Results 8,461-8,480 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Board of the National Milk Agency comprises thirteen members, consisting of five producer, four processor, two consumer, one distributor and one retailer representatives, all nominated by their respective industry organizations. My role is to approve formally these nominees. In addition, the legislation provides that the Minister nominates the Chairman of the Agency. The current...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: An application under the 2007 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 25 April 2007. The application was fully processed and payment in full issued in respect of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme on 19 September 2007. In relation of the Single Payment Scheme, the advance payment issued on 16 October 2007 and the balancing payment issued on 3...
- Written Answers — : (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 — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is responsible for the implementation of EU Regulations concerning the marketing and labelling of GM foods in Ireland. The FSAI routinely surveys the food in Ireland to ensure that only EU authorised and appropriately labelled GM foods are placed on the market. The report of the latest survey by the FSAI is on their web-site.
- Written Answers — Lamb Imports: Lamb Imports (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Central Statistics Office is responsible for the collection of statistics in relation to imports of meat and meat products. The table below is compiled from data supplied by that Office and the following should be noted. Information on imports for 2007 is available for the period up to September 2007. In certain cases the record of import may include the re-import of Irish products that...
- 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, the Health Services Executive, the Local Authorities and the National Consumer Agency....
- Written Answers — Agricultural Statistics: Agricultural Statistics (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: According to official CSO figures, the total area of potatoes grown in the country in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 was: 2005 â 11, 800 hectares 2006 â 12,100 hectares 2007 â 12,300 hectares While the estimate for the 2007 potato acreage is provisional, it appears the potato area has increased by 500 hectares between 2005 and 2007.
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The concept of Force Majeure / exceptional circumstances is a long established principle and is defined in EU regulations as including, for example: the death of the farmer; long-term incapacity of the farmer; a severe natural disaster gravely affecting the holding's agricultural land; the accidental destruction of livestock buildings on the holding; an epizootic affecting part or all of the...
- Written Answers — Horticulture Sector: Horticulture Sector (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, substantial funding of circa â¬50 million has been earmarked to assist producers of fruit and vegetables to upgrade or develop new production facilities. The scheme of investment aid for the commercial horticulture sector will assist capital investment on farms to promote the specialisation and diversification of on-farm activities, improve the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: I would regard short term plans as those to be completed by year end and medium term strategies as those encompassed by the Department's three year Statement of Strategy. Longer term plans which impact on the development of the agri-food and fishing sectors are contained in departmental policy documents such as the AgriVision 2015 Action Plan, 'Steering a New Course'- the Seafood Strategy,...
- Written Answers — Cereal Sector: Cereal Sector (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Production of cereals in Ireland has averaged about 2 million tonnes in recent years, with fluctuations in production being mainly attributable to weather conditions. The following are production figures over the past six years: 2002 â 1.964 million tonnes 2003 â 2.147 million tonnes 2004 â 2.501 million tonnes 2005 â 1.938 million tonnes 2006 â 2.083 million tonnes 2007 â...
- Written Answers — Biofuel Crops: Biofuel Crops (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: There were 2,500 hectares used for the production of bio-energy crops in 2005, 4,289 hectares in 2006 and 7,749 hectares in 2007. In 2007, I introduced a new National Energy Premium of â¬80 per hectare and a new Bio-Energy Scheme to assist the development of the production of energy crops in Ireland. The â¬80 National payment supplements the EU Premium of â¬45 per hectare. The buoyant...
- Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Plans for the development of the agri-food sector are set out in the AgriVision 2015 Action Plan and in the Programme for Government, the National Development Plan and The Rural Development Programme, The Agri-Vision 2015 Action Plan sets out a comprehensive range of actions with the objective of developing an agri-food industry that attains optimal levels of efficiency, competitiveness and...
- 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, the Health Services Executive, the Local Authorities and the National Consumer Agency....
- Written Answers — Meat Imports: Meat Imports (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that Member States must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin as well as to imports of these products from third countries. It is a requirement that animal products imported from third countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, Member States. All imports must...
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: According to the Central Statistics Office, in the 5-year period covering the years 2003 to 2007 inclusive, the food price index has recorded a consistently lower level of increase than the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI). Food prices increased by 3.3% over that period while overall prices as measured by CPI increased by 14.1%. The most recent annual data available from the Central...
- Written Answers — Common Agricultural Policy: Common Agricultural Policy (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The 2003 Reforms of the CAP were introduced in preparation for the current Round of WTO negotiations. The EU's move to decoupled payment supports, which are non-trade distorting, has allowed the EU to make very significant reduction commitments to its levels of trade distorting supports. These proposed reductions commitments are a very substantial contribution to this round of WTO...
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of any requirement for food imported into Ireland and the EU to meet carbon reduction targets. Under the Kyoto Protocol a majority of developed countries are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the period 2008 and 2012 by a least 5% on 1990 levels. Countries that signed up to the Protocol are responsible for meeting their own individual emissions...
- Written Answers — Biofuel Crops: Biofuel Crops (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Support to farmers for growing energy crops is available under the EU Energy Crops Scheme, which provides an EU premium of up to â¬45 per hectare provided the energy crops are intended for use in the production of biofuels and electric and thermal energy produced from biomass. At the February 2006 Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting, I called for a review of the energy crop premium as...
- Written Answers — Food Industry: Food Industry (21 Feb 2008)
Mary Coughlan: As I pointed out to my EU colleagues as recently as January, at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, and in bilateral discussions that I and my officials have had with other Member States, there is increasing awareness that food security cannot be taken for granted in a world where demand is rising rapidly and expected to double by 2050. In recent years there have been increased...