Results 9,001-9,020 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Yes, the beginning of next year.
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: There was agreement in the partnership talks that the amount would be â¬79 million. I cannot exceed that â¬79 million. That is all the money that is available. Given the economic circumstances my priority has to be delivery, in a short period, of the farm waste management scheme. In regard to the people who had made an application which was stamped by the Department we do not know yet...
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The IFA can produce all the money.
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy knows, taking individual cases to the floor of the House is not appropriate.
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: It does not make me feel uncomfortable. Perhaps less of the Deputy's smart alec comments about what I have done in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foodââ
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: At this moment in time the scheme is closed. The amount of money available is not finite, it is â¬79 million. That is all the money that was made available under the farm improvement scheme.
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: I would rather not make political points because I know Deputy Crawford is genuine in supporting a particular family. If there are additional resources available when the Department looks at priorities, issues such as that would have to be given priority. I remind members of the Fine Gael Partyââ
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: ââthat it found itself in that situation heretofore on the basis that it did not have adequate resources available.
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: I have an agreement for the amount of resources available. More than 6,000 applications arrived in the Department in one week.
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Perhaps we should have looked at the scheme in a more exemplary way where those in most need would be facilitated.
- Grant Payments. (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: I apologise to Members. Unfortunately, as the portfolio has increased, other issues have arisen. We will do our best. I greatly appreciate the Deputies' facilitation of the change.
- Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Sheep Industry Development Strategy Group issued its report in June 2006. This is a comprehensive study of the sheep industry which sets out a Development Plan for the sector contained in 37 recommendations. I decided that the best way to implement these recommendations was to set up an Implementation Group comprised of representatives of all sectors in the industry, including the...
- Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Animal Welfare, Recording and Breeding Scheme for Suckler Herds was introduced by me in order to enhance welfare standards, improve husbandry standards, provide education and knowledge building, improve the genetic quality, and improve the competitiveness and quality of the product of the Irish beef industry. This is an animal welfare scheme with payments calculated on actual costings....
- Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: This survey was carried out by the IFA at the recent Ploughing Championships. It confirms my concerns about the labelling of the origin of meat which I have frequently referred to in this House and indeed have brought up at European Commission level. I am a strong supporter of the Quality Assurance Schemes operated by Bord Bia. These schemes, which are voluntary, offer the consumer...
- Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Health and 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...
- Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (22 Nov 2007)
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 such imports...
- Written Answers — Bio-Security Measures: Bio-Security Measures (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: In respect of the threats posed by the recent confirmation of avian 'flu in England and the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and bluetongue, my Department has in place a series of robust contingency arrangements and I have available to me, through my Department's National Disease Control Centre (NDCC), a wide range of expert veterinary, scientific, administrative and legal advice. My...
- Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The piers at Schull and Union Hall are the property of Cork County Council and responsibility for their repair and upkeep rests with the Local Authority in the first instance. My Department does, however, co-fund maintenance and development works with various Local Authorities subject to the availability of Exchequer funding and overall national priorities. The 2007 harbours and coastal...
- Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: The Farm Improvement Scheme was suspended on 31 October 2007 as the applications received had reached the level of funding provided for the Scheme in the partnership agreement, Towards 2016. I clearly stated, at the time of the launch of the Scheme, that it would be suspended when the financial ceiling provided for the Scheme had been reached and this was also explicitly provided for in its...
- Written Answers — Beef Imports: Beef Imports (22 Nov 2007)
Mary Coughlan: Conditions for trade in animal products with third countries follow the principles laid down in under agreements of the World Trade Organisation and the International Organisation for Animal Health. The European Commission is mandated to negotiate these on behalf of the European Union and, through its Food and Veterinary Office, to monitor the compliance of third countries it has approved for...