Results 3,901-3,920 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: Heat recovery technology which is grant aided under the Dairy Equipment Scheme and the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II is among the basket of investments which aim to ensure the sustainable development of dairy farming. To date 94 farmers have availed of a grant for these new heat recovery systems. There are no proposals to remove this investment from TAMS II. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plants (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine has a role in relation to herds being assigned feedlot status for specific reasons, for example related to animal health status. The Department, however, does not have a role in relation to the ownership or contracting of feedlots, both of which are commercial activities.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: TB programme defined feedlots are not permitted to export animals. All animals from TB programme defined feedlots are slaughtered in EU approved slaughter plants.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 to 150, inclusive, together. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 governs the monitoring of carcase classification, carcase presentation and weighing. In 2018, my Department conducted almost 550 unannounced, on-the-spot inspections in 32 factories on classification and carcase presentation. In 2017 there were 628...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: The on-farm check in respect of the Young Farmers Scheme application from the person named took place on 18thFebruary 2019. The remaining checks are now being finalised and if the applicant is deemed eligible, the Young Farmers Scheme payment will issue. If it is found that the applicant is ineligible he will receive a report setting out the reasons for that decision and his options for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: An application for the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme, on behalf of the person named, was commenced in July 2018. Certain mandatory documents, such as evidence of the site notice in situ, maps and declarations are required before an application is deemed complete. These documents were finalised on 24thJanuary 2019 and the application acknowledged. At the time the completed...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: Bord Bia currently operates seven Quality Assurance Schemes. The Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) and the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS) are the two biggest schemes. Agridata and Capita Customer Solutions were selected as independent auditor bodies for farm audits, following a public procurement process in 2017. For the other Quality Assurance...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Funding (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: The EU regulations that govern the TAMS II Schemes under the Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020 dictate that the recipients must be farmers, or groups of farmers. Therefore the Department is precluded from funding the purchase of LESS (Low Emission Slurry Spreading) equipment by contractors under TAMS II. The Department is, however, committed to the use of this equipment with over...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Meetings (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: As the Deputy is aware, I met with Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella in Brussels on Monday of this week to discuss the potential negative impact of a disorderly Brexit on the Irish fishing industry. We discussed a number of issues including potential loss of access for Irish and other EU vessels to the UK fishing zone, the need to ensure ongoing protection of fish stocks in the waters...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Development Programme Funding (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested is set out in the following table.  The financial allocation for each scheme for the year 2020 will be considered as part of the Estimates process later this year. Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme Year Annual Financial allocation € Annual Amount Spent € No. of active participants in scheme No. of approved...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: There are currently 48,897 active participants in the GLAS scheme. To date, 46,435 farmers have received their 2018 advance payment and are fully up to date with their payments. In addition, GLAS Plus payments have also been paid to 3,194 GLAS farmers. Including GLAS Plus this amounts to over €167m paid in 2018 advances since November 14th. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: In December 2008, my Department announced details of a capital investment scheme for the marketing and processing of agricultural products, with the aim of improving competitiveness, value-added and the quality of agricultural products through grant aiding processing facilities, storage, handling and marketing facilities in 'near farm' enterprises. €16.7m was allocated by my...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (21 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: In 2018, Ireland exported dairy products, including butter to 131 countries totalling over €4.5 billion worth of produce. Total butter exports for 2018 total in excess of €1 billion, an increase of over 16% compared to 2017, representing high-quality value-added produce. The following table, based on CSO data, outlines details in respect of values and tonnage by country for...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: I thank the House and all of the previous speakers for the very kind tributes they have paid to my late father. My father was quintessentially a quiet and shy man and I am sure he listened with great interest to all of the contributions and pinched himself on more than one occasion, on hearing the tributes that have been paid to him. My father was hugely conscious of the honour that was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: The export of calves is an entirely commercial matter. The function of my department is regulatory in nature, for example through the provision of appropriate animal health certification, or the approval of vessels for the transport of animals to ensure that they comply with animal health and welfare requirements. Bovines exported from Ireland to France are required under EU law to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: As part of our TB eradication programme, beef finishing herds, if they meet the necessary criteria, are allowed to avail of a special status, termed “Feedlot”. When a herd meets the criteria to be regarded as a ‘Feedlot’ under the TB Eradication Programme, the herd is restricted under the TB Regulations and a special official supervisory and testing protocol is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: Under the General Data Protection Regulation I am precluded from releasing this information.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Irish Language (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: The 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language outlines an integrated approach to the Irish language. It identifies nine areas of action: education; the Gaeltacht; the family; public services; the media and technology; dictionaries; legislation; the economy; and cross-cutting initiatives. Responsibility for implementation within the State bodies under my remit is an operational matter and those...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Meat Processing Plant Inspections (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together. Regarding operations in a meat plant operating mechanical classification, at the start of each day the meat plant performs a ‘daily system check’. This ensures that the mechanical classification system is within operational tolerances established by the system provider and if any mechanical system fails a morning system...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (20 Feb 2019)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186, 187 and 190 together. I and my officials have been working very hard for quite some time to sensitise other Member States and the European Commission to the potentially very severe impacts of Brexit on the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors, and to the likelihood of specific supports being required in order to deal with these impacts. The...