Results 10,481-10,500 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: As on 2 February 2007, 136 applications for the 2000-2006 Early Retirement Scheme are being processed in my Department. Of these 136 applications, 111 were received in December 2006.

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The negotiations on a new WTO agreement were launched at Doha in November 2001. While significant progress has been made towards concluding an agreement, most notably in the framework agreement which was reached in Geneva in August 2004 and at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong in December 2005, the negotiations broke down and were suspended in July 2006. Following a period of...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The enforcement of all food labelling regulations has been centralised in the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). This came about as a result of one of the recommendations of the Food Labelling Group which reported in December 2002. The effect of this is that it not only streamlines the enforcement measures but it also provides a one-stop shop for any complaints on mislabelling of...

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: I am satisfied that all poultry imported into Ireland is compliant with both EU and National regulations. Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that Member States must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin, including poultry meat and poultry meat products, as well as to imports of these products from third countries. Under harmonized legislation a...

Written Answers — Food Imports: Food Imports (6 Feb 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 — Food Imports: Food Imports (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Imports of Sheep meat over the last five years are as shown in the table below: Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Tonnes (cwe) 1,979 1,821 2,682 2,460 N.A. UK 786 619 1,546 1,773 N.A. Other EU 378 435 341 304 N.A. New Zealand 388 165 614 380 N.A.

Written Answers — Food Exports: Food Exports (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Figures for the exports of Irish Sheep meat over the last 5 years are as follows: Exports of Irish sheepmeat 2000 to 2006 Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total exports (cwe) 49,000 44,000 53,600 58,000 54,100 Of which to non EU Countries 916 136 1,250 490 Breakdown not available A Strategy Group examined the sheep industry in the first half of last year and presented me with a...

Written Answers — Beef Exports: Beef Exports (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Beef must be considered as one of the most robust and successful Irish export industries. This reflects the significant efforts of producers, processors and Bord Bia. In 2006, the Irish beef industry was worth €1.5 billion in foreign earnings to the Irish economy. Ireland is the largest export supplier within the EU and the largest net exporter in the northern hemisphere. Irish companies...

Written Answers — Environmental Protection: Environmental Protection (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Ireland's decision, in the context of CAP reform, to opt for full decoupling at an early date took account, among other considerations, of Ireland's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It recognised the fact that agriculture was still the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (though proportionately a declining one), and...

Written Answers — Beef Industry: Beef Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: My plans for the development of the beef sector can be summarised as follows: Advanced processing methods and product development; Sophisticated and targeted marketing; Efficient farm production with quality assurance; and better scientifically based animal breeding. I recently launched a Capital Investment Aid Scheme for the beef and sheepmeat sectors, directed towards preparing the industry...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The extent to which sugar beet growing for the purposes of sugar production has ceased can be gauged from the number of aid applications submitted under the EU temporary scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry. This is a four-year scheme which came into operation as part of last year's reform of the EU sugar regime. The deadline for applications in the first year was 31 July 2006...

Written Answers — Sugar Beet Industry: Sugar Beet Industry (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The level of compensation provided under the EU scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry is based on a standard amount i.e. €730 per tonne of sugar quota renounced. The value of the aid to Ireland is approx. €145m. The Government decisions of July 2006 in relation to the allocation of this aid were based on the recommendations of an independent expert following an open...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The European Commission has identified water quality as one of the priorities to be addressed by Member States during the new rural development programming period. In REPS 4, which is part of Ireland's proposed Rural Development Programme, it is proposed that bovines will not be prevented from having access to drinking water at drinking points along watercourses. However, they will be...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The contracts awarded to the named company by my Department since 2000 are set out in the following table. Contracts Value Advertised € Economic Analysis of Foot and Mouth Disease (2002) 30,734 Restricted tender In 2006 the Government appointed the managing partner of Indecon to act as independent expert on the €145m sugar restructuring aid at an initial contract of €120,000,...

Food Industry. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: We are in fifth gear.

Direct Payment Schemes. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Cross-compliance is an integral part of the direct payment regime following the introduction of the CAP mid-term review changes in 2005. With the extension of cross-compliance to a number of other scheme areas from this year, including the disadvantaged areas scheme and REPS, the delivery of annual payments to farmers of the order of €1.9 billion is now covered by the requirements of...

Direct Payment Schemes. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy's suggestion that we have instilled fear in farmers throughout the country is not true.

Direct Payment Schemes. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: To have people like the Deputy raising harum-scarum ideas can instill fear in farmers. Since I was first appointed, I have implored the former Commissioner, Commissioner Fischler, and Commissioner Fischer Boel that we should have pre-notification. The impression given by the media did not reflect what the Commissioner said in Germany. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan...

Direct Payment Schemes. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: First, the checklist will be made available prior to the inspections this year.

Direct Payment Schemes. (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Coughlan: Prior to inspections this year. Second, a copy of the inspection report was made available during the inspections in 2006 and, in any case, the farming organisations have had a copy of the checklist for a considerable period as I made it available to them prior to negotiations. Third, Dr. Noel Cawley has been appointed by me to oversee a number of the issues on cross-compliance, most...