Results 8,061-8,080 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out under the following three headings. 1. Clerical Officer and Staff Officer Central Transfer List Location Applications Tullamore 279 Nenagh 134 Athlone 284 Mullingar 203 These numbers are likely to contain multiple applications from individuals to the different locations. Applications are from across the Civil Service and would also...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: EU rules require that as and from 16 October 2008, the commencement of the 2009 EU financial year, all payments under EU funded or co-funded schemes must be made directly by electronic fund transfer into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. As the designated paying agency for EU funds, my Department is obliged to adhere to these arrangements and has notified the new requirement to farmers...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The requirement to publish details of the beneficiaries of EU payments was introduced under the European Transparency Initiative which is a broad policy framework designed to improve accountability, ensure fairness of decision-making and transparency in the use of EU funds. More specifically, Council Regulation (EC) No. 1290/2005, as amended, and the implementing regulations relating to the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Single Payment Scheme in Ireland is based on the "Historical Model". This means that the Payment Scheme is applicable to farmers who actively farmed during the reference years 2000, 2001 and 2002, who were paid Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid in one or more of those years and who continued to farm in 2005 (the first year of the Single Payment Scheme). The gross Single Payment is...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (29 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is being co-ordinated and will be forwarded to him at a later date.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. His application for payment is currently being examined and a decision will be made in regard to the application as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs met the EU Commission President last week as part of his visit to Ireland to address the National Forum on Europe. The ongoing WTO negotiations were high on the agenda of these meetings and the Irish position and concerns in these negotiations were clearly expressed to President Barroso. It was emphasized that Ireland is seeking a...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The review of the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS), by means of the amendment of Directive 2003/87/EC, is being undertaken in the context of the implementation of the Commission's proposals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Over 11,000 installations currently participate in the EU ETS. This includes over one hundred Irish installations, 33 of which are in the dairy, food or...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The person named was due to submit a consolidated plan with the 1C form that was lodged in December 2007. The consolidated plan was not submitted to my Department until 21st February 2008 and the application was then processed. I would expect the person named to receive payment within the next few weeks.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: There is no delay in making REPS payments to farmers in Co Wicklow. There were thirteen farmers from Wicklow on the last pay-run, and this cleared all valid applications for payment up to 21st April 2008.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The person named is an applicant under the Farm Improvement Scheme. Applications under this Scheme are being processed by my Department up to the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The application concerned is, therefore, eligible for consideration and will be processed subject to funding still being available at that time.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988. Day-to-day operational matters such as the procurement of harvesting and haulage services and issues concerning the measurement and valuation of timber volume prior to sale are the responsibility of the company.

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Protection: Fishing Industry Protection (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The anti-dumping measures, which create a minimum import price for farmed salmon entering the EU market from Norway, have been in place since early 2006. These measures have brought price stability to the market following proven dumping by Norway. This market stability has led to renewed investor confidence in Irish companies. The trade measures are now under threat due mainly to the strong...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Ireland was allocated EU funding of €42 million for the 2007-2013 European Fisheries Fund. To maximise the benefits of this funding it is being specifically targeted at a small number of Co-Financed measures under the pillars of AXIS 1,2 AND 3, most notably the fleet decommissioning scheme which I launched in February. A draft operational programme setting out specific proposals has been...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: This is not an issue for which I have responsibility as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries as the condition referred to by the Deputy is not a condition imposed by the Forest Service of my Department.

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Modernisation: Fishing Fleet Modernisation (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: All fishermen are eligible to undertake Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) training programmes including those serving on vessels that are decommissioning. In this regard, BIM and FÁS have agreed to co-operate to provide training for fishing vessel crew members that find themselves without a job when their fishing vessel is decommissioned. Both agencies will work closely together to provide...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The requirement to make all payments under EU funded or co-funded schemes directly into bank accounts arises under EU Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 which lays down the rules on the financing and management of the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2007 to 2013. The detailed implementing rules as set out in EU Commission Regulation (EC) 885/2006, require that all EU paying...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The person named received his first Early Retirement pension payment in March 2007. As no notice of tax credits was received, tax was assessed on an emergency basis. In January 2008 a notice of tax credits was received and applied. The level of net monthly pension payment has remained constant since this time.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: At the end of March, 267 posts had moved to the Department's offices in Portlaoise under the decentralisation programme, 12 of which were in 2008. At the end of March, 81 posts had moved to the Department's offices in Clonakilty under the decentralisation programme, 1 of which was in 2008.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The gross estimate for my Department in 2008 is €1.868 billion. Some €1.439 billion of this relates to current expenditure on a range of measures including research and development, food safety and animal health, income and market supports, fisheries supports, grants-in-aid to state bodies and rural development support measures. It also includes administrative budget expenditure. I am...