Results 8,381-8,400 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Review (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The future of the CAP is an issue of enormous importance for the European and indeed Ireland’s agri-food sector.  The CAP has demonstrated its capacity to evolve very effectively in response to changing market, consumer and environmental demands in recent years, to the point where it now plays a central role in delivering the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth sought under...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: I am very conscious of the importance of both the suckler and tillage sectors to Ireland's rural economy and the challenges currently facing both sectors. My Department is providing a number of supports to the suckler herd. The Beef Data and Genomics Programme is the main support for the suckler sector and provides farmers with some €300 million of funding over Rural Development...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: Ireland is a small open economy and Irish Government policy is generally supportive of trade liberalisation. Sensitive products must be protected however, and in the case of any prospective deal with Mercosur countries, our position has been that the EU beef sector must be protected. With this in mind our focus in recent weeks has been to build alliances with member states who...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Racing Industry (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: I can confirm that my officials received the report titled "A Preliminary Report into the Pay, Terms Conditions and Representation for Stable and Stud Staff in the Horseracing Industry in Ireland" as commissioned by "Independents4Change"  on the 26th September. Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body responsible for the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: Farm Assist is a means-tested payment to low income farmers and is the responsibility of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. It is administered by her Department and I am informed that in order to qualify for Farm Assist, an applicant must be a farmer, be aged between 18 and 66 and satisfy a means test. Those in receipt of Farm Assist receive a weekly payment, which...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: As I have stated before, fisheries is, and will remain, a high priority for Ireland in the Brexit negotiations.  I am determined to ensure that fisheries remain high on the Brexit agenda in the EU and that the interests of Ireland's fishing communities are fully protected. I fully agree with the Deputy on the importance of ensuring that fisheries does not become isolated from the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: Brexit will have an impact on the outlook for Irish agriculture including in Wexford.  Farming is an essential part of the social, cultural and economic fabric of Ireland. It is also part of a wider EU dispensation that values a Common Agriculture Policy built on family farming, food security, high standards of food safety and environmental sustainability.  These are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Knowledge Transfer Programme (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The Knowledge Transfer Programme was launched in summer 2016 as part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020. The Programme builds on the success of the previous discussion group model, and seeks to provide farmers with high quality training and advice on a wide range of issues which will equip them to deal more effectively with the challenges and opportunities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forest Fires (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The forest fire on Coillte lands at Cloosh Valley started on Saturday, 6th of May and was brought under control on Wednesday, 10th of May 2017. The fire spread across three separate fronts: a bog fire, a thicket fire and a tree crown fire. I understand that the fire was tackled by thirty five Coillte staff and contractors, three helicopters, two fire service tenders and thirty...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: In excess of 50,000 farmers have been approved into GLAS over three tranches. There are currently almost 37,000 active participants between GLAS 1 and 2. In addition, almost 13,500 have been approved this year into GLAS 3. This level of participation exceeds the target set in Ireland's Rural Development Programme. The average GLAS basic contract payment is €4,250 per...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: I should emphasise that the National Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication Programme is an industry led programme delivered by Animal Health Ireland (AHI).  A BVD Implementation Group (BVD IG) was formed in 2011 to take forward the planning and delivery of this programme. This group is comprised of Animal Health Ireland personnel, Veterinary Ireland nominees, farmer representatives...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TB Eradication Scheme (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: I can inform the Deputy that the study in question has been completed and the findings were published in January 2017.  The findings can be found at: The objective of the trial was primarily to provide information as to the efficacy of an individually delivered oral vaccine in reducing the level of TB infection in the wild badger population. The results  demonstrate that oral BCG...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Laboratory Facilities (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) Laboratories are an integral part of the Department, providing critical scientific evidence and expertise (in animal health, food safety and plant sciences) which allows the Department to function effectively as a regulator, to deal with new and emerging risks and to rapidly respond to disease outbreaks and food safety incidents. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the competent authority with regard to the maintenance of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book. The objects of the ICC are set out in the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 and among these objects is 'the promotion of the breeding of thoroughbred greyhounds (including maintenance of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book)'. The ICC has been responsible for the Irish Greyhound Stud...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: One of my priorities has been to address the impact of the volatility in the sterling exchange rate and lower commodity prices in some agriculture sectors. I see lower cost finance as an effective way of doing this and we developed the “Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme” with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). The Scheme made €150 million...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: State Aid (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: It is important to clarify from the outset that State Aid is aid funded by Member State, not by the European Commission.  Such aid is subject to common EU rules designed to avoid distortion of competition within the European Union. It is already possible to provide aid for farmers subject to a cumulative maximum limit of €15,000 per farmer over three years....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under Statute.  Regarding a possible dredging project in Howth Fishery Harbour Centre, preparation work has been underway for some time.  A report from site investigation works, which was commissioned in 2015, was received by my Department in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: I am pleased that the cattle export trade in 2017 is flourishing, after two years of decline.  Exports of live cattle have increased by nearly 48% in the period January to mid-September, compared to the same period last year.  Exports of cattle to Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain have risen significantly this year compared to 2016. My Department’s role is to create the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: Bord na gCon has informed me that it has carried out an extensive review of procedures for regulatory control with many new standard operating procedures either finalised or close to finalisation. New secondary legislation is now in place with the result that any adverse analytical finding from a greyhound tested for prohibited substances after October 1st 2015 will be published and the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheep Welfare Scheme (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: I am very aware of the importance of the sheep sector, and of the challenges which many farmers in that sector face.  In view of this, in December 2016, I launched the  Sheep Welfare Scheme.  This new scheme was introduced by way of a formal amendment to our Rural Development Programme, 2014-2020, and aims to contribute to the continued development in animal...