Results 10,921-10,940 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Forestry Sector: Forestry Sector (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware of a list compiled by some environmental groups claiming that a number of companies in eight different countries should not benefit from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. The FSC, which is an international network promoting responsible management of the world's forests, certifies forest companies not countries. In Ireland, Coillte and a number of privately owned...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The majority of staff in my Department are recruited through competitions held by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). PAS also hold special competitions for people with a disability from which candidates may be assigned to my Department. My Department conducts interviews for direct recruitment in respect of a small number of unestablished grades from time to time. People with a...

Written Answers — Animal Breeding Regulations: Animal Breeding Regulations (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: In 2005 (the most recent year in which full year statistics are available) there were a total of 2.350 million cows in Ireland and between 35 and 40% of these cows were bred to artificial insemination (27% via AI technician service and the remainder via DIY AI). These figures are low by international standards, with AI usage figures of greater than 80% being reported in other developed...

Written Answers — Bovine Diseases: Bovine Diseases (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The requirement that all bovine animals over 30 months of age, slaughtered for human consumption, must be tested for BSE is provided for in Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Under the Regulation, as it currently stands, I have no...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Applications were received from 5,232 Cavan herd owners under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme and, to date, the 50% advance payment has issued to approximately 95% of these applicants. In common with the coupled schemes, which the Single Payment Scheme replaced, delays in processing can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and discrepancies...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Applications were received from 4,357 Monaghan herd owners under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme and, to date, the 50% advance payment has issued to approximately 95% of these applicants. In common with the coupled schemes, which the Single Payment Scheme replaced, delays in processing can be caused by many factors, including incomplete application forms, errors on applications and...

Written Answers — Farm Retirement Scheme: Farm Retirement Scheme (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: My Department had raised the possibility of an increase in the rates of pension payable under the Early Retirement Schemes with the European Commission on a number of occasions. The Commission's consistent response was that increases for existing participants would not be eligible for EU funding and that index linking was ruled out by the EU Regulations. I therefore decided to explore the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Single Payment entitlements to the value of €970.34 have been transferred to the person named by way of inheritance. However, Single Payment applications were not received in either 2005 or 2006 from the person named. Payment for 2005 can only be made to the representatives of the person who transferred the entitlements by inheritance, as they had submitted a Single Payment application...

Written Answers — Poultry Industry: Poultry Industry (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Table 1 sets out the number of inspections carried out and infringements detected in the past five years under the egg marketing standards regulations. The breakdown by county is not immediately available and will be supplied to the Deputy as soon as the information is compiled. Infringements of the regulations are always dealt with by a letter to the relevant operator requiring corrective...

Written Answers — Direct Payment Schemes: Direct Payment Schemes (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The position is that Single Payment Entitlements may be sold with or without land but may only be sold without land when at least 80% of the entitlements have been used in one calendar year. The regulations also set out provisions for a claw-back on the sale of entitlements (with and without land) that Member States may apply in order to replenish the National Reserve. In this context the...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned is an applicant under the Farm Waste Management Scheme. Approval to commence the investment works was issued by my Department to the applicant on 1 November 2006.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The position is that an application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Area Compensatory Allowance Scheme was received from the person named on the 18th April 2006. The application was selected for an on-the-spot ground eligibility and cross-compliance inspection that was carried out on the 9th of October 2006. The applicant was not present at the time of inspection. The...

Written Answers — Sugar Industry: Sugar Industry (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the EU restructuring aid for the sugar industry, which in Ireland's case is worth €145 million approximately. The aid, as provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 320/2006, is to cover the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring the sugar industry involving factory closure and renunciation of quota. In July 2006 the Government...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The appointment of Chairman and members of the Board of An Bord Bia are made by the Minister in accordance with Section 14 of the An Bord Bia Act 1994 to 2004. Appointments are made by Warrant signed by the Minister. Teagasc: The First Schedule of the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988 provides for the appointment by the Minister of the Chairman and 10 ordinary members to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2006 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category A. 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 2000 to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: The compensation referred to is the EU restructuring aid for the sugar industry, which in Ireland's case is worth €145m approx. The aid, as provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No. 320/2006, is to cover the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring the sugar industry involving factory closure and renunciation of quota. In July 2006 the Government decided on the...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I am glad to learn the Senator reads The Irish Times. According to Teagasc, the average farm income in 2005 was €18,000 rather than €15,000. The average age of Irish farmers is 11% below the EU average of 35 years. Although there has been a move away from land in the European farming sector in general, we have done comparatively well in this country. I did not refer in particular to...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: It will work with a Minister for Finance from the Labour Party who will not be of the same calibre as the present Minister, who has been wholly supportive of the farming sector and rural life. How will Fine Gael work with the Green Party's agenda, some aspects of which I agree are good? I agree in respect of organic food, labelling and consumer foods but not in respect of the proposals that...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: I thank the Senators who have spoken on this debate and wish to reflect on some of the key issues raised. A number of schemes are not permitted to be index linked under EU rules, including the single farm payment and the farm retirement scheme. I gave my consideration to the issues raised in a report on early retirement produced by Deputy Wilkinson on behalf of the Joint Committee on...

Seanad: Partnership Agreement with the Farming Pillar: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Coughlan: Tá lúcháir orm a bheith anseo idTithe an Oireachtais le cur os comhair na Seanadóirí cad atá ceadaithe anois. Tá súil agam go mbeidh díospóireacht bhreá againn. I thank the Cathaoirleach for the invitation to address this House on the agricultural chapter of the social partnership agreement, which I am happy to say the farming pillar recently endorsed. We often hear talk of the...