Results 6,381-6,400 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Administration (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Under Article 75 of Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013 advance payments in respect of rural development schemes such as GLAS and the Sheep Welfare Scheme (as defined in Article 67 (2)) may be made from 16 October onwards. There is no deadline for the issuing of  balancing payments applicable this year. Balancing payments in respect of both of these schemes are expected to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU Funding (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The ex-ante assessment for the use of financial instruments within Ireland’s European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programmes has been completed and is available on the Department’s website at the following link: The report involved a detailed evaluation of access to finance for enterprises in the agriculture and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The ‘Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme’ is an innovative Government/industry collaborative initiative and a new approach to achieving improvements in water quality and wider sustainability. It involves the establishment and joint funding between my Department, the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government (DHPLG) and the Dairy Industry of a resource...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: GLAS+ is only payable to participants with Priority Environmental Assets and entitlement is established only when the basic GLAS payment entitlement has been verified. Currently entitlement to GLAS+ has been established for just over 3,400 participants of which 2,600 contracts end on 31 December 2020 and 800 have contract completion dates of 31 December 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Investment Bank Loans (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: One of my priorities is to improve access to finance for the agri-food sector. Food Wise 2025 identifies competiveness as a key theme and includes a recommendation that stakeholders work to “improve access to finance for agriculture, forestry and seafood producers and agri-food companies”. Therefore I welcome last week’s announcement by the European Investment Bank...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Labelling (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: In 2011 the European Union passed the Food Information to Consumers (FIC), Regulation 1169/2011, which has updated the requirements for consumer information and labelling in a number of areas, and extended mandatory country of origin to meats other than beef.  These measures are designed ensure consumer confidence and ensure traceability is transparent across the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Marketing Programme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: The pursuit and development of new markets for Irish agri-food exports is of course an ongoing and central component of the strategic development of the agri-food sector, as evidenced by its placement right at the centre of Food Wise 2025, the industry’s strategy for development over the coming decade. Indeed, this is all the more relevant after the UK’s decision to leave the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Issues relating to the facilitation of exports, including through the UK landbridge post Brexit, are the subject of detailed consideration in the context of the whole of Government co-ordination mechanisms. Ireland's objective in the negotiation is to ensure that those wishing to use the UK landbridge as a route to EU markets can do so with as little friction as possible. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Equine Passports (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: My Department devotes considerable resources to protecting animal welfare of all species and dealing with breaches of animal welfare legislation.  Incidents of animal cruelty are totally unacceptable and compliance with equine identification plays an important role in the protection of equine welfare.  The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 is the main legal...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: In the first instance my Department supports the animal welfare sector directly with a scheme of ex-gratia payments. In December 2017, 111 animal welfare organisations received funding of €2.56m which represents the largest annual amount allocated to date. This record allocation together with the fund raising efforts of the animal welfare charities will greatly assist...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together. Officials from my Department are involved in a number of cross-departmental committees and technical analysis groups established to progress the national climate action agenda. In the agriculture sector we have focussed strongly on improving the efficiency of Irish farming which is key to reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.  By...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Marketing Programme (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: In 2017 meat exports totalled almost €3.8 billion, including: - beef exports of €2.4 billion, a 6% increase on 2016; - pigmeat exports of €790 million, an 8% increase on 2016; - sheepmeat exports of €310 million, a 12% increase on 2016; and, - poultry exports of €276 million, a 7% increase on 2016 Global demand for meat is forecast to increase,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alternative Farm Enterprises (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Deer farming in Ireland is an alternative enterprise which is dependent on the dynamics of supply and demand which affect all agricultural production systems. In 1996 there were approximately 500 deer farms with 20,000 deer in Ireland, but numbers have declined sharply since that time. Today there are only a small number of farmers in Ireland actively supplying...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: As the Deputy is aware, the pursuit and development of new markets for Irish agri-food exports, including dairy products, is a key theme of the Food Wise 2025 strategy. Food Wise 2025 outlines the potential for growth in agri-food exports to new and emerging markets, particularly in Asia, Africa and the Gulf region, and our efforts are focused on developing new opportunities in these...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Slaughtering Data (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Equine slaughter plants whose meat is destined for human consumption must meet the requirements set out in detailed EU regulations relating to food safety and animal health and welfare. Primary responsibility for compliance with these regulatory requirements rests in the first instance with the food business operators. There are currently two such equine slaughtering plants in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Cereal Sector (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: I know the Deputy is very much aware that I am committed to this important sector which plays a key role in the development of the wider agri-food industry. The tillage sector in Ireland is a key source of seed production, grain for the milling and malting industry and feedingstuffs for the livestock sector and as a consequence is a significant stakeholder in our agri-food industry from a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Tillage Sector (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 190 together. As the Deputy is aware I am conscious that the maintenance of an efficient and viable Tillage Sector in Ireland is of the utmost importance because it reduces our dependence on imported cereals and clearly contributes to the well being of the agri-food industry from a supply and sustainability viewpoint. In 2017 the Tillage Sector in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: In response to the problems experienced in parts of the West and North-West in the late autumn and winter I took a number of steps to address issues around the availability of fodder. I asked Teagasc from an early stage to work locally with affected farmers in areas with fodder difficulties and support them on fodder budgeting for the winter ahead. I prioritised the payment of farm supports...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Artisan Food Sector (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025, the strategy for the agri-food industry acknowledges the unique and important position of the artisan food sector in both the rural and national economy and its positive growth prospects and recommends actions to support the sector to realise its potential. These include supports for artisan food businesses, a pipeline for new entrants to the Artisan Food Market at Bloom,...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Household Incomes (26 Apr 2018)

Michael Creed: In March this year, the Central Statistics Office released its Preliminary Estimate of Output, Input and Income in Agriculture for 2017, and this shows that aggregate farm income, or operating surplus, increased by 35.2% to €3,498 million in 2017. This followed an increase of 3.6% in 2016. The value of goods output for the sector increased by 13.6% to €8,016 million. There...