Results 10,881-10,900 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 designates certain bovine tissues as specified risk material (SRM) and lays down rules for its removal as a public health protection measure in the context of BSE controls. In its opinion of 28 April 2005 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that a scientific basis existed to review the age limit for the removal of certain SRM in bovine animals, in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently reviewing the entitlements of applicants who destocked in commonage areas in the named counties. Processing of these applications is continuing and the intention is to issue supplementary payments to successful applicants at the earliest opportunity.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: As indicated in an earlier reply to the Deputy the person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category C. Category C caters for farmers who were active milk producers who sold their milk quota into the Milk Quota Restructuring Scheme and converted their enterprise to a farming sector for which a direct...

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. I recently announced substantial increases in the maximum pension rates payable under both Schemes to take effect from 1 November 2006. I have decided to increase the maximum pension rate payable under the 1994–99 Scheme from €12,075 to €14,075 and the maximum pension rate payable under the current...

Written Answers — Social Partnership Agreements: Social Partnership Agreements (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: One of the key features of the agriculture chapter of Towards 2016 has been the Government's willingness to provide a major increase in funding for agriculture from Exchequer resources. This has not only made up for the inevitable decline in EU funding due to our economic success as a country, but has also provided the finance for the very significant enhancement of some major schemes which...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I have no plans to extend grant-aid under my Department's on-farm investment schemes to include the construction of cattle underpasses on the road network.

Written Answers — Fur Industry: Fur Industry (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The EU Commission presented proposals on the 22nd of November dealing with the banning of trade in cat and dog fur and the import and export of these products. In general I welcome the Commission's decision to propose legislation in this area but of course the detailed provisions will have to be discussed in the various EU fora in the period ahead.

Written Answers — Beef Exports: Beef Exports (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Russian Federation has not expressed any concerns about Irish beef which meets all the veterinary requirements for export there. What it is concerned about is the status of animal products from Romania and Bulgaria once these States have joined the EU. It has asked the EU Commission to inform it of the animal products which will be allowed to be exported to it from these countries and the...

Written Answers — Beef Exports: Beef Exports (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The official figures provided by the CSO on the volume and value of Irish beef exports to Russia since 2002 are shown in the table below: Year Volume in tonnes (carcase weight equivalent) Value in Euros 2002 83,000 79.7m 2003 76,000 69.1m 2004 47,000 48.8m 2005 28,000 35.3m 2006 (January to June) 14,000 19.6m

Written Answers — EU Conventions: EU Conventions (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of animals kept for farming purposes only and it does not extend to animals kept as pets. I understand that the matters relating to ratification of Council of Europe Conventions and the responsibility of Departments in that regard are still under consideration.

Written Answers — Afforestation Programme: Afforestation Programme (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: There are two type of Felling Licence in operation at present, i.e. a General Felling Licence and a Limited Felling Licence. In relation to Limited Felling Licences, Section 41 of the Forestry Act 1946 provides that the Minster may, under certain conditions, release the licensee from the obligation to comply with all or any of the replanting conditions imposed or alternatively reduce the...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. My Department's inspectorate carried out a preliminary inspection of the farm on 27 November 2006 and a decision in respect of the application concerned will be made shortly.

Written Answers — Organic Farming: Organic Farming (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The introduction of the European Communities (Organic Farming) Regulation 2004 (SI No. 112 of 2004) gave my Department powers to prosecute contraventions of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 on organic production and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs. So far, my Department has successfully prosecuted one operator for an offence for labelling product in...

Written Answers — Meat Exports: Meat Exports (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The Russian Federation has written to the EU Commission expressing concern about the status of animal products from Romania and Bulgaria once these States have joined the EU. It has asked the EU Commission to inform it of the animal products which will be allowed to be exported to it from these countries and the phyto-sanitary requirements which will apply them. It has also asked the EU to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Categories A and D. Category A caters for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died by 16 May, 2005 and who had leased out his/her holding to a third party during the reference period...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has no record of an application from the person named for an annual REPS payment.

Written Answers — Veterinary Inspection Service: Veterinary Inspection Service (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department currently employs 343 staff in the Veterinary Inspector grades, 220 Agricultural Inspectors, 35 Forestry Inspectors and 1087 Agricultural Officers. These officers work in Food Safety, Research, District Veterinary Offices, Agricultural Environment and Structures, Single Farm Payment and Disadvantaged Areas, Seed Certification, Dairy Produce, Feeding Stuffs, Fertiliser, Grain,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: An application under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2006. While the person named declared 257.50 hectares, payments under the Scheme are restricted to a maximum of 45 hectares. However, following computer validation, an issue in relation to the required minimum stocking level was identified, on foot of which the person named was written to 26...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The EU legal basis for the TB and Brucellosis schemes is primarily Directive 64/432/EEC, which governs trade of bovine animals. Other EU legislation which includes provisions relating to these diseases are Directives 64/433/EEC, 92/46/EEC, Regulation No. 2004/853/EC and legislation governing Community co-financing of eradication programmes (Directive 77/391/EEC and Decision 90/424/EEC) and...

Written Answers — Bovine Disease Controls: Bovine Disease Controls (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. The herdnumber of the person mentioned has been suspended and his holding has been restricted because he has failed to have conducted the tests required to maintain the health status of his herd and has further refused to comply with notices issued by my Department to have his herd tested for Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis....