Results 10,361-10,380 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Official Engagements (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: I would like to remind the House that I and my Department have been actively engaged in assessing the impact of the Brexit vote on the Irish agri food sector, consulting with appropriate stakeholders and engaging with the relevant politicians and institutions. This work is being done in conjunction with the overall Government response being co-ordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach. ...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Laboratory Facilities (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department commissioned a Working Group led by Prof. Alan Reilly to undertake a comprehensive review of the Department’s Laboratories (which are located at Backweston, Sligo, Limerick, Cork, Athlone and Kilkenny).  The Group has presented a report to the Department, which makes recommendations on: - Oversight and co-ordination of the laboratories activities - Re-organisation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Appointment of Ombudsman (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, signed The Irish Grocery Goods Undertakings Regulations 2016, which came into effect on 30 April 2016 (S.I. No. 35 of 2016). The Regulations apply to relevant grocery goods undertakings (RGGUs), that is, food and drink retailers and wholesalers or groups of related companies with a worldwide turnover of over...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Figures for the three counties are as follows: County Total Forest cover (NFI) 2016 afforestation 2017 afforestation (up to 3/3/2017) Roscommon 10.2% 435ha 36ha Leitrim 16.7% 434ha 24ha Galway 9.7% 331ha 23ha Information provided in the first column is taken from the 2012 National Forest Inventory or NFI. The NFI is the principal means of monitoring national forest cover in Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the Rural Development Regulation each Member State must designate areas eligible for payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.  The ANC scheme replaces the previous Disadvantaged Areas Scheme/Less Favoured Areas Scheme.  The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based on a range of socio-economic factors. From 2018...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Cow Sector (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Ireland has supported the greater market orientation of the CAP over recent reforms, including through the decoupling of payments from production. This has provided farmers a measure of income stability from the Basic Payments Scheme while allowing them to adjust production in response to market demand. This approach to the reform of the CAP was one that was...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Wise 2025 Strategy (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Food Wise 2025, the ten year strategy for the agri-food sector published in July 2015 identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Under the EU Regulations governing the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) and the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. MY Department as the accredited Paying Agency must ensure that, before payment issues, everything...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: The 2017 TAC for this shared stock was agreed by the Coastal States (EU, Norway, Faeroes, Iceland) on the basis of the scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). At the December Agrifish Council, the Coastal State agreed TAC was confirmed by Ministers and the internal EU allocation agreed in accordance with the longstanding relative stability...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord Bia Funding (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Additional funding has been progressively made available to Bord Bia to support a strong market intelligence and promotion activities that will assist companies seeking to sustain and diversify markets. This will be kept under review. Following the UK referendum, Bord Bia developed targeted market and business support programmes for which an additional €1.6 million was made available...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: I am very conscious of the vital role that live exports play in stimulating price competition for domestic cattle and providing an alternative market outlet for farmers. The outlook for live cattle exports in 2017 is positive. Already in the first two months of this year, just over 20, 000 head, including 12, 000 calves, were exported, up from 18, 900 in the same period last year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Exports (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: In keeping with the priorities outlined in Food Wise 2025 and with a view to ameliorating the impact of Brexit , Minister Doyle and I led Trade Missions to Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore and China in early September 2016. I also led a trade mission to Morocco in early November. During 2016 senior officials also led missions to Iran, Turkey and Algeria. This was done in co-operation with...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Forest cover in Ireland is now at almost 11% and Sitka spruce forests occupy 52.4% of this forest land. The remainder is made up of a wide range of species including over 25% broadleaves including several native species, mostly ash, oak and birch. Ireland, however, has very few native tree species compared to other European countries. Native trees are often selected by landowners whose...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Laboratory Facilities (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department commissioned a Working Group led by Prof. Alan Reilly to undertake a comprehensive review of the Department’s Laboratories. The Group has presented a report to the Department, which makes recommendations on: - Oversight and co-ordination of the laboratories activities - Re-organisation of Divisions and support functions within the Central Laboratory complex - Options...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: I am only too well aware of the challenges that the mushroom sector is experiencing in the aftermath of the UK Referendum decision last June to exit the EU, particularly in light of recent fluctuations in currency. I am focused on working with the industry to meet these difficulties in the months and years ahead. Budget 2017 underpins my Department’s efforts through strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme Data (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: There were 6,479 applicants under the 2016 ANC scheme in County Cork. Under the Rural Development Regulation each Member State must designate areas eligible for payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme. The ANC scheme replaces the previous Disadvantaged Areas Scheme/Less Favoured Areas Scheme. The designation of eligible areas under these schemes to date has been based...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Applications (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: An application was received from the person named under the GLAS Traditional Farm Building Scheme, which supports the conservation of traditional farm buildings on GLAS-approved farms.  This scheme is jointly funded by my Department and the European Union, and is administered by the Heritage Council on behalf of my Department.   A letter, dated 24 February last, issued...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Applications (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: An application was received from the person named under the GLAS Traditional Farm Building Scheme, which supports the conservation of traditional farm buildings on GLAS-approved farms.  This scheme is jointly funded by my Department and the European Union, and is administered by the Heritage Council on behalf of my Department. The person named was written to, on 27 February...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sugar Industry (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: By way of explanation I would like to provide a short background to this issue. In 2011 my Department officials met with two separate groups which had conducted feasibility studies into the possibility of establishing a new sugar and bioethanol production facility, using sugar beet, in this country. The figures published by the interested groups who are...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Security (9 Mar 2017)

Michael Creed: Food security is defined by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as: "a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.At national level, food security is addressed through a range of Government policies...