Results 8,421-8,440 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Basic Payment Scheme Applications (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: An application under the 2017 Basic Payment Scheme / Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 15 May 2017. Under the 2017 ANC Scheme, eligible applicants are required to meet a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months and to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named was previously a participant in the AEOS Scheme and subsequently applied to participate in the GLAS Scheme. The person named applied for and was approved into GLAS 2 with a contract commencement date of the 1 January 2016. Both an advance and balancing payment have been issued in respect of 2016. Processing of 2017 payments will commence in the coming months.

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

Michael Creed: I am aware of the Irish Wildlife Trust's request to ban the practice of pair trawling in coastal areas in order to maintain the sprat population to the benefit of seabirds and marine life. Sprat is a short-lived species and an important prey fish for many marine species thus vital to the ocean food chain as well as an important source of income for inshore fishermen. The...

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

Michael Creed: There is no doubt that Brexit poses enormous challenges for the agri food sector by virtue of its reliance on the UK market. The most immediate challenge has been the impact caused by the significant drop in the value of sterling against the euro, and I fully understand and appreciate the impact this is having on the agri food sector. The sector is of critical importance to our...

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

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: Food Exports (3 Oct 2017)

Michael Creed: The past 2 years has seen great strides taken in regard to the opening of new markets and the deepening of trade for existing markets for Irish Agri food exporters. In 2015 we gained access to the US market for Irish beef. In the same year we also got access to the Canadian market for Irish beef and to the Omani market for Irish beef and sheepmeat. In 2016 we gained...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (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. A key element in protecting the interests of our fishing industry will be ensuring that fisheries does not become...

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

Michael Creed: Ireland's goals for sustainable fisheries are supported through the Common Fisheries Policy. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provides the framework for the long term conservation and sustainability of fish stocks around our shores and is designed to ensure the long term sustainability of fishing in Ireland and throughout EU waters. The CFP utilises the best scientific advice as a key...

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

Michael Creed: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provides the framework for the long term conservation and sustainability of fish stocks around our shores and is designed to ensure the long term sustainability of fishing in Ireland and throughout EU waters. A key element of the CFP is the setting of fishing levels on the basis of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). The Common Fisheries Policy specifically...

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

Michael Creed: The poultry sector is a key element of the valuable Agri-food industry, with the sector worth over €200 million in 2016. The poultry sector supports around 6,000 jobs, most of these in rural areas. Growth trends in the poultry sector indicate a continued trajectory of sustained, steady growth, consistent with previous years. Strong consumer demand for Irish poultry meat and...

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

Michael Creed: There are at present 197 approved seafood processors in Ireland and these are largely dispersed around our main fishing ports. The scale of these premises varies greatly from micro enterprises, to medium sized enterprises, to large enterprises.  A range of supports are available to seafood processors through my Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund...

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

Michael Creed: The maintenance of an efficient and viable cereals sector in Ireland is clearly very important to the well being of the agri-food industry. Indigenous production of cereals is of course an important part of primary agriculture production. In addition to generating an income for our tillage farmers, the cereals sector is a key source of seed production, grain for the milling and malting...

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

Michael Creed: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland strongly supported the abolition of the milk quota regime in 2015, on the basis that quotas were widely regarded by all concerned as a brake on the potential of the Irish dairy sector to respond positively to market opportunities. The ending of milk quota regime represented an exceptional opportunity for the dairy industry to increase milk output and reach the...

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

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 EU, which...

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

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 supplying deer for meat...

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

Michael Creed: My Department monitors trends in the poultry industry by continuously horizon scanning and proactively working to identify threats.  This approach is supported by robust official controls at multiple levels along the food chain. Growth trends in the poultry sector indicate a continued trajectory of sustained, steady growth, consistent with previous years.  The...

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

Michael Creed: My Department carefully monitors developments in the pigmeat sector, both domestically and internationally, and meets with stakeholders regularly to hear their views on developments. The pig sector remains a valuable and integral part of the Irish agricultural economy supporting approximately 7,000 jobs including production, slaughter, processing, feed manufacture and services. The...

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

Michael Creed: Ireland's sheepmeat and lamb exports are mainly directed to other EU member states and so we enjoy unimpeded access to these markets which accounted for 91% of lamb exports by volume and 93% by value in 2016. The most significant third country market for Irish lamb, is Switzerland which accounted for 1.6% of exports by volume in 2016 and 4.6% by value. Access to the Swiss market is...

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

Michael Creed: The national beef, dairy and pig herds, together with the national sheep flock make an enormous contribution to Ireland’s agri-food industry which in 2016 amounted to a total of €12.2 billion, an increase of over 56% since 2009. One of the key indicators of the strength of the different sectors in Irish agriculture is the growth in exports over the years. Since 2010, the...

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

Michael Creed: Primary responsibility under EU law for food safety, hygiene and traceability of food placed on the market lies with food business operators. Regulation (EC) No. 178 of 2002 sets out the general principles and requirements of EU food law and stipulates that food business operators must, at all stages of production, processing and distribution within their business, ensure food law...