Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, which is co-funded by the EU, is an integral part of Ireland's Rural Development Plan, 2007/2013, and as such, any proposed change to Scheme criteria requires the agreement of the EU Commission. In this regard, therefore, the changes announced in the context of the recent Budget are under discussion with the EU Commission and the Commission's response is...

Written Answers — State Assets: State Assets (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: No decision has been taken by the Government in relation to the potential sale of Coillte. To assist in its examination of options for the possible disposal of State assets, the Government requested the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in consultation with relevant line Departments and NewERA, to consider a number of possible State assets for disposal. In addition, they will...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry: Fishing Industry (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 591 together. The Marine Institute provide me with scientific advice to inform policy decisions. It annually publishes scientific papers including the Stock Book which details for fisheries of interest to Irish fishermen scientific advice on a stock by stock basis. The design, management and execution of specific research surveys and data collection...

Written Answers — Fishery and Aquaculture Products: Fishery and Aquaculture Products (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: Under the umbrella of the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) the European Commission have proposed a new regulation " of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Common Organisation of the Markets in Fishery and Aquaculture Products". The proposal to revise the Common Organisation of the Markets (CMO) for fishery and aquaculture products follows a very lengthy...

Written Answers — Fishery and Aquaculture Products: Fishery and Aquaculture Products (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: EU is increasingly dependent on imports of fish and fishery products to meet its needs. In 2009, the EU imported €15.5 billion worth of fish and fishery products, accounting for more than 60% of it fish consumption. Europe exported €2.5 billion worth of fisheries goods in 2009, the bulk of it to large markets like Norway, Russia and Japan. Total aquaculture production in the EU is around...

Written Answers — Fish Stocks: Fish Stocks (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: In order to protect the reproductive potential of the crawfish stock, Council Regulation No. 850/98 sets a minimum landing size of 95mm. The Regulation allows Member States to take measures for the conservation and management of stocks that go beyond the minimum requirements set by the Regulation. When the minimum landing size for crawfish specified in the Regulation was reduced in 2001 in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person named commenced REPS in January 2010 and received payments for the first year of their contract. 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, has to be completed before any payment can issue in respect of 2011. Following an inspection, a...

Departmental Agencies (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: This is an operational matter for the Teagasc authority. Teagasc has statutory responsibility for the delivery of education, advisory and research services to the agriculture sector. It is a matter for Teagasc and its board to prioritise activities in the delivery of these services and to allocate its resources in accordance with these priorities. Ministerial responsibility is confined to...

Departmental Agencies (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: It is important to note that Teagasc has committed to spending approximately €4.8 million on the Ashtown site to facilitate the move from Kinsealy. Additional information not given on the floor of the House. Teagasc has developed excellent facilities in Ashtown following significant investment in recent years and relocation provides an excellent opportunity to optimise the usage of this...

Departmental Agencies (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: I must take my briefing from Teagasc on this issue. I can understand the importance of Kinsealy, particularly from a horticultural research perspective, but my understanding is the planned move to Ashtown and the consequential investment will be able to maintain the standard of service that already exists. It is possible to rationalise and to move four centres into three, particularly when...

Departmental Agencies (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: There is a role for me to ensure that Teagasc spends its budget properly and gets value for money. I have spoken to the director of Teagasc many times on a series of matters, including how it prioritises and where it spends money and how it envisages its strategic role in respect of developing the agrifood industry. I note it is doing a great deal of good work in this regard. Consequently,...

Farm Inspections (9 Feb 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. The value of these schemes to Irish farmers is €1.8 billion annually. It therefore is incumbent on my Department to ensure the regulatory control environment is implemented...

Farm Inspections (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: As for the specific question, in the time available it has not been possible to compile a full range of data as requested by the Deputy. However this is being compiled and when it is available, as it is for 2009 and 2010 at present, the details will be forwarded to the Deputy. Additional information not given on the floor of the House. It is a regulatory requirement that land eligibility...

Farm Inspections (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: First, I need to know if people are being inspected repeatedly because according to my information, only a relatively small percentage of farmers are meant to be inspected each year. If people are of the view that they have been targeted for four years out of five, for example, that would be strange and I would like to know about it and find out why it is the case. Perhaps the Deputy might...

Agri-Environmental Options Scheme (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: This question relates to the agri-environmental options scheme, AEOS, for this year. Rather than providing the Deputy with a long dissertation on the REPS and the AEOS, I will outline the facts as I see them. At budget time I stated I would like to introduce a new AEOS but that it would be targeted at a specific group of farmers. I have repeatedly stated those who are farming in special...

Agri-Environmental Options Scheme (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: My officials have been working on them this week and draft proposals may be ready as early as next week. However, that is not to state they will be agreed at that point. Let us be clear about the process which must be gone through. I will be obliged to obtain approval from the Department of Finance to introduce a new AEOS. That will not be straightforward because it is difficult to get...

Common Agricultural Policy (9 Feb 2012)

Simon Coveney: When I saw this question had been tabled in the name of Deputy Michael McGrath, I thought he had become interested in agriculture. No such luck, however,