Results 11,021-11,040 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheepmeat Sector (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The new Sheep Welfare Scheme is part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and provides for funding of €25 million per annum for eligible sheep farmers to undertake actions which contribute to the welfare of the national flock.  The scheme follows on from a commitment contained in the Programme for Partnership Government, and reflects the commitment of this...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: EU Regulations governing the National Reserve provide that the two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’ must receive priority access to the Reserve. A young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when they first submit an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Supply Regulation (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The EU Voluntary Supply Management Scheme for dairy was a short term market stabilisation mechanism introduced by the EU Commission last year, as part of a range of tools to mitigate price volatility in the Dairy sector . In phase 1 of the scheme, applicants were required to reduce milk production in the period October 2016 to December 2016, compared to the same period in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: 2016 has been an exceptionally busy year in relation to GLAS with 2016 payments issuing to over 28,500 farmers. In addition 11,500 farmers were processed to approval in GLAS 2 and a further 14,000 new applications were submitted under Tranche 3 which are currently being processed to approval stage with a view to increasing the overall numbers in the Scheme to in excess of 50,000 scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: My Department, together with its agencies and stakeholders, has been considering all of the potential impacts of Brexit, looking at where the areas of greatest risk arise and where we will need to focus on when the negotiations begin. It is clear that there are short- and longer-term implications for the agri-food sector. In the short-term, the impact of the fall in the value of sterling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Article 32 of EU Regulation 1305/2013 requires all member states to implement a new system for designating eligible areas under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme from 2018 at the latest.  At present, eligible land under the scheme is designated by reference to criteria such as stocking density, family farm income, population density and the percentage of the working...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Cereal Sector (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The Deputy is very aware I hosted a Tillage Stakeholders Forum last October which consisted of representatives from all sides of this Sector. Following a very productive meeting I subsequently initiated a number of responses to address key issues raised by stakeholders. As I set out at the Forum, one of my priorities has been to address the impact of the change in the sterling exchange rate...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agrifood Sector (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The impact of Brexit on the food industry has initially been in terms of currency volatility and uncertainty, presenting challenges to maintaining hard won markets and a need to intensify the process in recent years of diversifying into new and emerging markets which offer good potential for growth.  In line with their market intelligence and promotion mission, Bord Bia has responded...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Marketing Programme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The pursuit and development of new markets, while also increasing our share of existing EU markets, is an ongoing and central component of the strategic development of the agri-food sector, as evidenced by its placement right at the centre of Food Wise 2025, the industry’s strategy for development over the coming decade. Indeed, this is all the more relevant after...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Poultry Industry (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Whilst vaccination is one of the tools that can be used to control avian influenza, it is not the tool of first choice, and is not currently being considered. Both emergency vaccination and preventive vaccination are allowed for under the Council Directive 2005/94/EC on Community measures for the control of avian influenza. In both cases a plan would have to be submitted to the European...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: EU Regulations governing the National Reserve provides that the two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’ must receive priority access to the Reserve. A young farmer is defined as a farmer aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when they first submit an application under the Basic Payment Scheme and who commenced their farming...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sheepmeat Sector (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The intra EU movement of animals is recorded on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), which is the EU-wide online management tool for all sanitary requirements on intra-EU trade and importation of animals, semen and embryo, food, feed and plants. Movements are recorded at the level of Member State only on TRACES. Figures from TRACES show that over the course of 2016, a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The European Commission's public consultation process on the future of the CAP post-2020 is being launched by Commissioner Hogan today, 2nd February.  The consultation process will take place over a 12-week period, and takes the form of a questionnaire covering a number of potential policy priorities such as sustainability, simplification, risk management tools, financing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Policy (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: My colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has responsibility for policy in relation to packaging of products as this comes under the broad heading of waste policy. My Department’s role on labelling of products is focussed on ensuring that such labelling conforms to a number of regulatory requirements such as mandatory country of origin labelling...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Marketing Programme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: Prior to the UK’s decision to leave the EU, my Department placed the pursuit and development of new markets for Irish agri-food exports as a central and ongoing component of Food Wise 2025, the strategy for the development of the agri-food sector over the next decade. The decision of the UK to leave the EU has brought this into sharper focus, and indeed, Brexit is now a...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Protection (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: I share many of the concerns expressed in the documentary referred to by the Deputy.  In particular, those that referred to illegal fishing in excess of quota limits and “high grading”. The discarding of smaller less valuable fish is completely unacceptable and must be effectively ended. There has been a focus on risk based controls by our control authorities the Sea...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Applications (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1January 2016. The first payment due to the person named is in respect of the 2016 scheme year. During the 2016 prepayment checks an issue was identified in relation to the Low Input Permanent Pasture action which requires further examination. Once this issue is satisfactorily resolved, the application will...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Appeals (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named commenced their AEOS 3 contract on 1 May 2013. Payments due have issued in respect of the 2013-2016 Scheme years. Issues arose in relation to the Species Rich Grassland action following an Inspection on 8 July 2016 which resulted in a payment reduction being imposed. The person named was notified of this issue by registered letter dated 26 October 2016....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Payments (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1October 2015 and full entitlements have issued in respect of the 2015 scheme year. There was an issue with the Commonage action on the application but this has now been resolved and the application will now re-run through the 2016 prepayment checks and once successfully completed payment will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Afforestation Programme (2 Feb 2017)

Michael Creed: In common with the other schemes administered by my Department, there is a duty to seek recovery of any amounts found to have been overpaid in respect of afforestation grants or premiums. This can occur where a claim is submitted for an area greater than the area actually planted. Such a breach of the terms and conditions of the scheme can be detected by utilising ortho...