Results 8,421-8,440 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Climate change has potentially serious implications not just for agriculture but for all sectors of the economy. Agriculture has already made a significant contribution to Ireland's efforts to meet the targets set down under the Kyoto Protocol, achieving a reduction of 2% in greenhouse gas emissions from the sector in the period 1990 to 2005. The decision to opt for full decoupling of...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The countries I intend to visit during the next six months are as follows: February — Trade and Investment Mission to Japan March — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Brussels April — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Luxembourg May — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Brussels June — Council of Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Luxembourg July — Council of...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The matters referred to which come within the remit of my Department are currently being examined. I understand that the aspects which come within the remit of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, have been dealt with in his reply of 14 February to Parliamentary Question No. 59 from Deputy Sherlock.

Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The CAP Health Check was discussed most recently at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 18 February. There was a wide-ranging discussion with all member States outlining their priorities. The main elements of the Communication on the Health Check relate to simplification of the single payment scheme, the expiry of milk quotas in 2015 and how to address the emerging challenges of climate...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As indicated in my reply to the previous Parliamentary Question referred to, 12,675 applications were received under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007. These applications are currently being processed up to the level of funding made available for the Scheme under the 2006 Partnership Agreement Towards 2016. It is not possible at this stage to indicate...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As you are aware a strategy for a Restructured, sustainable & Profitable Irish Seafood Industry 2007-2013 — Steering a New Course, was launched on January 28th 2007. The strategy sets out a visionary road map towards achieving an Irish seafood sector that is sustainable, profitable, and most of all, truly competitive and market-focused. The strategy is based on a comprehensive report...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The number of inspections carried out by officials of my Department under the cross-compliance arrangements (which include nitrates directive requirements) attaching to the Single Payment Scheme in 2006 and 2007 was 1,309 and 1,330 respectively. I do not have information on inspections undertaken by local authorities. Staff allocations within local authorities are a matter for the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I had further discussions with Commissioner Fischer Boel in Brussels on Monday about the difficulties with the European Commission in relation to the established practice of paying REPS 2 and REPS 3 participants at the beginning of each contract year. I am very glad to say that I obtained the Commissioner's agreement that Ireland can continue to receive REPS payment claims and make payments...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments relating to animal health and welfare including an undertaking to introduce a new Animal Health Bill to consolidate and amend previous legislation to reflect the changed disease status of our nation's animals. Drafting of the legislation relating to animal health (and also to take account of the commitments to introduce a...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Fish landed in Ireland is currently traceable through a variety of means including sales notes, landing declarations data, and labelling requirements. My Department has introduced a comprehensive regime for the collection of sales notes in Ireland since the 1st of January 2007, as required under Council Regulation 2847/1993. Sales notes detail the origin, size, weight, price and date of...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The next meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on 17 March. We do not, as yet, have an agenda for this meeting but items of interest to Ireland likely to feature include the Health Check of the CAP and the proposed increase in Milk Quotas for 2008. On the Health Check I understand that the Slovenian Presidency will present conclusions to the discussions to date to...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: On Monday 18th February, 2008, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, John Browne T.D., announced details of the Fishery Harbours and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for 2008, which is worth over €23m. Funding was allocated to projects that were identified as priorities by both the Local Authorities and the Department's Engineering Division....

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 45 together. The Farm Improvement Scheme was launched by my Department in July 2007 with a funding provision of €79 million as agreed under the Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. As applications under the Scheme had reached this level of funding, the Scheme was closed to new applications on 31 October 2007. I have no plans at present to reopen...

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The national forest estate extends to some 700,000 hectares or 10% of the total land area. This figure is less than one third of the EU average. The Strategic Plan for the Development of the Forestry Sector in Ireland, 'Growing for the Future', sets a target of 17% of the total land area for forest cover. Over the period of the National Development Plan, the immediate objective is for...

Written Answers — Pig Sector: Pig Sector (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am very aware of the difficulties facing the pig sector and will continue to pursue appropriate actions to alleviate them. The problems are attributable to a number of factors such as the cyclical nature of the industry, the high cost of feed and the strength of the euro, which adversely affects exports to non-EU countries. The cost and availability of feed are critical considerations. At...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Farm Improvement Scheme was suspended to new applications on 31 October 2007 as the applications had reached the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. That agreement provides for a formal review of its terms in 2008 in which all parties to the agreement will be involved.

Written Answers — Animal Identification Scheme: Animal Identification Scheme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department reviews the methods of cattle identification available within the terms of the EU requirements and keeps in touch with developments in the marketplace in relation to eartags to ensure that the tag most suited to the needs of Irish farming is available. I am satisfied that the current system of double tagging bovine animals with plastic tags is the most efficient and practical...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I intend to visit Co Kilkenny in April.

Written Answers — Plant Closures: Plant Closures (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: On 8 February the company in question announced its intention to transfer its packaging operation from Athy to a new consolidated Dublin facility. The company has stated that it is committed to continuing to source its requirement for peas for its canning plant from farmers in the Athy region. I understand that the company has entered into negotiations with the growers on handling and...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The current requirement that all bovine animals over 30 months of age, slaughtered for human consumption, must be tested for BSE is provided for in Regulation (EC) No.999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (The TSE Regulation). Accordingly I do not have the...