Results 8,461-8,480 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: One person received afforestation premium payments in excess of €500,000 in 2015. These payments were made to the farmer in respect of forests planted under previous Forestry Programmes. With the exception of this person, no other persons, companies or legal entities received annual afforestation premiums in excess of €500,000 in 2015 or 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Livestock Issues (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: I am aware of a recent report of alleged illegal movement of sheep into the Republic of Ireland. The health of the national sheep flock relies on the observance of identification and trade rules. Sheep smuggling results in the breach of these rules and could pose disease risks for the national sheep flock. Reports of illegal movement of sheep are examined by staff in my Department. Where...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 409 together. The key measures of a diagnostic test’s accuracy are sensitivity and specificity.  As is the case with diagnostic tests for most diseases none of the tests currently available for the diagnosis of bovine TB (bTB) allow a perfectly accurate determination of the M. bovis infection status of cattle. However, the single...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: The On Farm Market Valuation Scheme is designed to compensate herdowners for the loss of animals removed under the TB eradication programme and is based on the market value of animals (i.e. the equivalent price which might reasonably be obtained for the animal at the time of determination of compensation, from a purchaser in an open market, if the animal were not affected by TB) subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Prices (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: Milk production for the first half of 2017 was up in Ireland by just over 10% on the same period in the previous year.  The Irish raw milk price has been above the EU average for the last number of weeks.  On this basis there are no immediate plans to implement any additional compensation schemes for dairy producers. However, my Department monitors the market...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: In 2016 the average number of days for reactors to be removed was 27.9 days which is below the legal requirement of 30 days set down in EU legislation. My Department endeavours to have reactors removed from a holding as quickly as possible. However, there are many factors beyond the control of my Department which may delay the removal of reactors. These include delays on the part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bovine Disease Controls (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department has a comprehensive compensation regime in place for herdowners who are affected by bovine TB, including compensation both for direct and indirect losses. There is a legal requirement for reactors to be removed from the holding within 30 days as set down in EU legislation. Given the vital importance of early removal of reactors, one of the eligibility criteria for income...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Activities (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as the management of their forest estate, are the responsibility of the company. The matter was, however, raised with Coillte, who advise that the Masseys Estate, including the Hellfire properties, are registered on Folio DN3540 while the Hell Fire Club is located...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: As of 22 September 2017, my Department has paid grants for the planting of 4,071 ha of forestry under the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme 2014–2020.  Furthermore, to the end of August 2017, the Department has processed applications for planting approval for a total of 7,600ha of forests, an increase of 4% over the same period last year. The amount of funding which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department has provided funding on these issues through a call for research proposals. One project called FORM is concerned with improving productivity and resistance in key native and commercial species. Improved sitka spruce will be developed through a breeding programme and ash with tolerance to ash dieback disease will be investigated by locating tolerant genotypes within existing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: The National Forest Inventory which is carried out every 5 years does not collect information on abandoned and failed tree plantations as this information can be difficult to establish in a survey. A forest may look abandoned for example due to an absence of thinning or road construction activity but this may be due to a no thinning policy on that particular site for silvicultural...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: Responsibility for forestry policy was transferred to the Department of Agriculture from 1stJanuary 2004 and since that date has provided funding to the named organisation of €162,500. Funding was provided under the former grant-in-aid process until 2014 when the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issued Circular 13/2014 ‘Management of and Accountability for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Farming (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: All organic operators, including the company named, are inspected regularly to ensure compliance with all conditions applying to the production of organic food. This includes organic salmon.  No issues have been identified in relation to slaughtering and transportation of farmed fish by the company named, but my Department, in co-operation with the Organic Control Bodies, will continue...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Farming (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: The certification, control and inspection of all organic producers in Ireland, including those engaged in the production of organic farmed salmon, has been delegated in accordance with EU regulations to a number of approved Organic Control Bodies. These bodies carry out their functions under specific contract to my Department.  The inspection process for organic producers is extremely...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fish Farming (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: The Department's Marine Engineering Division conducted 41 inspections on Salmon farms in 2016, and to date in 2017, 16 inspections were conducted.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licence Applications (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department's records indicate that, during the period referred to by the Deputy, 252 determinations to grant an aquaculture licence and 16 determinations to refuse an aquaculture licence were made.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department is currently examining possible breaches of licence conditions in respect of three aquaculture licences held by the Company referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Origin Green Programme (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: Origin Green is a national sustainability programme for the Irish food and drink industry. It is unique in operating on a national scale, uniting government, the private sector and food producers through Bord Bia.   The company mentioned by the Deputy is a verified member of Origin Green.  That means that it has signed up to the Origin Green Charter and has developed a multi-annual...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: At the request of my Department, the relevant Organic Control Body undertook a comprehensive audit of all sites operated by the company named.  I can confirm that the outcome of these audits indicate that the company named is compliant with the rules governing the organic sector.  As with the performance of all operators, my Department will be keeping the matter under close review...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Development (26 Sep 2017)

Michael Creed: In accordance with the governing EU Regulation, the Department as the Competent Authority has opted to delegate the certification of organic operators to four Organic Control Bodies. This approach is in common with many other Member States. The Organic Control Bodies concerned are subject to supervision and ongoing monitoring by the Department. Furthermore the Organic Control Bodies must...