Results 10,861-10,880 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- EU Directives. (29 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I appreciate that the Deputy is not farming. Every farmer got an explanatory booklet providing background information on this issue. Every farmer has that booklet.
- EU Directives. (29 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Every farmer will have a copy of the report on the examination that takes place on his or her farm. We had an opportunity within the regulation to provide a farm advisory service. That was not acceptable to the farming organisations. Teagasc and the private planners will provide that service. The Department of Agriculture and Food, and Teagasc have organised events at which such advice...
- EU Directives. (29 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: All of it is verifiable. Deputy Crawford knows that if people want copies of the reports on the inspections that have taken place, such copies are being made available to them. There has been nothing but openness and working together on this issue to ensure that the system is fair. As I have said on many occasions, I intend use the health check on the Common Agricultural Policy to examine...
- EU Directives. (29 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Information was made available.
- EU Directives. (29 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: There is no point in the Deputies sitting opposite shouting at me. It does not stand up. It is not permissible under the regulation as it stands. Neither the Deputies nor I, as Members of this House, can allow the money of Irish and European taxpayers to be spent without any accountability.
- EU Directives. (29 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I am sure Deputy Naughten agrees with that, as a Member of the House.
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Ireland applied to the European Commission for a derogation, under the Nitrates Directive, from the limit of 170kgs of organic nitrogen per hectare per year. The derogation, as submitted to the Commission, would have applied not only to grassland farmers but also to farmers wishing to import pig and poultry manure. Unfortunately, this aspect of the proposal did not meet with the approval of...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Ireland applied to the European Commission for a derogation, under the Nitrates Directive, from the limit of 170kgs of organic nitrogen per hectare per year. The derogation, as submitted to the Commission, would have applied not only to grassland farmers but also to farmers wishing to import pig and poultry manure. Unfortunately, this aspect of the proposal did not meet with the approval of...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for consideration of her circumstances under the Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances measure of the Single Payment Scheme. Having assessed the application, my Department informed the person named that the circumstances outlined did not fulfil the Force Majeure criteria laid down in Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No.1782/2003. The person...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: An application for the Transfer of Entitlements from the person named under the Single Payment Scheme was submitted on the 26th of April 2006. Following examination of the application the person named was written to requesting further information in relation to the lease date. A reply has now been received from the person named and the application has been fully processed. Payment will...
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I recently announced substantial increases in the maximum pension rates payable under both Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming which take effect from 1 November 2006. I have decided to increase the maximum payment to participants in the 1994â99 Scheme from â¬12,075 to â¬14,075 and the maximum payment in the current Scheme from â¬13,515 to â¬15,000. These increases will cost some...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Under the Single Payment Scheme regulations the entitlements of herd-owners who destocked in order to comply with an Agri-Environmental measure can be calculated using an alternative reference period if this is more beneficial. The case of the person named was reviewed under this measure and his entitlements were re-calculated to take full account of destocked sheep. A supplementary payment...
- Written Answers — Sugar Beet Sector: Sugar Beet Sector (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 383 together. The compensation package negotiated in the context of the reform of the EU sugar regime is worth over â¬310m to Ireland. It comprises three elements. The first element is the sugar beet compensation being incorporated into the Single Payment Scheme with effect from 2006. It will be worth approximately â¬123 million to Irish beet...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Applications were received from 7,141 Carlow/Laois/Kildare herd owners under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme and, to date, the 50% advance payment has issued to approximately 86% of these applicants. The Deputy will be aware that, as a result of my approach to the EU Commissioner earlier this year, agreement was reached to allow these advance payments. The work involved in topping-up the...
- Written Answers — Horseracing Industry: Horseracing Industry (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 to 382, inclusive, together. Six equine breeding organisations have been approved for the purpose of maintaining a stud book under Regulation 3 of the European Communities (Equine Stud-Book and Competition) Regulations, SI 399 of 2004. In addition, two organisations have been approved under Regulation 7 of the European Communities (Equine Stud-book and...
- Written Answers — Rural Environmental Protection Scheme: Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: The person named wrote to my officials very recently, expressing a concern that she might not be able to complete some of her REPS undertakings within the scheduled timeframe. An official has since contacted her directly by telephone, and I understand that her situation will be sympathetically examined.
- Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Payments are currently being made under two Schemes of Early Retirement from Farming. Details of the number of participants who entered the 1994 Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming, which closed to new applicants on 31 December 1999 and the current Early Retirement Scheme which was introduced in November 2000 and is due to close at the end of this year, are set out in the following table...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: This application was received in my Department on 5 October 2006 and is being processed in the normal way. Payment will issue within the agreed period.
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: Most of the schemes operated by my Department are demand-led measures on which expenditure in any one year is difficult to predict. It is very important that adequate provision is made for such schemes in the annual Estimates. For 2006, the gross provision for the Department was â¬1.516b, and it is estimated that approximately 94% of this allocation will be spent. While it is not possible...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Coughlan: I understand that in this case Forestry Premium payments were suspended this year because of repeated trespass and grazing by cattle in the plantation. Despite written warnings in previous years, the grazing continued and so premium payments were suspended. My officials now report that the situation has improved in the interim and, as the farmer has undertaken to protect the plantation in...