Results 37,641-37,660 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Proposed Legislation (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: This question is similar to Priority Question No. 28, as it deals with the welfare of horses and my Department's responsibility in this regard. If people have specific complaints and they think their horses or somebody else's horses have been or are being abused, they should report that to the Garda, which has an obligation to act on the complaint if there is evidence to suggest animal...

Proposed Legislation (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: The person to whom we are referring is Mr. William Treacy. He has been in correspondence with my Department for some time, long before I came along. I have spoken to my officials in this regard and they have tried to be as comprehensive as they can in the context of what my Department can do but we are limited under the legislation available to us. My Department does not have legal...

Proposed Legislation (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: This is not a case of going to the guards and hoping that everything will be all right. As recently as 27 May, senior officials from my Department met with Mr. Treacy to discuss his case and his concerns. There is no lax attitude towards animal welfare in my Department. Actually, it is full of animal lovers. In case anybody misunderstands the situation, we have tried to help Mr. Treacy,...

Fishing Industry Development (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: This issue has been raised by one of my own colleagues for some time. The contract for producing ice for fishermen at the ice plant in Dingle is held by BIM, and it ends at the end of this month. At the moment, there is no clear resolution on who will take over that ice plant to ensure that there is a consistency of supply of ice to the fishing industry. It is ultimately the responsibility...

Fishing Industry Development (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I am not in a position to give that guarantee at the moment. My Department has applied to the Department of Finance, which is the body that can give sanction to extend a contract like that. My Department cannot do that. We made that application today. BIM requested that our Department do it and our request has gone to the Department of Finance. I am hopeful that we will get a quick...

Milk Quotas (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, I and my officials have been making consistent and ongoing efforts in recent months to secure a soft landing for all member states in the lead-up to milk quota abolition in 2015. These efforts have included close contacts with colleagues from the Netherlands, Denmark and other member states, as well as consultations with the Commission. Possible options include...

Milk Quotas (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I appreciate the Deputy's approach on this. We all have a responsibility to speak to farmers and farming organisations in blunt terms. They are already aware of the reality and know that we are very unlikely to get a political solution to this issue this year. Therefore, farmers need to act accordingly, but many are not doing that. Many of them are just pressing ahead, on the assumption...

Milk Quotas (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: We will continue to pursue the issue proactively, as we have been doing over the past couple of months. However, this will take time. It is a marathon rather than a sprint.

Grant Payments (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I will dispense with my notes on this as I know the issue backwards. The Deputy has asked whether I will reconsider a decision I made previously not to advocate an increase in payments for Natura qualifying land under the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, from €75 to €150 per hectare. I have had much discussion with farmers and farming organisations on this issue and I understand...

Grant Payments (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I agree with the Deputy on the stocking rate. Ireland has a problem with understocking in some commonages and mountainous areas. People need to realise that the sensitive biodiversity of the hillsides in question relies on stock keeping certain grasses and plants down by grazing. Understocking is often as dangerous to biodiversity and the protection of the landscape as we know it as...

Farm Safety (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this issue. Just a week ago, I spoke at the national farm safety conference held in Roscommon. I prepared for the conference by looking at the tragic statistics that comprise the story of farm safety last year and this year. Last year 26 people died on farms. This year so far, ten people have died. Only 25 have died in the workplace this year....

Farm Safety (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I agree with everything the Deputy said with perhaps one exception. I do not believe we need to go down the route of sending files to the DPP. I should have stated at the outset that some people listening to this debate may have lost a brother, a father or a child this year or last year and these are scars that will last a lifetime. We need to be conscious of this when we speak about...

Farm Safety (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: I will try to bear this in mind.

Departmental Schemes (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: The poultry welfare and sow welfare schemes were suspended for new applications on 8 June 2011 as part of my decision to temporarily close the targeted agricultural modernisation schemes, TAMS, until the position in relation to the availability of funds for next year is clarified. As I indicated at the time, I could not defend a situation in which the Department continued to accept...

Departmental Schemes (29 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: The pig and poultry sectors will be and are being prioritised. Applications opened for pigs and poultry last June, more than a year ago. I suspended applications a week less than a year into the scheme. People had almost a full year to submit their applications. There is an urgency with regard to poultry as by next January the necessary changes need to have been made in poultry units to...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (28 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: Since 1 November 2002 Horse Racing Ireland has been included within the scope of The Freedom of Information Act 1997 (section 16). SI No 530 of 2002 refers.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: The Sheep Fencing/Mobile Handling Equipment Scheme, being one of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) introduced by my Department, was suspended for new applications on 8 June 2011 pending the outcome of the comprehensive review of my Department's expenditure which is currently taking place. No decision will therefore be taken on the reopening of TAMS until this review has...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (28 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: Statutory powers and duties in relation to food safety, horticulture, forestry and the greyhound industry were delegated to the Minister of State in my Department as set out in the Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (SI No 283 of 2011).

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: The closing date for the receipt of 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) applications was Monday 16 May 2011. Section 8.7 of the Terms and Conditions governing the AEOS 2011 provides that persons participating in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme are not eligible to join the scheme. As the person named did not complete her REPS 3 contract until 31 May 2011, she is not eligible...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2011)

Simon Coveney: The closing date for the receipt of 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) applications was Monday 16 May 2011. Section 8.7 of the Terms and Conditions governing the AEOS 2011 provides that persons participating in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme are not eligible to join the scheme. As the person named will not complete his REPS 3 contract until 31 October 2011, he is not...