Results 8,441-8,460 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

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

Mary Coughlan: At present, farmers can choose to have their payments made by cheque or electronic funds transfer directly into their bank account and this situation will continue during the 2008 EU financial year which ends on 15 October. However, as and from the 2009 EU financial year commencing on 16th October 2008, payment by cheque will no longer be permitted under EU rules. My Department is obliged to...

Written Answers — Animal Feed: Animal Feed (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The adventitious or accidental presence of unauthorised GM events in imported animal feed became an issue last year when it became known that a small area of the 2006 US maize crop was sown with a GM maize variety, referred to as Herculex Rw. The GM event in this crop was authorised in the US but while an application for its approval had been made to the EU, it had not yet obtained...

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

Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently developing a herd health initiative to deal with non-regulated diseases in a comprehensive and integrated manner. The initiative has been proposed to enable Ireland achieve international best practice in the area of animal health which seeks to complement existing programmes and focus on non-regulatory issues in this area. My officials have met with the principal...

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

Mary Coughlan: The revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced in March 2006 in order to assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the Nitrates Directive closed for new applications at end-December 2006. Farmers who had not submitted a complete application by that date had until 29 June 2007 to submit all required drawings, etc., including confirmation that planning permission had been...

Written Answers — Food Prices: Food Prices (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Changes in food prices are primarily a function of market forces operating at international, EU and national levels. Consistently strong economic growth in developing countries is the main driver of changing world food demand towards high-value agricultural products and processed foods. Slow-growing supply, low stocks, and supply shocks at a time of increasing demand for feed, food and fuel...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The agri-food sector is a source of many of the raw materials for the production of biofuels. To encourage the cultivation of crops for energy purposes I have introduced a number of incentives including a new National Energy Crop Premium of €80 per hectare, which supplements the EU Premium available under the EU Energy Crops. I also launched a new Bio-energy Scheme in February 2007 to...

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

Mary Coughlan: 12,675 applications were received by my Department under the Farm Improvement Scheme prior to its suspension on 31 October 2007. A county-by-county breakdown of these applications is as follows: County Number of Applications County Number of Applications Carlow 176 Longford 218 Cavan 675 Louth 209 Clare 510 Mayo 740 Cork 1,863 Meath 272 Donegal 931 Monaghan 362 Dublin 29 Offaly 282...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In my capacity as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food I have not made representations to the Minister for Transport. As a T.D. for Donegal South West I have made a number of representations on the matter to the Minister for Transport.

Written Answers — Fish Quota: Fish Quota (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In relation to quota allocations, the position is that Ireland's shares of the main fish stocks were set in the early 1980s when fish stocks were being shared out between Member States. The share allocations were based on catch records and reflect the fishing levels by the Irish fleet at that time. The percentage shares held by each Member State have generally remained the same for over 20...

Written Answers — Legislative Controls: Legislative Controls (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the designated Control Authority responsible for implementing EU and national fertiliser legislation. Under this legislation products placed on the market must comply with specifications laid down in the relevant legislation and must be in accordance with the declared nutrient contents on the labelling. Compliance with the relevant...

Written Answers — Rural Environment Protection Scheme: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I had further discussions with Commissioner Fischer Boel in Brussels on Monday last 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...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The reforms of the CAP and Common Fisheries Policy have been undertaken with a view to ensuring the viability of these sectors in the EU. The 2003 Reform of the CAP has provided farmers with certainty about income support levels through the Single Farm Payment, while freeing them to increase their income from the market by responding to consumer demands and guaranteeing a supply of safe food,...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Government decision on the decentralisation of my Department is that our headquarters will move to Portlaoise, involving some 600 staff; the local offices in Cork city will move to Fermoy, involving some 100 staff; and the laboratories in Cork and Limerick will move to Macroom, involving up to 100 staff. These are all currently scheduled for completion in 2009. The move of the Fisheries...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Health & Children has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation. Responsibility for enforcement of labelling legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) through its service contracts with my Department, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), the Health Services Executive (HSE), the Local Authorities (LAs) and the...

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

Mary Coughlan: Arrangements have been made for the transfer of a Technical Agricultural Officer from another region to the Wicklow office and for assistance to be given by Supervisory Agricultural Officers from neighbouring counties.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Whilst my Department currently holds responsibility for Coastal Flooding matters, it does not however, have the primary responsibility for flood hazard mapping generally, which comes within the ambit of the Office of Public Works (OPW). I am therefore not in a position to provide the information requested by the Deputy. It should be noted that in line with a recent Government decision,...

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

Mary Coughlan: The An Bord Bia Acts, 1994 to 2004 provide for the appointment by me, as Minister, of a chairman and 14 ordinary members of the Board. The Acts further provide that one ordinary member be appointed on the nomination of organisations representative of consumers; one ordinary member be appointed on the nomination of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and that not fewer than two...

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

Mary Coughlan: COFORD is a non-statutory agency under the aegis of my Department. COFORD's remit is to fund and co-ordinate research and development projects with the aim of developing the forestry industry through technical innovation and good silvicultural practice. The term of office of the previous COFORD Council recently concluded. A new Chairman has since been appointed to the Council and a new...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Board of the Irish National Stud is comprised of seven Directors, including the Chairman. All appointments to the Board are made by me, in my capacity as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

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

Mary Coughlan: The Veterinary Council of Ireland was established on 1 January 2006 under the Veterinary Practice Act 2005. The Council has 19 members, all of which are appointed by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. However, fifteen of these appointments are made, as prescribed by Section 16 of the Act, on the basis of nominations as follows: 2 persons nominated by the National University of...