Results 7,081-7,100 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Other Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: Weather conditions for much of last autumn were challenging for farmers in some parts of the west and the north west, in particular. Difficulties in harvesting fodder in some of these areas were compounded by the need to house livestock earlier than usual, resulting in additional pressure on fodder supplies over the course of the winter. To immediately address this issue I prioritised the...

Other Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I am sure the Deputy is not suggesting I spend someone else's scheme payment on a fodder scheme.

Other Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: In making her suggestion about the underspend she is suggesting just that; therefore, it is necessary to be careful. She was seeking guidance on what a farmer needed to do to avail of the scheme. Farmers need to complete a fodder budgeting form which is available through their Teagasc adviser who will certify that a farmer has insufficient fodder and will need assistance. The farmer will...

Other Questions: Trade Agreements (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: There has been recent engagement between the European Union and Mercosur negotiators on the finalisation of a trade deal. My understanding is there are a significant number of areas of disagreement, both offensive and defensive, between the parties, including in the agrifood sector with respect to ethanol, sugar, geographical indications, beef and dairy. Ireland's position is well...

Other Questions: Trade Agreements (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: The offer of 28 September last year contained a quota of 35,000 tonnes of fresh beef, including an unspecified quantity of high quality beef, phased in over six years at an in-quota rate of 7.5%, as well as 35,000 tonnes of frozen beef, again over six years at 7.5%, with an unspecified amount of this to be dedicated to further processing. I share the Deputy's concern. We are not happy with...

Other Questions: Trade Agreements (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I assure the Deputy and the House that the Government and I remain absolutely steadfast in our opposition to a Mercosur trade deal involving significant volumes of beef. We have indicated clearly we are unhappy with the 70,000 tonnes offer for obvious reasons including, as mentioned, the Brexit scenario and the Commission's cumulative impact assessment. The European Council and its decision...

Other Questions: Dairy Sector (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: Analysis from Bord Bia and my Department, both based on Central Statistics Office, CSO, data, demonstrates the resilience of the Irish food and drink export sector and the dairy export sector in particular. Whereas full-year CSO data becomes available towards the middle of this month, estimates made by Bord Bia for their annual performance and prospects publication provides a positive...

Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: For the purposes of clarity, my Department is not purchasing meal, silage or hay but providing a transport subsidy. The original case made to the Department was that there was no fodder available, primarily in the west and the north west. While there is a challenge in certain pockets of the country, there is no widespread shortage of fodder in the north west and certainly not nationally....

Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: On the contrary, the evidence suggests all the clamour for the State to produce its cheque book and buy fodder led to the withholding of fodder and inflated asking prices. The Department's approach is introducing a degree of realism in the marketplace for fodder locally, as is right and proper. Our intervention acknowledges that there may be instances where there is a requirement to...

Other Questions: Beef Data and Genomics Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: To be eligible as a suckler cow or replacement heifer under the beef data and genomics programme, BDGP, the animal must be rated either four or five star, genotyped, at least 16 months old and born in 2013 or later. In respect of BDGP II, the animal must have been born in 2015 or later. All of this information is already shown on the profiles being sent to programme participants. The...

Other Questions: Beef Data and Genomics Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I was at a mart on Saturday last where I watched sales of weanling cattle. I was struck by the high quality of what was being produced, both from the suckler herd and from calf to beef. This was reflected in the number of interested buyers. I accept the Deputy's comments on buyers with whom he has engaged. The beef data genomics programme is an effort to improve the genetic merit of the...

Other Questions: Beef Data and Genomics Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I take the Deputy's suggestions in the spirit in which they are offered. The pilot meetings envisaged by the Department and direct engagement with farmers at that level will provide an important opportunity to explain the scheme further to individual participants. As I stated, approximately 800 of almost 25,000 participants do not meet the required targets, but they have considerable time...

Priority Questions: GLAS Payments (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I do not accept that there is a significant information technology issue in the Department. The outstanding payments go through a series of regulatory checks. The green low-carbon agri-environment scheme is complicated. Multiple actions have to be compatible with individual plots on farm holdings which, in turn, have to be referenced to the basic payment application of the farmer. There...

Priority Questions: GLAS Payments (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: It is a complex scheme to administer and I take the point the Deputy is making. One of the objectives the Commissioner has set for himself in the context of the CAP post-2020 is greater simplification. We could all do with revisiting and embracing that objective. I make the point that the Commission carried out a public consultation process which showed that there was considerable...

Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: To provide assistance for those livestock farmers severely affected by ongoing fodder shortages, mainly in parts of the west and the north west, I introduced a targeted fodder transport measure. It operates through the co-operative structure. The aim is to partly offset the cost of transporting fodder between those areas where it is available and those where it is scarce. The measure...

Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I encourage farmers to consult and adhere to the advice of their farm advisers, whether they are Teagasc or private advisers. In many instances, the advice will be to stretch the fodder they have available. It may well be that purchase of meal or beef nuts or whatever else might be the more appropriate route for them to follow rather than purchasing fodder. Under the scheme my Department...

Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: Deputy Cahill should be cautious in terms of making the point that what I believe to be a prudent measure is removing the floor from dairy prices. I draw his attention to the fact that one of the leading processors in the Irish dairy market has maintained the price for milk in January at the price paid for milk in December. Many processors may only need an excuse to begin to drop the milk...

Priority Questions: Dairy Sector (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: To use a different analogy, if Deputy Cahill was going to Thurles mart with the only calf for sale at the mart on that day, that would be fine, but if there are a couple of hundred calves in the pens outside that will impact on the market price that is available on the day. If there is an overhang of value worth €650 million in skimmed milk powder on the market that of itself is an...

Priority Questions: GLAS Payments (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: Let me start by pointing out that with regard to payments, 2017 was a record year with over €1.6 billion paid by my Department to farmers. On GLAS, given that the first approvals under the scheme run from October 2015 I consider it is a remarkable achievement to have exceeded the rural development programme target of 50,000 GLAS participants within a period of 15 months....

Priority Questions: Afforestation Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Michael Creed: I accept some of the points the Deputy is making. I realise the narrative on forestry in the communities to which he refers is not positive. We all need to work collectively with the communities to explain the benefits. The Deputy represents a constituency in which there is considerable employment downstream from the timber industry. It is very valuable employment. I am sure the Deputy...